So This Is What Ill Be Towing From Now On

[OC455]

BTW how are the pups liking it!!!

The next trip will be the outing the furballs go out on. We tried a new campground....didn't know how busy it would be.

 

[2003F350]

That's my biggest concern. A lot easier to deal with a clog if you have a straight down shot from the toilet in to the black tank. But I do not. It's offset so there are 2x 90's to get down in the tank. Which means I can't stick a tank cleaning wand down in there. Luckily I have built in black tank flusher, but that only does so much. Which is another reason why I add water and chemicals a couple days before a trip. Really breaks down anything left and keeps the sensors clean.

9 years with my current camper and the tanks/sensors are in excellent condition.

For me it isn't even between the toilet and the tank...it's between the tank and the drain valve. My parents were unfortunate enough to have that clog up a couple summers ago...they had parked their fifth wheel at a campground on a seasonal full-hookup site, and my mom was spending weekends up there. Well she decided to stay a few weeks, and my dad hadn't been putting anything in the tank to help break stuff down. By the end of the 2nd week the tank was full and wouldn't drain due to a clog - she had to have a mobile RV guy come out to fix it. Made quite the smelly mess.

 

[Riccochet]

For me it isn't even between the toilet and the tank...it's between the tank and the drain valve. My parents were unfortunate enough to have that clog up a couple summers ago...they had parked their fifth wheel at a campground on a seasonal full-hookup site, and my mom was spending weekends up there. Well she decided to stay a few weeks, and my dad hadn't been putting anything in the tank to help break stuff down. By the end of the 2nd week the tank was full and wouldn't drain due to a clog - she had to have a mobile RV guy come out to fix it. Made quite the smelly mess.

Yup, that's where my clog occurred. At the hole in the bottom of the tank. Typically you can stick one of those wands down in there and blast it with water to clear it up. Can't do that on my rig. I went and bought a back flush elbow and a twist on gate valve. Basically forced water back up through the drain to clear the clog, then opened the gate to let it dump. It worked, don't want to do it again though. lol

 

[Tulecreeper]

This. I have seen SO MANY PEOPLE have issues with solids in the black tank. And if you don't get it out, it decays, stinks, and turns into an even bigger solid.

While it's true that for a stationary septic system you don't need to add anything to break down what goes down, black tanks in an RV are NOT the same. There's no two-stage tank to let solids settle out and degrade over time. The biggest RV tanks I've seen are good for a week, a week and a half at most, then they NEED to be dumped because they're full. If you've got some sizeable solids in there, and they get stuck together, you can EASILY clog up your drain tube. This leads to either the RV going to a shop, or a mobile guy coming out to fix it (because I really don't feel like messing with my own crap), and it's not always as simple as sticking a rotor rooter up the drain pipe - sometimes things have to be disassembled, and that's just a smelly mess.

Far better to put something in the tank that breaks it down and keeps things flowing.

While you do have sort of a point, you also touched on one of the reasons it doesn't do much good to put any extra bacteria into the black tank. Although putting extra bacteria into a black tank won't hurt, since the tank is dumped every week or 10 days it isn't in there long enough to do much good anyway so there really isn't any point.

 

[Riccochet]

While you do have sort of a point, you also touched on one of the reasons it doesn't do much good to put any extra bacteria into the black tank. Although putting extra bacteria into a black tank won't hurt, since the tank is dumped every week or 10 days it isn't in there long enough to do much good anyway so there really isn't any point.

I don't know what is in Liquified, but it 100% turns TP and solid waste in to a slurry quickly. And it kills odors. I saw a test on YT comparing like 6 different products using hard dog food as the test solid. In 2 days with just water the dog food still looked like dog food and was still quite solid. With Liquified it was completely broken down to mush. Unique was another product that worked really well.

I used to use Happy Camper, but it really doesn't do much for breaking things down. Controlled odor really well though, even though it has no scent. I've also tried the GEO method with calgon and dawn with not very good results. And the Camco/Thetford blue liquid stuff that also worked great at controller odor, but didn't break down solids much.

 

[2003F350]

While you do have sort of a point, you also touched on one of the reasons it doesn't do much good to put any extra bacteria into the black tank. Although putting extra bacteria into a black tank won't hurt, since the tank is dumped every week or 10 days it isn't in there long enough to do much good anyway so there really isn't any point.

Actually the stuff that is put in there isn't really bacteria necessarily, but it DOES work faster than the natural stuff. Some of it can dissolve solids in as little time as 2 hours.

So yes, there IS a point to it, and it can help, especially if you have a used rv that has some build up inside the tank. If you aren't using the tank much, then possibly not, but for those who use it quite a bit it can be a big help.

