This may seem obvious, but NEVER leave your black tank gates or pulls open while you are camping or using your RV’s holding tanks. We should all know that. But what about your gray tank’s pulls?

What’s wrong with leaving your pulls open?

When your holding tank release pulls are open, the tank’s contents are evacuated through your RV’s waste system and out the sewer hose attached to your RV. When your tanks are 90% to 100% full, the liquid forms a vortex in your tank, helping to wash away all of the waste material inside. A full tank empties better than one that is a third or half full.

But leaving a tank pull open allows water or liquid to seep out, leaving any solids behind. In a black tank, that means human waste and toilet paper pile up, creating a mound that will soon clog your black holding tank and cause a back up in your waste system. Yuck!

But there’s no waste in your gray tank

That’s not exactly true. Your gray tank contains soap, grease, food waste, hair, and other stuff that washes off of you at the sink or during a shower. One time, that all starts to stick together into clumps. Plus, your gray tank is the perfect environment for mold growth, especially slime mold.

By leaving your gray tank’s pull open, the water or liquid drains out, leaving this debris behind. It’s not as dire of a situation as leaving your black tank’s pull open, but it can still cause a stinky gray holding tank and even cause build up over time.

When you can leave your gray tank pull open

What about doing laundry in a clothes washer? Even low-water use washing machines can create a fantastic amount of waste water. It’s okay to leave your gray tank’s pull open when doing laundry.

The post Should You Leave Your RV’s Holding Tank Pulls Open or Closed? appeared first on Kleen Tank.

What do you use in your RV’s bathroom, one- or two-ply toilet paper? Is it the $8-a-roll stuff you get from Camping World? Quilted? Scented? With lotion? Which is best for your RV’s toilet and waste system? It’s a popular topic and one we’ve tackled before. But let’s talk about it again.

We’ve cleaned literally thousands of black holding tanks. We’ve seen just about everything you can imagine. And if there’s one thing we know, it’s what comes out of tanks.

The jar test

You’ve seen the videos on YouTube. Little jars filled full of water and different types and brands of toilet paper. Sometimes they shake the heck out of them. Other times, they just sit there. All are intended to show how toilet paper breaks down in water.

The problem with the shake tests is that no RV will ever experience the amount of shaking and turbulence a hand-shaken jar does. Well, maybe if it’s tumbling over a high cliff! But these tests are worthless for that very reason — it’s not a realistic representation of what happens in your holding tank.

And the tests where the jar just sits there? Well, there is some turbulence that happens in your black tank: Water flushing down the toilet and into the tank, the black tank sprayer you use to rinse your tank, and even just the jostling around from driving down the road.

So what do all of these jar tests mean? Nothing.

It’s a holding tank, not a septic system

We’ll say it again: Your RV’s holding tanks are not a septic system. They simply hold what goes into them until you empty your tanks.

But what about those tank additives? The enzymes, biological agents, and chemicals intended to break down what is in your black holding tank do exactly what is intended. But by doing that, they create a tank full of thick, sticky mess. It’s what is making your tank sensors misread, keeping your tanks from draining quickly and completely, and eventually causing smells and odors.

What’s the solution?

Believe it or not, it does not matter what type of toilet paper you use in your RV. One-ply, two-ply, quilted, or scented. RV-type or not. Use what you want, just make sure to follow a simple rule: Use plenty of water.

1. When you use the toilet (we’re talking #2 here), flush down another bowl-full of water.
2. Add enough fresh water to your holding tanks so that you are emptying them when they are 90% to 100% full. A full tank empties better than one that is a third or half full.
3. When you are done emptying your holding tanks, add three to five gallons of fresh water to them to give them a “fighting chance” (also called “priming the system”).
4. Turn on your black tank’s sprayer or rinse system when emptying the tank. The extra turbulence and water will help the emptying process.
5. As you are traveling down the road with your RV, keep three to five gallons of fresh, clean water in your holding tanks. It will help keep things lubricated in your tanks.

In conclusion

It does not matter what type of toilet paper you use. Simply making sure you use enough water during use of your toilet too keep the ratio of water-to-waste high.

The post Toilet Paper Revisited: One Ply or Two Ply in Your RV? appeared first on Kleen Tank.

How an RV hot water heater works

There are two primary makers of RV hot water heaters, Suburban, used in most fifth wheels, and Atwood, (which is now owned by Dometic, the popular RV appliance and product manufacturer), used primarily in travel trailers. Atwood heaters tend to be smaller (6- or 10-gallon) while Suburban’s are mostly larger (12- or 16-gallons in capacity).

