21C Toilet Clogging

[DT6]

Here is the post everyone loves to read about, toilet clogging in an RV. We had an Escape19 for almost 4 years with no problems. We received the 21C back in October and I'ver had to unclog the toilet twice in the past week.

This is our first really long (over two week) trip, but we did two weeks back in Dec/Jan in the 21C and were fine.

The issue seems to be that the paper and waste is not flowing through completely to the tank and it looks like a blob of toilet paper you can see when the valve is open. Water goes past it fine, so no water backup, but paper remains.

I took a somewhat high pressure hose (used my hot water heater clean-out hose attachment) and although the water went down, the paper remained. I had to get a stick and gently shoved it down the hole to move the clog along.

Granted the toilet in the 21C is probably plumbed a bit different than the 19, but it just seems something is not right. Anyone with a 21C have this issue?

Thanks.

[JohnK]

It's another feature.

Yes this happens to ours as well. I don't see how it cannot happen with a flat floor and so much of the charge water residing in the long tube going to the dump spout. I charge with 6 gallons of water making sure that the floor of the black tank has water on it and try to level the trailer as best I can. Then if it piles up I use a stick to move it outboard and make room for more. This is one of the several things that worked better on our Casita than on our E21C. Grrrr.

John

[tractors1]

Originally Posted by DT6

Here is the post everyone loves to read about, toilet clogging in an RV. We had an Escape19 for almost 4 years with no problems. We received the 21C back in October and I'ver had to unclog the toilet twice in the past week.

This is our first really long (over two week) trip, but we did two weeks back in Dec/Jan in the 21C and were fine.

The issue seems to be that the paper and waste is not flowing through completely to the tank and it looks like a blob of toilet paper you can see when the valve is open. Water goes past it fine, so no water backup, but paper remains.

I took a somewhat high pressure hose (used my hot water heater clean-out hose attachment) and although the water went down, the paper remained. I had to get a stick and gently shoved it down the hole to move the clog along.

Granted the toilet in the 21C is probably plumbed a bit different than the 19, but it just seems something is not right. Anyone with a 21C have this issue?

Thanks.

LOTS of water per flush. I used to spray silicone lube down the hole between camping trips that helped. Since I switched to a real toilet (Dometic 320 Low Profile) with lots of flow I've had no problems.

[Escape_19]

Originally Posted by tractors1

LOTS of water per flush. I used to spray silicone lube down the hole between camping trips that helped. Since I switched to a real toilet (Dometic 320 Low Profile) with lots of flow I've had no problems.

I can not switch to a Dometic 320 with a china/porcilain bowl in a E19. I searched the world over and thought I found....but alas there is not a "real" one that has the mounting to the back of the toilet spacing of 7.625".

So I am stuck with the plastic one.

[Jill]

Another option is to not put toilet paper in the toilet. Once you get over the idea of it, it's no problem at all. I have a small waste can with a lid that I line with a plastic bag. Then each day I put in a fresh smaller bag (usually a dog waste bag) for the toilet paper. This gets thrown out each day. The advantage to this method is that your tank is much easier to clean and drain, AND you get to use as strong and soft a toilet paper as you want. We have not had any odor or other issues you might think of.

[Great Eggstrications]

Originally Posted by Jill

Another option is to not put toilet paper in the toilet. Once you get over the idea of it, it's no problem at all. I have a small waste can with a lid that I line with a plastic bag. Then each day I put in a fresh smaller bag (usually a dog waste bag) for the toilet paper. This gets thrown out each day. The advantage to this method is that your tank is much easier to clean and drain, AND you get to use as strong and soft a toilet paper as you want. We have not had any odor or other issues you might think of.

That's what we do - a plastic shopping bag hanging from command hooks on the opposite wall. Way better than fighting with clogged up plumbing.

Just look at it (ahem) as part of the adventure...

