Toilet paper...

[solo318]

While we are on the subject of pooh. I just want to mention one more thing.  You will see some people in RV parks who always leave their dump valves open. This is IMHO a terrible idea. The last thing you want is to "dry out" your black tank.  you NEED the water to grow the bacteria and flush the pooh out of the hose. The 2nd to last thing you want is black water backing up into your grey tank from a clogged hose or a park sewage problem. The 3rd to last thing you want (OKAY MAYBE the 1st) is to be standing beside your camper covered in your own pooh. I know a rental guy who decided to leave his valves open after like the 50th time a renter couldn't figure out how to dump the tanks. After the 3rd or 4th clogged hose, He decided he would rather leave them closed and deal with the phone calls.

 

[mickeyblueyes]

I’m not quite sure about the bacteria idea? You would want bacteria in a septic system,or even a cesspool. But a RV is just a plastic holding tank there would be no reason to want bacteria to grow, it’s just going to off gas. I agree with keeping valves closed, ideally fill a few gallons of clean water into your black tank once  empty and add some deodorant type chemical. When your near full dump the tank rinse and repeat. 

[Randyretired]

Any time waste is held in a tank bacteria will grow.  I have installed plastic septic tanks that work just fine.  The bacteria and water begin to immediately break down the solids.  I have seen black tank discharges and many of the solids and paper are dissolved in  just a week.  Given enough time a RV holding tank would clear solids exactly the same as a septic tank.  Since most of us dump the tank in a week or so the action does not have enough time to complete the process but it has a good start.

[Barbaraok]

1 hour ago, mickeyblueyes said:

I’m not quite sure about the bacteria idea? You would want bacteria in a septic system,or even a cesspool. But a RV is just a plastic holding tank there would be no reason to want bacteria to grow, it’s just going to off gas. I agree with keeping valves closed, ideally fill a few gallons of clean water into your black tank once  empty and add some deodorant type chemical. When your near full dump the tank rinse and repeat. 

You have no option as to bacteria - you excrete it when you use the toilet.  You gut is loaded with beneficial bacteria and these will continue to break down the 'food' that you were not able to absorb when in the tank/septic system.  You don't need to add any deodorant type chemical - that is what water is for, as well as a good seal at the toilet.  If you smell the toilet in the rig you need to replace the seals.  Best thing to help things along is adding vinegar to the toilet bowl and let it sit for awhile - that helps dissolve any calcium/magnesium crystals that will interfere with a good fit of the seals at the base of the toilet bowl.  Then scrub the toilet with some baking soda - helps buffer the pH in the tank and the bacteria will appreciate it.   Also dump some baking soda down the other drains every week or so.

 

[FL-JOE]

19 hours ago, Kirk Wood said:

I'm always amazed at the number of people who jump in to tell us that the RV black tank isn't a septic tank, especially since I have yet to see anyone post that it is...    However, there are similarities.  In the tank, the waste is broken down by naturally occurring bacteria, exactly what happens in a septic system except that the systems have two tanks and when working properly keep the materials longer. It is exactly the same process that breaks down TP and solids in your black tank as happens in the first section of a septic tank, except it may not stay in there as long.  The septic safe designation is intended to indicate that the toilet paper will dissolve rapidly, which is what we are looking for. If you ever have the experience of your tank not emptying because solids have built up inside, you will wish you had been more careful. And just because you have not had that happen yet, is no proof that it never will so I'll continue to observe the small things like septic safe TP. Others should do whatever they wish as I don't plan to be there to help if you should experience the problem. 

I guess I need to pick my words very carefully in the future.  About the only thing a residential septic system and a RV black holding tank have in common is the fact they hold waste.  One is vented, one is usually not, one gets shaken up, one does not, one get emptied out frequently and washed out through a small diameter gate valve and pipe, and one has to be suctioned out every so many years commercially.  It is like comparing apples and oranges, yes they are a fruit but they will never be the same.

A marine waste holding tank is more like a septic system than any RV black holding tank.  Most boaters are very cautious on what toilet paper they use believe me.  Marine holding tanks have to be suctioned out and you certainly don't want anything blocking that procedure.  

A beginner just has to read all the available information and decide what products they want to use.  Everyone has different equipment, experiences, and opinions when it comes to these RV sanitation issues.

[Kirk W]

If anyone is still reading this thread, yesterday I was a Walmart so I looked to see what TP was listed as septic safe and every brand that I saw had the septic safe label. Makes me wonder if the things that used to be used in TP that caused a problem in septic systems have not been eliminated from the manufacturing process? 

[SWharton]

The problem had been the TP did not break up in systems. Many years ago that problem was eliminated. 

[hemsteadc]

Scott is fine.

[SnowGypsy]

RVing since the 1980s, I remember the jar test where you take 4 sheets of chosen TP and shake it in a 1 qt jar of water to determine how it breaks down or not.  Scott was as good as the RV TP with Angel Soft a close 2nd.  Some of the very thick seemed too hearty and resisted breaking down despite my shaking it vigorously.   The only time we had RV TP was when we bought a rig that included it with the purchase.

 

[TheJoblessRver]

As many have already said, as long as it is single ply and septic tank friendly you should be ok. 