There are three main ways to heat the water in an RV hot water tank: Propane, electricity, or from the heat of the engine. Electric is usually the most convenient, however using the heat from your engine is the most economical (the RV’s drive engine gets hot naturally and you’re just using some of the excess heat to heat up water). Most RV water heaters are dual fuel: electric and propane. Almost everyone with a dual-fuel water heater uses electricity because it’s easier (there’s no pilot to light) and more convenient (just switch on the heater and in a short time, you have hot water).

You can use both electric and gas at the same time — doing so will result in hot water much faster. Water temperature is set at 140 degrees — HOT! — and is meant to be mixed with cold water via a mixing valve to be less scalding (though it can still be pretty hot). You can get after-market thermostats to attach to the hot water tank to fine tune water temperature.

What can go wrong with hot water heaters?

Water heaters, in general, are vulnerable to rusting and corroding, because of the composition of water and the process of how the materials that manufacturers use to make water heater tanks, such as steel, react to oxygen and moisture. There are many issues a manufacturer has to consider when designing their water heaters:

Acidity. Gasses, such as carbon monoxide, naturally dissolve in water, making it highly acidic.
Chemical processes. When steel comes in contact with oxygen or moisture, the process of rusting and corrosion begins.
Heat. Water heaters operate at a high temperature, and heat hastens the process of corrosion.
Different materials. Manufacturers use a variety of materials in designing and building their water heater, and these materials create electrical conductivity, an environment that also speeds up corrosion.

Installing an anode rod — a solid rod of either magnesium or aluminum (often with a little zinc in it) — counters many of the problems inherent to water heater operation. The anode rod succumbs to corrosion before the other components of the water heater. It delivers electrons into the tank, creating an environment that prevents corrosion of the tank and its elements. Experts often refer to the anode rod as the “sacrificial lamb,” because it sacrifices itself to corrosion in order to protect the more expensive water heater.

Generally, Suburban brand water heaters require an anode rod to protect the steel tank from corrosion. The rod is made of a metal that sacrifices itself, so that corrosion will attack the rod before attacking the steel tank. Atwood brand water heaters generally don’t use anodes because their tanks are made of aluminum.

Here’s what Suburban has to say about anodes: “All Suburban water heaters are protected by a magnesium or aluminum anode to prolong the life of the tank. Under normal use, the anode rod will deteriorate. Because of this, we recommend it be replaced annually or when consumption or weight loss of the rod is greater than 75%. Note: Water with high levels of iron and/or sulfate will increase the rate of deterioration. To extend anode life, drain water from tank whenever the RV is not being used. Avoid any extended time of non-use with water in the tank.”

Installing an anode rod in an Atwood water heater is not necessary and, according to Atwood, doing so will void its two-year warranty.

And don’t forget regular cleanings

Cleaning a hot water heating tank? Yep! You should drain, flush and clean your RV’s hot water heating tank twice a year — four times if you are a full-timer. This helps to keep the tank clean, sediment out of your usable water, and everything working properly and for a long time.

The water heater tank in your RV has a curved, convex shape to it (it dips down at the bottom). The drain plug for your tank is located behind an access door, outside your RV. That plus is roughly 1″ above the curved bottom of the tank. And that’s where corrosion and other materials can gather and be hard to get out.

Cleaning your RV’s hot water tank is pretty easy. Just follow these steps:

