Happy Camper Extreme

[Roy & Ann]

I have been using the Happy Camper Extreme ever since I had the Seelevel gauge installed.  Whenever the gray or black tank starts reading eradicate I use the Happy Camper Extreme.  It seems it is no longer available.  According to the Facebook page, they no longer make it.  

I use the standard Happy Camper with every tank full to break down the solids and keep the odor down.  It works well for that, but not to clean the inside of the tank.

Anyone know of a product which will clean the inside surface of the tanks? 

 

[Barbaraok]

Water.

All you ever need to use is ample water

[RV_]

We used DHMO  or Hydric acid- MSDS HERE, HEED WARNINGS AND AVOID BREATHING VAPOR AND PROLONGED CONTACT IN SOLID FORM .

MSDS: http://www.dhmo.org/msdsdhmo.html

Do not mix with chemicals it is reactive with as explosions, fires, and burns are likely with some lethal. Used alone it is considered a universal solvent when used properly. It's available at most RV parks if you are willing to pay for it.

It works!

Safe travels!

 

Edited February 18, 2020 by RV_

[sandsys]

1 hour ago, Barbaraok said:

Water.

All you ever need to use is ample water

In case you don't know, Barb is a chemist. I trust her completely when it comes to this type of question. Yes, you can use other chemicals but why would you when water does the job without the potential of causing damage to you or your tanks?

Linda Sand

[Barbaraok]

1 hour ago, RV_ said:

We used DHMO  or Hydric acid- MSDS HERE, HEED WARNINGS AND AVOID BREATHING VAPOR AND PROLONGED CONTACT IN SOLID FORM .

MSDS: http://www.dhmo.org/msdsdhmo.html

Do not mix with chemicals it is reactive with as explosions, fires, and burns are likely with some lethal. Used alone it is considered a universal solvent when used properly. It's available at most RV parks if you are willing to pay for it.

It works!

Safe travels!

 

It is pretty dangerous stuff 

[RV_]

Here is the website for DHMO research: http://www.dhmo.org/

[2gypsies]

Why use chemicals when plain water does the job?  Why do you need a spotless tank?  You're just going to dirty it back up immediately.  We've RV'd for 50+ years and water did the trick... never any stoppages..... never any smells.

[RV_]

I was a Medical Lab Technologist for several years after five years as a medic and scrub tech, as well as sterile supply running the autoclaves before disposables, among other things, and we had to know the organic chemistry which includes poop and pee. We used dangerous chemicals and reagents daily including isolation of dangerous pathogens and tissues. We used a lot of hydric acid (DHMO) daily. I crosstrained out of medical fields in the Air Force after I found a better way to draw blood with no aids risk . . . the M-16! and taught them, shot all the ground weapons daily for my last twenty years of my 27 years in the AF, which includes a five year break in service for college, (LSU,  when I was also in AFRES. My Industrial Engineering degree came in handy for all of it. DHMO is best for human excrement dissolution of organic as well as many inorganics.

Edited February 19, 2020 by RV_

[Kirk W]

Like Barb, we only use generous amounts of water when we flush and no chemicals of any kind, but because I do know that there is often some residue left behind on the walls and sides of the waste tanks, I do like to do some preventive removal of that material and have found a pretty easy way of doing so. Once a month or so when traveling and just before we store our trailer for a period of not using it, we fill the tanks about half full of water and then add a generous amount of cold water laundry detergent, just before we will be traveling for several hours. I then dump the tanks as soon as we arrive at the end of that trip. I really doubt that there is any need for the cleaning but it does make us feel better. 😊

We stopped using waste tank chemicals more than 15 years ago while we were fulltime.

[mptjelgin]

35 minutes ago, RV_ said:

We used a lot of hydric acid (DHMO) daily. 

Do you think you've about beaten this bit of hilarity to death?

[Ray,IN]

5 hours ago, RV_ said:

We used DHMO  or Hydric acid- MSDS HERE, HEED WARNINGS AND AVOID BREATHING VAPOR AND PROLONGED CONTACT IN SOLID FORM .

MSDS: http://www.dhmo.org/msdsdhmo.html

Do not mix with chemicals it is reactive with as explosions, fires, and burns are likely with some lethal. Used alone it is considered a universal solvent when used properly. It's available at most RV parks if you are willing to pay for it.

It works!

Safe travels!

 

Too much of that stuff will kill a human.