Another big thing to avoid are those toilet wipes wish do NOT break down like single ply toilet paper does. 

[Pat & Pete]

1 hour ago, TheJoblessRver said:

As many have already said, as long as it is single ply and septic tank friendly you should be ok. 

Another big thing to avoid are those toilet wipes wish do NOT break down like single ply toilet paper does. 

The paper doesn't have to be single ply . 

We have never , in 8 years of full timing , used single ply paper and have never had a problem .

You just end up using twice as much , so what's the point ? 

[chirakawa]

8 hours ago, Pat & Pete said:

The paper doesn't have to be single ply . 

We have never , in 8 years of full timing , used single ply paper and have never had a problem .

You just end up using twice as much , so what's the point ? 

Exactly.

[Dollytrolley]

Ok Oregonrain listen up.........OregonDry here (born Central Oregon)

First of all.........is RVing expensive???? Darn toot'n its is.......and it's choked full of danger and the black water tank is worse than a Nuke-power-plant-melltdown.......

 

Don't let me dampen your desire to dive into the RV-sewer......we are all in up to our necks and there is no known cure but you are VERY lucky in that you are in Oregon because Oregon has a highway that will scrub your black water tank better than it was when it was new EVEN if you put concrete in the tank..........the highway is...........OR 34 between Philomath and Waldport......

OR34 is darn twisty and has plenty of dips and hills to slosh a 1/3 full black water tank into a frothy clean condition better than new......

We had a winter home in Tucson and a summer joint at Wakonda Beach Airport and by the time we rolled into Waldport our black water tank was new again........so you see high property and income taxes in Oregon are almost worth being able to drive OR34 just to keep the ole black water tank in ship-shape......

Next is battery cable cleaning........the RV-fun NEVER ends..........

 

Drive on.............(Drive OR34........good for your black water tank)

[noteven]

Dolly - The right lane northbound on the I5 north of the Grapevine in CA is also a tank stirring experience. 

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

My two cents....

We have been using either Cottonelle or Charmin (Blue Bears) for 5 years now.  If I had to use Scotts single ply or any other single ply or rough multi-ply paper I wouldn't RV.  With a medical condition called Celiac Disease, any wheat or Gluten product blows tight thru me... Literally....  And the problem is is that I like to eat good food.....  

In our 5 years, I have used a clear elbow on our drain valve, to monitor the washout etc, I have never seen, not that I'm looking closely, clumps of paper.  We use plenty of water when flushing, dump the black tank every 6-9 days.

 

[Kirk W]

Just use a corn cob and toss it in a bucket!   😄

[sandsys]

5 hours ago, Dollytrolley said:

Next is battery cable cleaning...

My mother had a 1966 VW bug for which she regularly cleaned the battery cable connections because she thought they looked ugly when corroded. The bug was 15 years old when someone mentioned needing to buy a new battery. She didn't know she was supposed to do need to do that since her original battery still worked fine. I no longer make fun of cleaning battery terminals.

Linda Sand

[WeBeFulltimers]

19 hours ago, sandsys said:

My mother had a 1966 VW bug for which she regularly cleaned the battery cable connections because she thought they looked ugly when corroded. The bug was 15 years old when someone mentioned needing to buy a new battery. She didn't know she was supposed to do need to do that since her original battery still worked fine. I no longer make fun of cleaning battery terminals.

Linda Sand

Your Mom regularly raised the bottom of the rear seat of her 66 VW just to admire her battery cable connections?! LOL and BTW that was a 6 volt battery.

[noteven]

23 minutes ago, WeBeFulltimers said:

Your Mom regularly raised the bottom of the rear seat of her 66 VW just to admire her battery cable connections?! LOL and BTW that was a 6 volt battery.

It’s a Scandanavian thing. Clean battery cables.

[Kirk W]

24 minutes ago, noteven said:

It’s a Scandanavian thing. Clean battery cables.

Do you use toilet paper or what is the connection to the subject of this thread? 🤣

[noteven]

🤣

[Ray,IN]

In 2002 a 9 yr old girl did a toilet paper breakdown test for her science project. The results should not amaze anyone. Use any paper you like unless you plan to empty your black tank more often than every 10 minutes.

There is no secret, keep any/all solids completely covered with liquid.

 

[FL-JOE]

I think it would be fair to sum all this up by saying that everyone has different "needs" when it comes to cleaning up certain parts of their bodies.  Just like different RVs have slightly different systems to digest and hold the waste.  Some may have straight drop toilets and some may have macerating toilets.  Some RVers move their units at least once a week and some leave them sit all summer.  In other words, everyone is a little different.  

If it has been working for you then keep doing it.  

If you are new to all this business then look over everyone's suggestions and compare them to how you will probably be using your RV, then decide what direction you want to wipe/hold/dump.

[WeBeFulltimers]

On 10/28/2018 at 1:49 PM, Kirk Wood said:

Just use a corn cob and toss it in a bucket!   😄

Many people use a brown one first and then a white one to check their work. After checking their work it may be necessary to use a second brown one.

[Kirk W]

20 minutes ago, WeBeFulltimers said:

After checking their work it may be necessary to use a second brown one.

Are the red ones for people who have hemorrhoids?