1. Turn off your water heater, either inside your RV at the main control panel area and, if there is one, via a small rocker switch on your water heater, outside your rig and behind the access door.
2. Turn off the water supply to your RV, both the park or shore water and via any onboard pump. You don’t want the RV filling the tank as fast as you are emptying it!
3. Open the pressure release valve. It’s located at the near the top of the water heater, outside your rig and behind the access door. It looks like a metal switch at the end of a small, short pipe fitting. You may hear sputtering and see water squirt out a bit. This is normal.
4. Using the appropriate socket wrench size (it varies by manufacturer of the water heater and whether you have an anode installed), slowly loosen the nut at the drain. This is located near the bottom of the water heater, outside your rig and behind the access door. Be prepared for water — potentially pretty hot — to come gushing out!
5. Using an RV Water Heater Flush Wand (Camco makes them, available at Camping World or Amazon.com), flush out the water heater tank. To do this, attach a garden hose to the wand (which has an on/off switch on it) and turn on the water pressure. Insert the wand into the tank and turn it on. Move the wand in and out, back and forth, and around in a circle.
6. Water will come out of the water heater tank, along with build-up, corrosion, and hard, calcified material. Keep flushing and cleaning the tank for 5 to 10 minutes.
7. Let the tank drain. Take this time to inspect the anode if you have one. If it looks very corroded (i.e. you see what looks like a coat hanger wire at the center of it, now exposed) or more than 25% of the anode is gone, it’s probably time to replace it with the appropriate size.
8. If you have an Atwood water heater and it’s out of the two-year warranty, it’s probably a good decision to install an appropriate sized (4.5″) anode to keep corrosion down.
9. Replace or install the anode or replace the nylon drain plug. Make sure to use some plumber’s teflon tape to ensure a tight, leak-free connection. Tighten the anode or drain plus securely, but do not over-tighten (especially important for the nylon drain plug which can break if torqued too tight).
10. Turn on the supply of water to the water heater. You may hear it filling up if you listen closely. It may take 3 to 10 minutes, depending on tank capacity.
11. Water will spurt out of the pressure release valve (located at the near the top of the water heater) once the tank is full. Snap the release valve closed.
12. Check the anode or nylon drain plug for drips or leaks. Tighten if needed.
13. Turn the water heater back on, either inside your RV at the main control panel area and, if there is one, via a small rocker switch on your water heater, outside your rig and behind the access door.
14. Make sure the water heater is heating water correctly.

If you’re coming to any of our rallies, be sure to stop by Kleen Tank’s booth at the vendor rally. I can walk you through the steps of flushing and cleaning your hot water tank and answer any questions you may have.We also offer a flush-out service either separately or as a part of our full-service holding tank cleaning service.

The post Hot water tanks need care too appeared first on Kleen Tank.

We get it. As an RVer, you’re looking for a dump-and-forget solution to your holding tanks. Something that will (hopefully) get (and keep) tank sensors reading accurately again. Something that will eliminate (or, at least, reduce) odors from your holding tanks. And maybe even something that seems to make emptying of your tanks easier, faster, and more complete.

We get it. As RVers, we want that too.

Your tank solution is not helping matters

That’s right. Whether you’re putting in an enzyme solution, some mystical mixture of chemicals, or — hopefully not — a formaldehyde additive, what you are adding to your RV’s holding tanks is actually making situation in them worse.

You see, that tank solution is doing exactly what it was designed to do: Digest, breakdown, or otherwise change the consistency of the solid waste in your holding tank to something more liquid. The problem is, that liquid is more like a pancake batter — thick, sticky, and likely to be now fouling up your holding tank’s sensors.

And besides misreading sensors, that sticky mess never truly drains out of your black holding tank. Some of it stays behind, in your tank, each time you pull the tank valve release. Over time, more and more builds up, causing more and more problems.

Think of it this way: What would exit a holding tank quicker and more completely? A tank full of thick, sticky pancake batter-like waste or a tank of water with solids floating around in it? The second situation, of course.

How do you stop the cycle?

First, stop using that digesting tank solution you’ve been using. Then, schedule a service for a professional tank cleaning with Kleen Tank or any of our sister All Pro Water Flow dealers. That’s the only way you’re tanks will get truly “factory clean.”

Practice good tank care by following these additional recommendations:

• Only empty your holding tanks when they are 90% to 100% full. If you have to empty them before that point, add fresh, clean water to raise the level in your tanks.
• Flush your holding tanks after they are empty by using the Valterra Flush King Back Flush Valve. It works on both your black and gray tanks and will help keep your tanks clean.
• “Prime the system” after empty the tanks by adding three to five gallons of water (depending on your holding tank’s capacity) before using your RV’s waste system again.

And now, the special recipe

If you want to use a tank additive, we recommend the following:

• Use a clean, empty one-gallon plastic jug or bottle
• Measure 40 ounces of Pine-Sol (or similar pine oil cleaner) into the jug or bottle
• Add four ounces of Calgon bath powder, liquid, or bath beads to the jug or bottle
• Slowly add water to the jug or bottle. The contents will foam, so be patient.
• Put the cap on the jug or bottle and shake
• Every time you’ve emptied your holding tanks, add 1/2 cup of this solution (to both tanks)

What’s this solution do?

Remember, your holding tanks are not a septic system. You do not want anything breaking down in them. The key ingredient here is the Calgon. It’s a surfacant, breaking down the surface tension of water or liquid in the tank and making the tank’s surfaces slippery. It will help waste from sticking to the inside of the tank.