Edited February 19, 2020 by Ray,IN

[RV_]

Yeppers Ray!

[2gypsies]

Since we boondocked a lot we often dumped our soapy dishwater into the toilet.  Naturally, we had to drive to get to a dump station so we figured the soapy water cut down on some of the 'wall' stuff.  That.... and water .... works.

[Kirk W]

10 hours ago, Ray,IN said:

Too much of that stuff will kill a human.

I suspect that it is bad for a septic system too. 

[Dutch_12078]

58 minutes ago, Kirk W said:

I suspect that it is bad for a septic system too. 

But a septic system will not function at all without it...

[Roy & Ann]

Thanks for your all your reply's.  The problem, now is the gray tank, so lots of water is not the answer.  I am not a chemist, so I don't feel qualified to use things that could kill me if I breath them or could blow up.

[Dutch_12078]

In case anyone is still confused about "DHMO", the chemical symbol for DiHydrogen MonOxide is "H2O", commonly known as "water"...

[Ray,IN]

1 hour ago, Roy & Ann said:

Thanks for your all your reply's.  The problem, now is the gray tank, so lots of water is not the answer.  I am not a chemist, so I don't feel qualified to use things that could kill me if I breath them or could blow up.

Sorry we sidetracked your questions, it's the fun side of us I think. Back to your questions.

I think most folks use liquid dish-washer soap in the both black and gray tank to remove grease and gunk. I do the same as others have stated they do for their black tank, allow it to fill ~ 1/2 way and add liquid diswasher detergent (some folks have used premixed water and Spic N Span) before beginning the days drive. I only do that once a year and our 20 yr old liquid level gauges read as designed.

[Barbaraok]

2 hours ago, Roy & Ann said:

Thanks for your all your reply's.  The problem, now is the gray tank, so lots of water is not the answer.  I am not a chemist, so I don't feel qualified to use things that could kill me if I breath them or could blow up.

Is the problem the grey tank not draining or smells from the grey tank (which can be as baad as the black tank).   I routinely put baking soda in all drains to help buffer the water and 'sweeten' the pipes.    Might be a vent problem (we put rotating tops on both the black and grey tank vents) or build up of grease in a pipe (do you pour boiling water down kitchen sink (draining pasta) on a routine basis - if not, do so.   

[Roy & Ann]

Barbaraok:  Both tanks drain and work fine.  The problem is the the SeeLevel gauge does not read correctly on the gray tank.  I have had this problem in the past because of buildup on the inner wall of the tank.  The sensor which is on the outside of the tank,  cannot read properly.  I have used Happy Camper Extreme in the past and it worked.  The product is not made anymore, so I am looking for something to clean the inside walls of the tank.

Edited February 19, 2020 by Roy & Ann

[Barbaraok]

I haven’t relied on waste tank gauges in 13 years.  Dump black when it burps, dump grey after black or 7 days if using lots of water. You quickly learn how long you can go between dumps.  

[jbh]

  I use this stuff https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07T3BXP3X/?coliid=I1SM45FJ7E21N9&colid=XYN4Z4HQXODB&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it to replace Happy Camper in warm weather because Happy Camper is insufficient. Although not sold as a sensor cleaner it may work.

  I do note, however,  that the same company sells a sensor cleaner https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07T3BXP3X/?coliid=I1SM45FJ7E21N9&colid=XYN4Z4HQXODB&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it   I don't know anything about it but I'd be inclined to give it a try.

  Maybe filling the tank 1/3 or so plus a big glug of Calgon and Dawn on travel day would help. I suspect you're getting a calcium "soap scum" buildup.

[Barbaraok]

JBH, if you are getting odor in your rig then you need to look at the toilet seal and/or tank vents.   Yes, in warm weather you will get a whiff when flushing, which means your black tank has bacteria working on the biomass, which is good.  But you should smell it in your rig if everything is working as it should.  

[sandsys]

Be sure your dishwashing liquid is NOT antibacterial. You want bacteria to dissolve things. That why most of us use blue Dawn. It works even in cold water.

Linda Sand

[2gypsies]

I don't think RVers have enough time before dumping for bacteria to really work as one hopes.  Some use Rid-X for that purpose but again, we dump to fast.

OP:  Regarding your gauges.... they are notorious for not working all the time.  As Barb said, you can really get an accurate 'feel' for when the tanks are full by making note of your own use.  Good luck!