wash down system in Black water tank

[Montana Rog]

How does the wash down system work? Is there like a lawn sprinkler in there that spins around or something? Just wondering how stuff works that we can't see.

[noneck]

Hi Montana Rog, looks like this....

[EagleRunner]

Rog,
That is basically it. The tip of the assembly rotates under water pressure providing a full sweep action within the tank. It does a fair job!

EagleRunner

[scattershot]

Anybody ever have a problem with theirs? Mine doesn't seem to work.

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

Might consider checking water feed lines, to see there is no blockage. Sure you have done that, so, that is the extent of Mrs. CountryGuy's experience!!

[prariepoodle]

Yes, last year just before our fire ours stopped working. When the repairs was made to our montana the service man took it out and cleaned it and it has worked fine ever sense. He said if you let your tank get over full and it sits for a while the gunk will get inside it and clog the little holes.

[jrgwdenner]

We have also had trouble with sediment in our water line that might interfere with the sprayer. We've come to realize that every time we add water to the Monty, either through the fresh water tank, city water connection, and possibly the tank flushing system we will get sediment if we're not using an outside filter. Glen took the screen off the spout of our fairly new bathroom faucet and there was a "rock" in it. So it's hard to imagine how many tiny particles there are clogging the plumbing elsewhere. I know we've also had diminished flow to the commode because of this sediment.

[Montana Rog]

Well, I think I will try the calgon trick and leave some foof in there to slosh around. I think everything is just full of it..ha ha..and paper too. thanks again for the tips..Rog

[patodonn]

Just as a clarification, the "stuff" on the anode rods isn't sediment..it is the result of a reaction between metal in the rod and soome of the "bad stuff" ions in the water itself. Some of that material may slough off of the rod and remain in the hot water tank, but not normally. Even a wire wheel and drill has a tough time getting it to come off.

We really like the "full house" filter unit we got at Lowes. It is a Whirlpool unit, about 14 in high and 6 in diameter. Filter replacemnts are very inexpensive, take 10-15 sec to change out. We use one of the "standard" charcoal in-line filters in addition,"downstream" from the "whole house" filter. Wouldn't be without it....ALL water going into the rig gets filtered, even the stuff we put in the fresh water tank...that way, no sediment problems anywhere.

[sreigle]

PJ, it sounds like we have the same filter. We really like ours, too. Unfortunately, ours is not mounted inside so I have put the filter away until we get out of the KC area. I suspect freezing would destroy the filter housing. Fortunately the water in this rv park is very good although we probably are getting a bit of sediment.

[patodonn]

We (me included) kind of got away from the original thread, which was the black tank spray system.

Re problems with the system, one reason the system fails is a malfunction of the "anti-siphon" valve which, in our rig, is located under the bathrooom sink. It is there to prevent any possible backflow from the black tank rinse system back into the RV Campground system.

This little valve looks like a silver-dollar sized "hat" sitting on top of a connector in the black tank flush line which, in our rig, runs through the cabinet under the bathroom sink. This valve failed and blocked the flow. I was able to restore the flush system by taking the valve out and reconnecting the lines without it at that point. I then screwed on an "anti-siphon" connector (any hardwarew store...about $2) on the end of the hose I use from the CG water outlet to flush the system. Served the swame purpose as the "inline" valve.

I later contacted the flush system mfg and obtained a replacement part (free) and re-installed it. 5 min work. Worked fine for over a year now.

Hope that info is of some help to any folks who have a similar problem.