The Pine-Sol is a strong disinfectant and has an odor-masking quality. Note that you can use other brands of pine oil cleaner than Pine-Sol.

Follow this recipe and you can make a gallon of tank solution for about $10. That’s 50 tank treatments! If you see us at an RV rally you’re at, ask us for a sample bottle of this solution. We’ve got plenty and love to hand them out to fellow RVers.

The post Throw away your RV tank additive; use this instead appeared first on Kleen Tank.

Holding tank solution manufacturers, RV sales centers, and even rally vendors claim “miracle” tank solutions will solve your problems: They’ll get your tank’s sensors reading correctly, they’ll eliminate odors, and your tanks will empty faster and more completely. Are they right? Not even close.

It’s called a holding tank for a reason

Your RV’s holding tanks are just that — holding tanks. They are designed to hold waste from your RV (either the toilet, sinks, or shower) until they are full, when you pull the release valve and the tank’s contents empty into the RV park’s waste system (and then, likely, into a municipal waste processing system).

Why isn’t is a septic system?

In a septic system, waste is broken down into a liquid (or, less solid) form and then disposed of (also the the RV park’s waste system when your holding tanks are full). In a septic system, a tank solution chemical, enzyme, or biological is added to the tanks, usually as a liquid, powder, or even degradable pod.

But those same chemicals, enzymes, or other biological agents break down waste into a pancake batter — thick, sticky, and likely to be now fouling up your holding tank’s sensors.

And besides misreading sensors, that sticky mess never truly drains out of your black holding tank. Some of it stays behind, in your tank, each time you pull the tank valve release. Over time, more and more builds up, causing more and more problems.

Why is that a bad thing?

Think of it this way: What would exit a holding tank quicker and more completely? A tank full of thick, sticky pancake batter-like waste or a tank of water with solids floating around in it? The second situation, of course.

Start treating your RV’s holding tanks less like a septic system and more like what they’re named after — to hold waste in a mostly liquid form with some solids suspended and floating, until the tanks are full and emptied.

The post RV holding tanks vs. septic: What’s the difference? appeared first on Kleen Tank.

If there’s one thing on RVs that we’ve almost seen couples come to fisticuffs on, it’s their holding tanks. We think we know what’s going on in there and yet there’s a lot of frustration surrounding them. So let’s get to the bottom of it. What’s really going on inside those things?

What is a holding tank?

Well, as you might guess, it’s a box. A large, plastic box in almost every case (some older ones were made of metal). Rectangular in shape, they tend to either be cube-like or long, flat, and not very deep. Both types have angled bottoms that tip toward the front. That’s how waste and water flows out.

Almost all RV plumbing systems dump into holding tanks from the top. In the best of cases, waste and water comes straight down and goes into the tank, but in most cases, there’s some bends and runs in the RV waste system plumbing.

At the front of the holding tank, a large, 3-inch or 1-1/2″ (black tank vs. gray tank) hole is drilled. This is how waste gets out of the tank when the valve is pulled to empty the tank. Tanks empty themselves using gravity (i.e. waste and water flow “down hill” out of the tank and into the flexible sewer hose, then out into the RV park’s sewer system).

Your tanks are for holding, not composting

As we’ve said before, your RV’s holding tanks are not a septic system. They were not intended to hold a mass of water waste and allow it to break down. In fact, by adding tank additives that contain harsh chemicals, enzymes, or biologicals, you’re just making things worse in your holding tanks. Why?

Those additives are doing exactly what they are intended to do: break down waste in your tanks. But, they’re breaking it down into a thick, sticky slurry that has a hard time flowing out of the tank. Plus, that sticky mess is making your tank sensors misread. And it never truly all comes out, unless you have your tanks professionally cleaned by a service like Kleen Tank or any of our sister All Pro Water Flow companies.

So what do you do?

There are some “best practices” to follow when caring for your RV’s holding tanks:

• Stop using tank additives, especially those that contain harsh chemicals, enzymes, or biologicals. If you really want to use something in your tank to improve flow and keep odors at bay, our homemade solution works well and is very affordable.
• Dump your holding tanks when they are 90% to 100% full. If you have to dump them before they are full, add fresh, clean water to raise the level in the tanks.
• Use a product like the Valterra Flush King Back Flush Valve. It’s a great way to really flush out holding tanks and get them clean. Plus, they flood your holding tanks faster than your in-tank system for your black tank and you can use it on both black and gray tanks!
• Once your tanks are empty, be sure to “prime the system” in each tank by adding three to five gallons (depending on your holding tank’s capacity) to give a base of clean water to start out with. It’s also good to add the same amount of clean water to your holding tanks when you are traveling with our RV.