 

[ramffml]

Never thought I could be so intrigued by a discussion like this!

Just ordered my first bottle of Liquified from amazon.

 

[Riccochet]

Never thought I could be so intrigued by a discussion like this!

Just ordered my first bottle of Liquified from amazon.

It's the deal. Your $h!t will come out liquidy and smooth. lol

 

[danielmid]

We use the Camco TST drop in minty tablets, seems to work well.

 

[18CrewDually]

We use the Camco TST drop in minty tablets, seems to work well.

We use same but Lavender flavor. Smells are not an issue. I also keep a couple gallons while traveling.

 

[68PowerWagon]

2022 Grand Design Reflection 150 Series 260Rd.
View attachment 526399View attachment 526400View attachment 526401

Nice upgrade from the tow behind. More room for these goofs:
View attachment 526402

7612 lbs dry weight. 9995 lbs gross weight. Pin is less than 1300 lbs., and a Demco slider to go with it. I think I'll be good...lol.

Just need to add the pucks and the plug inside the bed.

Dad... dad... are you done with that macaroni salad? I sure would like to finish that off for you! Boy it sure looks good!

 

[Motoman501]

Nice 5th wheel, we just bought the same one and took it out for the first time last weekend. What an upgrade from our bumper pull trailer. The 6.4 towed it pretty well but I wouldn't want to go much heavier at my elevation with the mountains.

 

[OC455]

Nice 5th wheel, we just bought the same one and took it out for the first time last weekend. What an upgrade from our bumper pull trailer. The 6.4 towed it pretty well but I wouldn't want to go much heavier at my elevation with the mountains.View attachment 529887

The 150 Series is a pretty awesome 5'ver for the 6.4 Hemi. Big enough, without being overly heavy.

 

[chopperdog45]

This. I have seen SO MANY PEOPLE have issues with solids in the black tank. And if you don't get it out, it decays, stinks, and turns into an even bigger solid.

While it's true that for a stationary septic system you don't need to add anything to break down what goes down, black tanks in an RV are NOT the same. There's no two-stage tank to let solids settle out and degrade over time. The biggest RV tanks I've seen are good for a week, a week and a half at most, then they NEED to be dumped because they're full. If you've got some sizeable solids in there, and they get stuck together, you can EASILY clog up your drain tube. This leads to either the RV going to a shop, or a mobile guy coming out to fix it (because I really don't feel like messing with my own crap), and it's not always as simple as sticking a rotor rooter up the drain pipe - sometimes things have to be disassembled, and that's just a smelly mess.

Far better to put something in the tank that breaks it down and keeps things flowing.

I agree with this. I always use a tank treatment mainly as a preventative measure, and because it does help with keeping the odors away. And whenever I am camping, there are ALWAYS some sizable solids in there...

 

[chopperdog45]

It's the deal. Your $h!t will come out liquidy and smooth. lol

Or just eat Taco Bell

 

[Tulecreeper]

Or just eat Taco Bell

Good ol' Taco Bell - cleaning America's bowels since 1962.

 

[OC455]

Or just eat Taco Bell

The Taco Hell Cleanse.....LMAO

 

[chopperdog45]

The Taco Hell Cleanse.....LMAO

lol, does it every time

 

[OC455]

WOuld one of these work for the my setup?

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-44668-Premium-Fifth-Wheel/dp/B07DDXDNDR/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=8RER9ZDWRN18&keywords=5th%2Bwheel%2Blube%2Bplate%2Bptfe&qid=1693354352&sprefix=5th%2Bwheel%2Blibe%2Bplate%2Bpttfe%2Caps%2C132&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

Just an update for those that don't mind, I purchased one of these red PTFE lube plates for my hitch.

I trimmed it to fit the pin box with the locking wedge and it is only the width of the pin box to stay within the capture plates of the Demco slider.

Believe it or not, the hitch/pin box is smoother hooking and unhooking, and there is none of the noise and "clunkiness" that I felt before. Much better. I also bought a 5th wheel pin tripod to keep it more stable. I think when I get some money ahead again, I will get the rear hitch stabilizer. I thought about the front jack stabilizers, but they're pretty pricey too.

Also, the last camping trip I went on, I used the auto-lever and it actually raised the camp/passenger side tires off the ground....I've read on one of the other RV forums that it is not good if the auto-leveler raises the tires off the ground. Anyone confirm this? I thought the auto-level it didn't matter?

 

[18CrewDually]

It's your thread, add to it what you want!!

Do you have the 6 pt. System? If so, there's no worries if it lifts one side tires off the ground. Especially on such a shorter, lighter trailer than the larger ones.