Sluicing the black tank

[Andy Bav]

One task I am hoping to undertake at the start of the season is to sluice the black water system to try and "freshen" it up.... The Bav was very basic and easy, a translucent tank behind a removable panel in the shower, fill up from deck pump-out outlet watching the level, add a cleaner / fabric softener, leave and get a pump out.

The V42 is more complicated as for a start the tank is not translucent and we are reliant upon a gauge that I am not overly confident in. Moreover, I am not able to fill up with fresh water from the deck pump-out outlet as after about 15 seconds the pipe fills up, so I am guessing there is a non-return valve somewhere...

The obvious solution is to keep flushing both toilets (Dometic vacuum) with fresh water, which will be fine to introduce the fabric softener etc, but any other suggestions for filling up the tank, with fresh water, more efficiently ?

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

One task I am hoping to undertake at the start of the season is to sluice the black water system to try and "freshen" it up.... The Bav was very basic and easy, a translucent tank behind a removable panel in the shower, fill up from deck pump-out outlet watching the level, add a cleaner / fabric softener, leave and get a pump out.

The V42 is more complicated as for a start the tank is not translucent and we are reliant upon a gauge that I am not overly confident in. Moreover, I am not able to fill up with fresh water from the deck pump-out outlet as after about 15 seconds the pipe fills up, so I am guessing there is a non-return valve somewhere...

The obvious solution is to keep flushing both toilets (Dometic vacuum) with fresh water, which will be fine to introduce the fabric softener etc, but any other suggestions for filling up the tank, with fresh water, more efficiently ?

Stick a hose in through the inspection hatch in the top of the tank? That's how I do mine (occasionally... )

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

The obvious solution is to keep flushing both toilets (Dometic vacuum) with fresh water, which will be fine to introduce the fabric softener etc, but any other suggestions for filling up the tank, with fresh water, more efficiently ?

Is flushing the toilets a few times much of a chore? I fill all 3 toilet bowls on my boat to the top with fresh water and flush them through 2 or 3 times every time before I leave the boat and chuck some black tank cleaner with each flush. It takes about 10 mins. With 2 of the toilets I can fill the bowls using the shower head which makes it a bit quicker. At the end of each season, I do the same but I add descaler like this https://www.leesan.com/shop/consumables/cleaning-products/leescale-green-descaler-1-litre.aspx. According to Lee Sanitation its worth using descaler as well as cleaner because, apparently, over time a build up of scale can reduce the capacity of the black tank. I can't verify that myself because I've never taken the top off my tank but it seems like a good idea

 

[Bouba]

I remove the inspection hatch and pour in several bottles of clear vinegar which is ultra cheap from any supermarché

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

I remove the inspection hatch and pour in several bottles of clear vinegar which is ultra cheap from any supermarché

Is that why your boat smells like a chippy. Does it remind you of home?

 

[Bouba]

Is that why your boat smells like a chippy. Does it remind you of home?

 

[Jegs]

I remove the inspection hatch and pour in several bottles of clear vinegar which is ultra cheap from any supermarché

Presumably not malt?

ATB,
John G

 

[Bouba]

Presumably not malt?

ATB,
John G

https://www.drive.be/fr/epicerie/hu...e-d-alcool-8-d-acidite-75-cl/PID1/16878/23553

Only 59 cents a bottle. Cheap as chips

 

[Hurricane]

In the last seasons of our Vac system, I used a combination of vinegar when I left the boat and agua fuete (brick acid) for a good clean out.
Sounds extreme but it works.
The idea was to leave the agua fuerte in the vac units for a while and the pump the whole lot out through the holding tank.
Quite a good solution (to the problem I mean - but also quite a good solution!!)
One thing to watch our for is the Vac system is pressurised - it has to be to work a vacuum.
So, I switched the water supply off and held the foot switch open with a heavy object whilst the agua fuerte was doing its work.
If you don't do this the pressure builds up and the whole lot could force itself back up the toilet - yuk.

Andy - I'm sure you know that agua fuerte is a couple of euros for a bottle of the stuff in the supermarket - Mercadona have it in larger containers for about 3 or 4 euros.
They also sell large bottles of white vinegar for a few cents.

I have a very different strategy now that I have nice new Planus electric toilets.
Maybe you should consider ditching the vac units as well sometime?

 

[matthewriches]

Just fitted a Planus after fitting quite a few end of last year to customers boats. I hear good things so hopefully I'll see good things too Never been so excited about a bog lol

In the last seasons of our Vac system, I used a combination of vinegar when I left the boat and agua fuete (brick acid) for a good clean out.
Sounds extreme but it works.
The idea was to leave the agua fuerte in the vac units for a while and the pump the whole lot out through the holding tank.
Quite a good solution (to the problem I mean - but also quite a good solution!!)
One thing to watch our for is the Vac system is pressurised - it has to be to work a vacuum.
So, I switched the water supply off and held the foot switch open with a heavy object whilst the agua fuerte was doing its work.
If you don't do this the pressure builds up and the whole lot could force itself back up the toilet - yuk.

Andy - I'm sure you know that agua fuerte is a couple of euros for a bottle of the stuff in the supermarket - Mercadona have it in larger containers for about 3 or 4 euros.
They also sell large bottles of white vinegar for a few cents.

I have a very different strategy now that I have nice new Planus electric toilets.
Maybe you should consider ditching the vac units as well sometime?

 

[jrudge]

I was gong to stick some acid down it - so now I will !

How do you clean the hoses ?

Set to sea discharge , close the outlet valve and flush on the assumption the acid and water will mix ?

 

[Andy Bav]

Thanks chaps.

We have 2 heads so I like the idea of using the showers to fill up.

Mike (R) wasn’t aware of the cleaner. Will seek that out when we are out in Feb.

We have 2 heads, but we only use one of them 90% of the time so whilst a new “throne” or 2 is on the to do list, it’s quite a way down :disgust:

 

[Seastoke]

Thanks chaps.

We have 2 heads so I like the idea of using the showers to fill up.

Mike (R) wasn’t aware of the cleaner. Will seek that out when we are out in Feb.

We have 2 heads, but we only use one of them 90% of the time so whilst a new “throne” or 2 is on the to do list, it’s quite a way down :disgust:

maybe you should lay one down on the other throne more often

 

[Hurricane]

Thanks chaps.

We have 2 heads so I like the idea of using the showers to fill up.

Mike (R) wasn’t aware of the cleaner. Will seek that out when we are out in Feb.

We have 2 heads, but we only use one of them 90% of the time so whilst a new “throne” or 2 is on the to do list, it’s quite a way down :disgust:

We use the agua fuerte for lots of things.
It is particularly good at removing barnacles from props etc.
If you are going to use it on the underwater metalwork, there is a technique though and you will need protection - thick rubber gloves (you can get from the fisherman's co-op) and eye protection.
The technique uses quite small amounts of the acid but really does work to remove the barnacles.