Get your tanks professionally cleaned on a regular basis

The post RV holding tanks: What’s going on inside, exactly? appeared first on Kleen Tank.

Want to know a secret? There’s a way you can give your holding tanks a “head start” when you’re about to use them, something that will keep them draining faster, reduce odors, and, possibly, help sensors from misreading. You want to know, don’t you?

How holding tanks work

As we’ve said before, your holding tanks are not meant to be a septic system. That’s why we don’t recommend tank additives that contain harsh chemicals, enzymes, or biologicals, meant to break down waste. In fact, as we’ve noted in other articles, it’s those additives that are causing a lot of problems.

Your RV’s holding tanks are meant to be just that — tanks that hold waste until they’re full and you can release it into the park’s waste processing system (which likely then goes to a municipal waste processing plant). So keeping “stuff” from breaking down too much helps keep your tanks working properly.

So what’s the secret?

You know you should only empty your holding tanks when they are 90% to 100% full (adding water to bring the level up if you have to empty them before they reach that critical volume). Emptying your holding tanks when they are full takes advantage of the “tornadic effect” that occurs with full tanks.

Once you’ve emptied the tanks (and flushed them out, using either your in-tank spray system in your black tank or something like the Valterra Flush King Back Flush Valve (that can be used on both tanks!), it’s a good idea to “prime the system” before using your RV’s tanks again.

“Priming the system” simply means adding some clean, fresh water to your empty holding tank after you have emptied it. Why would you want to do this? As you know, holding tanks work best when there’s a high ratio of liquid to solid waste. Adding in three to five gallons (depending on your tank’s capacity) before you starting using them again is a wise move.

The post Priming the system: An important step in keeping holding tanks working appeared first on Kleen Tank.

After 90% of every holding tank cleaning we do, we’re asked how often an RVer should have the service performed. We’re hoping that the customer is impressed with how clean we’ve gotten their tanks; if you don’t know what we do, we wrote a great article on the process.

Our recommendations.

Our recommendation is that full-time RVers have their holding tanks professionally cleaned twice per year. While we’re happy to do that for them, we realize that full-timers tend to move around quite a bit. We operate under the All Pro Water Flow banner and there’s a list of our sister companies at their website.

All All Pro Water Flow companies have the same equipment, similar experience, the same capabilities, and relatively similar pricing structures. All are willing to answer your questions and travel to you (assuming you’re close by them) to perform our service.

For everyone else (and that means even if you use your RV only a few times per year), we normally recommend that they schedule professional holding tank cleanings once a year. A big part of our service is to listen to what you are doing now, discuss some options and improvements, and teach you better practices that will eliminate the need for more frequent professional tank cleanings.

Schedule a cleaning today.

If you’re in an area where we’re located currently, Kleen Tank is happy to travel to you to perform a professional tank cleaning. You can get a FREE quote for service by providing us just a few details about your RV. We also go to quite a few rallies throughout the year, so check out our Rally Schedule to see if we’ll be at an event you’ll be at.

And remember, if we’re not near you now and you need a cleaning, you can always check out the All Pro Water Flow website and their Dealer Locator to see which authorized dealer is near you now.

The post Why annual, professional holding tank cleanings are critical appeared first on Kleen Tank.

Doubtless you have some questions about your tanks and how to flush them out. Here’s some of the most common ones we hear:

Q. My RV has a tank flushing system. Why do I need something else?
A. The in-tank rinsing system in your black holding tank sprays in set pattern, either through a single spray head or a rotating array of nozzles. While it’s a good system, it can take a long time to fill your holding tank to thoroughly flush it out. Plus, it’s only in your RV’s black tank. We do recommend, however, that you turn the rinsing system on while you are emptying the black tank. The added turbulence and flow of water is helpful.

Q. I use the tank flushing system after I empty the tank. Isn’t that enough?
A. The PSI of your in-tank rinsing system is 100 PSI to 150 PSI, since it comes from the RV park’s pressurized water supply (usually 40 to 80 PSI). Reduction of pipe size and the nozzle spray head increases that pressure a bit, but the flow rate is reduced. It can take a long time (a half hour or more) to fill up your black holding tank for rinsing. Plus, again, there’s no similar system in your gray holding tanks.

