Black Water Flush on a 3400 ? - Montana Owners Club

Bluegill · 11-19-2006, 04:14 AM

I'm not sure if I'm doing this correctly.

After draining the black water, I hook up my water hose to the tank flush connection and turn it on at the spicket. The little sign next to the inlet tells me to leave the black water valve open while water is going in. When doing this, it seems that very little water is coming out. It doesn’t look like its getting enough water to be cleaning.
Is it doing what it’s supposed to be doing on the inside and I just don’t realize it?
Should I close the black water valve and let it run for 10 minutes or so?
I ended up just filling the black water tank up with water from the toilet and dumping it a few times to get the tank clean. (I have the see through elbow)

bsmeaton · 11-19-2006, 04:34 AM

Blue,

The water coming out should be equal to what you would get from a lawn sprinkler. The tank wash is similar to a sprinkler that has several little holes in it and I believe it rotates. The effectiveness of it is directly related to how much pressure you have at the city connect.

There are two reasons they want the drain valve open:

If you fill the tank, there is no place for the pressurized water to go except up through your sewer vent
The spray is designed to work on an empty tank to clean the walls. If it's underwater it does nothing special

I do close my drain valve to let it act as a rinse before I finish, but don't let it run too long.

nailbender · 11-19-2006, 04:40 AM

If you close the drain valve and add too much water, you could overfill the tank. If the tank is overfilled, the toilet could overflow if flush valve is opened. Or enough water is added, the toilet vent pipe could fill up and water and other stuff would spill onto the roof, nasty. I sometimes close the the drain valve and let the tank fill for for half a minute or so. Just don't get distracted and forget the valve is closed.

Parrothead · 11-19-2006, 06:18 AM

Blue
10 minutes is too long. We close the valve and let it fill for 2 or 3 mintues. You can hear the spray inside the tank. When you can't hear it anymore, it is time to open the valve. We, like you, could see little results if you open the valve at the beginning. We fill for a few mintues, dump, close, fill again, then dump. Sometimes it takes 3 or 4 times doing this until we run clear. But it does and lo and behold the stupid sensor actually will read empty!
Happy trails......................

Bluegill · 11-19-2006, 06:34 AM

ahhhhh... ok. Sounds like I'm on the right track then.

I understand the theory of the sprinkler head being submerged and NOT being able to work.

One more question.... just to the right of the water inlet connection is a little valve / switch, (i'm at work right now and dont remember what it says) that says... somethin like "Full Flow" and "Normal Flow" inlet. Where does that water go? and when do you use it?
I'm sure the PDI guy said something about it, but..... I think I had info overload at the time.

bsmeaton · 11-19-2006, 09:42 AM

Blue,

I think you are talking about the tank fill valve valve that says Normal Flow - Tank Fill.

That's for you option to fill the freshwater tank from the city water connect. in normal flow your water is fed direct from the city hose. If you flip it to tank fill, it will fill your onboard tank.

To jog your memory:

Brad

Bluegill · 11-19-2006, 11:01 AM

Brad, you are DA MAN !!!!

Thats the one I was talking about. That pretty much jogged my memory.

Thank you Kind Sir.

Tom Gina 06 · 11-19-2006, 12:31 PM

Brad,

Wondered what that was for didn't get a good PDI account the dealer I purchase from has some major problems with the owner passing away and the management and service sept. are out in left field. Another story..... But I was wondering what that was for. Thanks!!

Tom

Remember the..............

Cat320 · 11-20-2006, 03:13 PM

My directions say to keep the drain values open when using the flush kit. That way (with the clear adaptor) you can see when the water is running clear and the flushing is complete.

Bluegill · 11-20-2006, 03:30 PM

I guess i was looking more for a "FLUSH" than a "trickle"
It didnt look like the trickle was doing any good. Next time I will let it run for a little while and then close the valve for 2 minutes and 27 seconds to fill it for a final FLUSH

sreigle · 11-21-2006, 04:37 AM

As for how to do the black tank flush, the directions do say to leave the valve open. As you noted, there is not a lot of water flow. I think the sprayer helps clean the sides and wash it onto the floor of the tank but doesn't get it to flow out the exit very well.

I usually run with the valve open for about ten minutes. Then I close the tank valve and count off three to five minutes, then open the valve. I'll do this several times until the tank appears to be reasonably clean.

I once had Vicki watch down the open toilet and bang on the wall when it was full. I was using the black tank flush. At the ten minute mark the tank was full and rising up the toilet pipe very quickly and she was panicking. So ten minutes is the limit. That park had so-so water pressure. With better pressure it would fill more quickly, most likely. I would be reluctant to leave the valve closed more than five minutes.

Bluegill · 11-21-2006, 03:30 PM

Thanks Steve, That was excellent information.
I deeply appreciate it.

