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.

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

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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.

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!

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A large part of our business happens at RV manufacturer and owners club rallies. In fact, this past year, we attended a record-breaking 16 rallies, from Indiana to Oklahoma to Iowa and even California. We estimate we’ve traveled nearly 15,000 miles this year, attending RV rallies. And at each one, we put on at least one (sometimes two!) seminar, usually on RV holding tanks.

At our seminars, we go over the construction, purpose, and function of RV holding tanks (which ***are not*** part of a septic system), have plenty of show-and-tells, hand out a convenient and helpful study guide, and answer plenty of RV owner questions. Today, we’re publishing the first in a series of those questions — with our answers for every RVer to benefit from. Here we go!

Q. Can I use two-ply toilet paper in my RV’s toilet?
A. Well, we put this question first as it’s probably one of the most popular ones we get! The truth is, as long as you are using enough water in your toilet and holding tank, you can use whatever toilet paper you would like. One-ply, two-ply, quilted, or scented. There’s no need to use “RV toilet paper” and certainly not any that costs $8 a roll. Remember, your holding tank is not a septic system, so things don’t need to — nor should — break down. Doing so (promoted by enzymes, bacterials, and harsh chemicals) causes the tank’s contents to become a thick, sticky slurry, sticking to tank surfaces (including sensors) and generally making tanks drain very slowly and never completely.

Q. How often should I replace my sewer hose?
A. The answer really depends on how often you use it, but generally speaking, with fairly frequent use, sewer hoses last about three to five years. It’s always a good idea to keep a spare on hand — and even an extension. We like to keep the old one as our spare and replace them fairly frequently. Old sewer hose’s plastic can degrade, making them brittle and subject to cracking and splitting.

Q. Can I leave my gray tank’s release valve open all the time?
A. Ah, another frequent question. We recommend that you leave all (and, for certain, your black tank’s) tank release valves closed until you are ready to empty the tanks. Why? If you leave the valves open, water or liquid slowly trickles out, leaving behind solids. Even though these may be small (as in gray tanks), they can accumulate over time, creating mounds and piles of rotting waste. The only time we might leave open a gray tank valve would be while we’re doing laundry. However, unless you’re using more than your gray tank’s capacity, keeping the valve closed during this time is a great way to achieve 100% capacity before emptying, ensuring a nice “clean flush.”

Q. How often should I empty my tanks?
A. As often as you would like! There’s no right or wrong as to when (other than being full!) or how often you should empty your RV’s holding tanks. The only word of advice is that you empty them when they are 90%-100% full. By doing this (even, adding water to get the level up), the tank’s liquid content will create a whirlpool (tornado) effect, pulling waste from the tank as it quickly empties. Emptying a tank that is less than 50% full will result in a slow seepage, where waste is left behind.

Q. How often should I have my holding tanks professionally cleaned?
A. At least once a year, unless you are a full-timer, in which case we recommend twice a year. Look, your black tank’s spray system can only do so much. At roughly 100-150 PSI of pressure, it sprays in a set pattern that never completely cleans the inside of your black tank. Only our process, using 1500 PSI (that’s ten times!) pressure can truly get your holding tanks “factory clean.”

That’s it for this round of questions. Come back again for another five. In the meantime, please be sure ask any questions you may have and be sure to attend our seminars (they are a bit different, from year to year) when you’re at a rally we are attending.

The post Questions from Summer Rally Seminars, Part 1 appeared first on Kleen Tank.

First, those tank additives — biologicals, enzymes, or chemicals — are doing exactly what they claim to: They break down solids and other waste in your holding tanks, especially the black tank. Given the right conditions and time, anything in your tank turns into a thick sludge — that’s also very sticky, like pancake batter.

So, think about it. Your holding tank is a big, plastic box. There’s a fair amount (we hope) of water or, at least, liquid in there. You introduce waste and solids, such as toilet paper. In what situation would that holding tank empty faster, more completely, and better? Full of water with solids suspended in it or full of that soft, sticky, broken-down mess? Yep, the water with solids suspended in it.

But we’re told we need to add something to our tanks, right? Yes, we are told that. By RV dealers who don’t know any better. By tank additive manufacturers who want you to buy their product. By RV rally vendors who want to make a sale.

The truth is, the only thing you need to add to your tanks is water. And lots of it. And then dump with some frequency, probably more than you do now. Your RV’s holding tanks are just that — holding tanks — not a septic system. It is not intended for you to have stuff in there for long, encouraging it all to break down with chemicals, enzymes, and other additives.