Yes, your RV’s black tank has a rinsing system built in. But it rinses, not flushes, and there’s no similar mechanism for your gray holding tanks.

So what’s the solution?

We use as a part of our professional holding tank cleaning service — and recommend to our customers — the Valterra Flush King Back Flush Valve. It’s the best way to quickly fill your holding tanks so that they can be thoroughly flushed out. Here’s how to do it:

1. Empty each of your holding tanks as you normally would.
2. Make sure that the holding tank release valves are closed.
3. Disconnect your flexible sewer hose from the attachment on your RV, in your waste system bay, or where the flexible hose attaches to your main pipe fitting.
4. Attach the Flush King to that same main pipe fitting.
5. Attach your flexible sewer hose to the other end of the Flush King.
6. Attach a water hose from the pressurized water tap at your site to the fitting on the Flush King. Never use the same hose you use for your potable water supply.
7. Close the valve on the Flush King, preventing any water from your RV to travel down your flexible sewer hose.
8. Starting with your black tank, pull the release valve for that tank (so it is open).
9. Turn on the water supply knob on the Flush King. Pressured water should now be rushing into your black holding tank.
10. Depending on the pressure of the RV park water and the capacity of your holding tank, the tank should fill in anywhere from a minute or so to around three or four minutes. If your sensors work, you (or someone inside the RV) can monitor them to indicate the tank is full. You may wish to get a water meter and attach that to your pressurized water supply hose to monitor how much water is going into your holding tanks (that’s what we do).
11. When the holding tank is 90% full (be careful not to go over the tank’s maximum capacity), stop the flow of water into your holding tank by turning off the knob on the Flush King.
12. Open up the release valve on the Flush King (on the flexible sewer hose side). Water will rush out, down the flexible sewer hose and into the the RV parks sewage system or tank). Watch to see how clear the water is (we bet you’ll see quite a bit of waste).
13. Repeat steps 7 through 12 until the water from your black tank runs clear.
14. Repeat steps 7 through 13 for the gray holding tanks.

Get the Valterra Flush King and use it to keep your tanks clean and working properly.

Can we ask you a favor?

We normally have the Valterra Flush King Back Flush Valve for sale at our vendor booth when we attend a rally and always have one or two for sale on our service truck if anyone wanted to buy one at the time of service. You can certainly purchase them at some camping store locations like Camping World as well.

If you are interested, however, in ordering a Valterra Flush King online from Amazon.com, we ask that you click on this link. Purchasing the Valterra Flush King via this link won’t cost you anything, but Kleen Tank earns a very small commission from your Amazon.com purchase. Thank you!

The post The Valterra Flush King Back Flush Valve appeared first on Kleen Tank.

To be direct, no. Absolutely not. We were called the other day by an RV owner at a local RV resort. The customer couldn’t get their toilet to flush. “The stuff won’t go down,” she said. We knew exactly what the problem was.

What did we find?

We got the RV and took a look. All three gate valves were open and we knew exactly what to expect. The owner said she had her son “go and flush some water up into the tanks” but all that happened was the toilet overflowed and there was a gurgling sound from the shower and galley drains.

Long story short, the customer had a clog in the waste drain pipes from the holding tank to the flexible sewer hose. A big one. A monumental one. One that required we suit up in Tyvek. You get the picture.

So what happened?

Think about it. By leaving the black tank’s valve open, water and liquid waste seeps out. What’s left is a concentrated mix of solid waste and toilet paper. The more liquid that seeps out, the more compacted and dried out the solids become.

It took us nearly an hour just to clear the clog, plus another half hour to clean the insides of the tank with our hydrojetter. Eleven back flushes (one away from our record!) and the tank was finally clean.

The final word.

Many RVers leave their gray tank valves open. We’re not big fans of that either. Your RV’s holding tanks work best when there’s at least a 50:50 ratio of waste to water. Leaving the release valves open removes the water from equation. It’s not so bad in gray tanks, but those too can have solids drop out and accumulate in tank corners and other areas that don’t benefit from the rush of water when emptying the tanks.

Keeping the black tank valve open is just asking for trouble. Don’t do it and remember that your RV’s holding tanks are not a septic system, they are a holding system. Waste and water is intended to be retained in the tanks (essentially, large plastic boxes) until they are full and ready to be empties periodically.

The post How to get your RV’s gray holding tanks clean appeared first on Kleen Tank.