DONnANNIE · 11-21-2006, 06:06 PM

Followup Question: Do you use the pressure regulated water or unregulated water from the CG faucet? It seems to me, that unregulated water from the CG faucet would provide more water pressure to the "rinser" for a better rinse of the black water tank. Would unregulated water cause any harm to the tank and/or rinser?

Emmel · 11-22-2006, 01:59 AM

Bluegill, the best thing I did was to purchase the clear elbow for the sewer hose. I thought I was getting the tanks empty before and was I ever wrong! Just keep watching the flow of sewage and then determine if you get the black tank empty. I can't believe that I used to drain the tanks for just a couple minutes thinking they were empty, the clear elbow sure let me know they still had more in there.It seems sometime it takes forever to get the black tank empty, but if I can fill the tank for about 2/3 minutes and it runs clear after that, I quit!

Clyde n Deb · 11-22-2006, 02:44 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Emmel

Bluegill, the best thing I did was to purchase the clear elbow for the sewer hose. I thought I was getting the tanks empty before and was I ever wrong! Just keep watching the flow of sewage and then determine if you get the black tank empty. I can't believe that I used to drain the tanks for just a couple minutes thinking they were empty, the clear elbow sure let me know they still had more in there.It seems sometime it takes forever to get the black tank empty, but if I can fill the tank for about 2/3 minutes and it runs clear after that, I quit!

I have posted on this isue before. After flushing several times at different dumps until I get pure clear water, my tank is not yet clean. I can come home and park in front of my house, (slight incline uphill and to the street side if I put the right wheels on the curb). If I open the black drain into a bucket, and use the flusher again, I get a considerable amount of sewage that I sure don't like left in the tank between trips. My new regimen has been going thru this exercise after every trip, and hauling the buckets into the house to dump down the toilet. Only then do I feel the tank is near empty/clean. I use Borax too as was suggested on here before, but it doesn't matter what kind of "slip and slide" I put in the tank. We have a 2955RL. Don't know if this problem is unique to this model or?

Native Tex · 11-22-2006, 02:55 PM

I use the same technique as most of you, but as mentioned I use a clear elbow to watch the water flow and clarity. I spray several times opening and closing the valve to cause the water level to rise and fall in the tank. Usually after about three to four repeated processes the tank seems to be clean as the water run pretty clear.

Bluegill · 11-22-2006, 04:36 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by DONnANNIE

Followup Question: Do you use the pressure regulated water or unregulated water from the CG faucet? It seems to me, that unregulated water from the CG faucet would provide more water pressure to the "rinser" for a better rinse of the black water tank. Would unregulated water cause any harm to the tank and/or rinser?

For me, I have a "Tee" at the water spicket with regulated water coming to the trailer and un-regulated water for a garden hose so my wife can wash the Monty

and flush the black water tank

I also have the "Clear Elbow".. wouldnt leave home with out it.

Bluegill · 11-24-2006, 10:33 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by sreigle

As for how to do the black tank flush, the directions do say to leave the valve open. As you noted, there is not a lot of water flow. I think the sprayer helps clean the sides and wash it onto the floor of the tank but doesn't get it to flow out the exit very well.

I usually run with the valve open for about ten minutes. Then I close the tank valve and count off three to five minutes, then open the valve. I'll do this several times until the tank appears to be reasonably clean.

I once had Vicki watch down the open toilet and bang on the wall when it was full. I was using the black tank flush. At the ten minute mark the tank was full and rising up the toilet pipe very quickly and she was panicking. So ten minutes is the limit. That park had so-so water pressure. With better pressure it would fill more quickly, most likely. I would be reluctant to leave the valve closed more than five minutes.

This procedure worked GREAT today.

I am now more confident that my black water tank is cleaner than before. I also must have had something on one of the sensors in the tank. My light inside would not go down to empty after flushing before. Today i got my "E" light to light up.
I know.. I know.. I get excited over the littlest things.

Parrothead · 11-24-2006, 02:26 PM

Congratulations on your E light, Blue. Small things do sometimes make us happy.
Happy trails.....................

indy roadrunner · 11-25-2006, 01:34 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by DONnANNIE

Followup Question: Do you use the pressure regulated water or unregulated water from the CG faucet? It seems to me, that unregulated water from the CG faucet would provide more water pressure to the "rinser" for a better rinse of the black water tank. Would unregulated water cause any harm to the tank and/or rinser?

I think I might have a problem with that. I have been at some CG that had tremendous water pressure, then I think back to when we took the factory tour and I remember that maze of hoses in the docking bay and they were the small plastic type. One of those runs to your black tank for flushing - any possibility of "over pressure" on that small hose? I still use the regulator hose when I rinse the black tank. I follow Steve's process as well by closing dump valve for just a few minutes, maybe not even 5.

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