Stop Flushing Your Money Away!

December 28, 2008

Today, many people that enjoy RVing are seeking ways to reduce their travelling costs. Changing driving habits, destinations and stay durations are becoming common practices to that end. But, there is only so much that you can do to reduce fuel consumption. Buying and trying “Snake oil” fuel reduction remedies just don’t work, and end up increasing your costs instead of saving. So, we must look elsewhere for help. After all, if you could save spending $10 every few weeks, that could be put towards your fuel expense.

If you currently buy and use a black tank deodorant, what you are about to read may save you some money. But first, you may have a small capital purchase. If your motor home or trailer is equipped with a black tank flush, you are all set. If not, you will need to get some kind of tank flushing accessory kit. These are available in various forms including a simple “Y” coupling type that fits between the tank flush port and the hose adaptor fitting. The “Y” is similar to the hose adaptor except it has a garden hose sized port branching out forming the “Y”. This smaller port has an on/off valve and is connected to a water supply. Once the tank has been drained, the water is turned on and forced up into the empty tank. This high speed water action clears out much of the tank build up that can form. Repeat this several times and your tank is relatively clean.

So, how is all this saving me money? So far it’s cost me the purchase of a flush kit. Well, that money, and more, may come back to you over time by the total elimination of using any tank deodorants. This not only may save you money, but you will also be contributing to a greener environment by avoiding the use of chemicals.

Now, you probably noticed I used the word “May”. This will work perfectly on most black tank systems. There are, however, poorly ventilated systems that, due to design, may not operate odor free. On these there may be additional challenges.

Let’s face it. Most of us put these chemicals in the toilet because that’s what we were told to do when we bought our first RV. Dealers and manufacturers even gave us free starter kits that contained head deodorant. Well, you probably don’t need it.

So, does it actually work? My wife has a great sense of smell. If our toilet had even a hint of odor she would detect it. We have not used any chemicals for nearly five years and two coaches. Both of these coaches were, and are, equipped with built in tank flush systems. But there is no reason to believe that an aftermarket tank flushing system could not produce similar results.

Now, the idea of flushing the tank is that you start each time with it relatively clean and free from solids building up on the walls. If you add a flushing device to your unit you’re going to need to clean out any solids built up in the tank from past use. To do this, fill your black tank between a third and half with water. Buy two or three bags of ice cubes and dump them into the tank through the toilet. Now go for a brisk drive with lots of turns, stops and accelerations. Then dump your system. You can now use your flushing system just for good measure. This method should clean off most, if not all, the solids that have been bonding to the walls and floor of the tank.

Well, ” good food for thought” doesn’t seem to go to well with this topic, but why not give it a try. If you are already not using these head chemicals, let’s hear from you. If you are, give it a try and be sure to let us know your results. If you are new to this type of toilet, maybe you will never have to put this deodorant into your system.

Various flushing devices can be purchased from recreational vehicle supply stores, like Camping World, most RV dealers or can be found on-line.

Seasons Greetings – Lug_Nut – Peter Mercer