How do we know tank additives are bad? Because we’ve cleaned nearly a thousand holding tanks and EVERY time a customer uses additives to break down waste, what comes out during our cleaning is a literal slow-moving river of sticky, messy and smelly slurry. A healthy tank is one that empties quickly (because solids are suspended in water), completely (because nothing is sticking to surfaces, especially those darned sensors), and without problems (clog and mounds are eliminated because tanks are completely emptied more often).

If you must use an additive, we recommend a simple mixture of Calgon bath beads (a water softener) and Pine-Sol. The water softener breaks the surface tension of water in the tank, preventing anything from sticking to tank surfaces and sensors. The Pine-Sol is a disinfectant with strong odor masking properties, it will keep your tanks smelling better.

How do you make this solution? Easy! Take an empty gallon (128 ounce) bottle or jug. Add in 40 ounces (5 cups) of Pine-Sol (or something similar, like Pine Power). Pour in 4 ounces (1/2 cup) of Calgon (we like the bath pearls, but liquid or powder is fine too). Carefully fill the gallon bottle or jug with water (it will foam a lot, so go slowly and allow the foam to settle). Shake thoroughly. Pour in 1/2 to one cup of this mixture into your black tank each time, after you empty it. You can also use 1/2 cup in your gray tank to keep it functioning well too.

Use whatever tank additive you wish. Or not. But if it’s a biological, enzyme, or chemical, be sure to schedule more frequent tank cleanings — you’ll need them to get your tanks clean and your sensors working properly again.

The post Which Tank Additive is Best? appeared first on Kleen Tank.

We get asked that question plenty of times. In fact, it ranks right up there with “What tank additive should I use?” and “Why do I need your service? I already have a flush system in my gray tank.”

We’ve serviced hundreds — maybe even more than a thousand — RV holding tanks. And while no one should be leaving their black tank valves open for any reason, we’ve seen plenty of instances where gray tank valves are rarely shut.

What happens in these cases? Simple.

Think about that holding tank: A big, squarish, plastic box. The bottom of the tank slopes toward the front, where your RV’s sewer pipes collect waste to transport to your sewer hose and out into the RV park’s sewer system. That sewer pipe meets up to the holding tank at the front, or lowest part, of the tank. Waste exits via gravity (i.e. it goes downhill). However, waste also builds up along that low, front wall of the tank.

When your gray tank is full of water and waste, pulling or opening the gate valves releases the contents of the tank, effectively sweeping everything out (like suspended waste particles). When you keep the valve open, liquid slowly seeps out, leaving waste behind.

Is it a lot? No, probably not. But a few rice grains here, some soap scum there, add in coffee grounds, food scraps, and, over time, these start to combine into a sticky, rotting mess.

Leaving your gray tank valves open only invites problems later. A better solution is, just like with your black tank, to leave the gate valve closed, allow waste and water to collect until the tanks are full, then empty them periodically.

The post Tank Valves are an Open and Shut Case appeared first on Kleen Tank.

Almost every RVer complains about their holding tanks. It seems that no matter how new (or old!) the RV is, the tank sensors just don’t read accurately (if at all).

It’s probably the number one question we get asked: How can we get our sensors working again?

Our recommendation is to have your tanks professionally cleaned and then to follow the right practices to keep them that way. In about 19 out of 20 cases, our hydrojetting process can get your sensors functioning properly again. But if you fall back into the habits that got them misreading, you’ll soon be frustrated.

We get asked about the GEO method a lot. So what is it and does it work?

Tank sensors
First, let’s talk a bit about how your tank’s sensors are designed and work. Most RV tank sensors have four (sometimes, five) problems that stick into the tank. When water (or other liquid) touches a probe, it completes a circuit and turns on the appropriate LED light on your sensor panel to indicate the relative level of fullness of the tank.

It’s a very poorly designed system (though cheap to produce and install, thus why it’s widely used). The probes have a tendency to allow sediment, slime, toilet paper, and other crud to cover them. They are notorious for getting fouled up and misreading. And getting — and keeping — them clean is difficult.

Cleaners, chemicals, enzymes, and biologicals
There are a ton of these out there. Pods, liquids, and powders, in every color you can imagine. Sometimes you pour a ton in, other times, it’s a capful.

The problem with all of these is that they are actually creating the problem. They’re doing the job they are intended to do; breaking down the waste in your tanks (especially, your black tank). And that resulting slurry of pancake batter-like mixture is that it coats those sensor probes and prevents them from reading accurately.

The GEO method
This method of cleaning your holding tanks requires only two ingredients: Calgon water softener and Dawn (or any other brand) dish detergent. It used to also include chlorine bleach, but that’s pretty caustic and can ruin your tank’s valves and seals.

The Calgon helps to break down water surface tension, cleaning scum and preventing hard mineral deposits. Some people use Borax, though that’s a bit more caustic and, in our opinion, should be avoided due to it’s high alkaline content.

The Dawn detergent dissolves oils (which we’ll talk about in a bit) and cuts “grime.” We’re not sure that that actually is and. honestly, we don’t like the addition of a detergent to this solution.

Why?

No detergent needed
The GEO Method is simple: Calgon and detergent, like Dawn liquid. In our opinion, the detergent (Dawn, or, sometimes, Tide or another dish cleaning or laundry liquid) isn’t needed. In fact, by breaking up oils, it tends to increase the tendency of already slippery tank and pipe surfaces to hold onto debris.

What do we recommend?
Our recommendation is very close to the GEO method: Calgon water softener (and not Borax), for sure, but also the addition of Pine-Sol disinfectant/cleaner. It doesn’t break down oils as much as the Dawn detergent does, has a stronger, more pleasant smell (you can use any scent), and has a disinfectant property.

• Here’s how to make your own:
• Purchase or find a clean, one-gallon (128-ounce) bottle
• Pour in 40 ounces of Pine-Sol (generic or alternative pine-based cleaners can also be used)
• Pour in 4 ounces of Calgon (we like the bath beads)
• SLOWLY pour in water to fill the one-gallon bottle (it will foam like crazy and take time to fill completely)
• Gently shake

For most holding tanks (both black AND gray; 30-50 gallons in capacity), pour in four ounces (1/2 cup) EVERY time you empty your holding tanks. A one-gallon bottle of this solution will give you about 50 tank treatments, all for a cost of roughly ten dollars.

The post What is the GEO Method? appeared first on Kleen Tank.

Ah, summer, how we (sometimes) love you. It seems it wasn’t just freezing cold, snowy and dark January when we dreamed of flip-flops, outside BBQing, and evening summer walks. Now, summer is in full swing and with it comes all of the things that annoy us — and we forget about each year!

If you’re an RV owner and enjoying some time in the outdoors, you know that RVing in the summer has its own set of irritations: all manner of flying bugs, smells that never seem to go away, and fixes, upgrades, and maintenance on our truly mobile homes. It seems that for all of summer’s benefits, there are just as many things to annoy us! Well, let’s talk about these three issues.

Bugs
As you know, RVs have tanks that hold all manner of stuff: Freshwater to drink, cook and bath with, gray water from your shower and galley, and black water or waste from your RV’s toilet (sometimes the sink in the bathroom too). These always seem to attract bugs, especially the holding tanks and the area where the pipes exit your RV and travel — via a sewer hose — to the RV park’s septic system. What can you do?

Inside your RV, try to keep at least a half a toilet bowl full of water at all times. This will ensure a good seal that will keep out odors and keep gnats and flies from wanting to go down to your holding tanks. A nice deodorizer — like the special recipe of Pine-Sol and Calgon we recommend — will also discourage bugs from frequenting your bathroom.

In your RV’s holding tanks bay, keep the area clean of waste. We always recommend spraying down the area with water after you dump your tanks and you might even want to consider something like a Yard Guard spray to keep insects on the run.

Odors
Summer’s hot weather means two things: Stuff in your tanks will start to break down quicker and heat and humidity will make it easier to wait until tomorrow to dump full tanks. Those are recipes for extra odors to come into your RV’s interior and make staying in their an annoyance.

Empty your tanks with more frequency and use plenty of water to keep your holding tanks clean. Also, our Pine-Sol and Calgon mixture will reduce odors; you may want to increase the amount you add into each tank (especially any black tanks) from a half cup to a full cup.

Upkeep
As most RVers use their rig more in the warmer months, there’s a tendency for more things to get broken or worn down — and the need to fix, upgrade, and maintain them.

With your RV’s waste holding tanks and systems, now is a great time to do some extra care, cleaning, and even upgrades, like adding a backflush valve. If you’re out attending an RV rally that we’re at, be sure to check out one of our seminars on holding tank maintenance or water heaters. You’ll learn something new and be better prepared to enjoy summer!

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