[John in Santa Cruz]

If you use the right kind of toilet paper, it doesn't clog. When we first got our trailer we made the mistake of using a regular home toilet paper, and that doesn't dissolve at all fast enough. The good RV paper, if you put it in a bowl of water it will just about dissolve in seconds.

This stuff works well... https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0045WJJEM/

If you're at a full hookup site, do not leave your black tank valve open. Wait for the tank to partially fill up before you dump it. I usually only need to dump it about once a week. Then add sufficient water to cover the bottom of the tank, this is several gallons because you have to fill up the pipe first

[salmo7000]

Originally Posted by Great Eggstrications

That's what we do - a plastic shopping bag hanging from command hooks on the opposite wall. Way better than fighting with clogged up plumbing.

Just look at it (ahem) as part of the adventure...

I second this (or maybe third??). Not putting TP into the black tank prevents just about any problems I can imagine, as long as there is adequate liquid involved. And any type of TP can be used, along with wet wipes (a luxury while camping!!). I do exactly the same with a bag in the bathroom… except I usually use a paper bag and simply burn the whole thing. I would far rather deal with disposing of TP than having to unclog a clog with a stick, yikes!!

We frequently travel south of the border, where it is standard practice not to flush TP. Therefore, collecting it while camping is nothing new or strange for us.

[brroberts]

I have flushed TP in RV’s for 50 years without clogs including our current gen 2 E19. I’m not sure what’s different. With hookups I use a lot of water. Without, we do things like put dishwater in the black tank. Seems to work for us, but obviously not for all.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by JohnK

It's another feature.

Yes this happens to ours as well. I don't see how it cannot happen with a flat floor and so much of the charge water residing in the long tube going to the dump spout.

A sloped tank floor is actually worse, unless the toilet is over the lowest part. I have this in my motorhome, and is there isn't enough water in the tank to reach the floor of the tank directly under the toilet, solids build up in a pile. The solution is adding enough water (after emptying the tank) that you see it when you look directly down the toilet. With my sloped tank that amount is determined by the tank shape, but in the Escape 21 it is determined by the volume of the long discharge pipe.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by DT6

The issue seems to be that the paper and waste is not flowing through completely to the tank and it looks like a blob of toilet paper you can see when the valve is open.

It's all getting to the tank, at least at first, because when you look down the open toilet you are actually looking right into the tank.

If the mountain grows high enough to reach the top of the tank, it can build up right into the bottom of the toilet and more waste can't reach the tank, but that's long after the problem occured. If anything builds up on the tank floor under the toilet, then as other have explained that means there wasn't enough water in the tank to start. You don't necessarily need a lot more water with each flush, but you need to start with enough that you're putting waste into liquid, not onto a dry tank floor.

[John in Santa Cruz]

There's a name for this phenomena, the TP Teepee. or, Poo Pyramid.

[JohnK]

Regardless of the problem and the solution, this is one subject that should not require technical aptitude or mention in a problem solving forum. It’s like the wheel really does need reinventing.

[YakRV]

Originally Posted by JohnK

Regardless of the problem and the solution, this is one subject that should not require technical aptitude or mention in a problem solving forum. It’s like the wheel really does need reinventing.

The flip side to this train of thought is there are plenty of “newbies” who don’t know the first thing about RV systems. We were in that category last June (and we’re still learning a lot!), and things that seem simple or common sense to an experienced owner might be a revelation to some people. That makes this forum worthy for any RV subject. The old saying, “there are no stupid questions,” applies.

Just my opinion. Cheers.

[JohnK]

Originally Posted by YakRV

The flip side to this train of thought is there are plenty of “newbies” who don’t know the first thing about RV systems. We were in that category last June (and we’re still learning a lot!), and things that seem simple or common sense to an experienced owner might be a revelation to some people. That makes this forum worthy for any RV subject. The old saying, “there are no stupid questions,” applies.

Just my opinion. Cheers.

Exactly! You made my point for me that having to solve this problem on a problem solving forum is not a reflection on the end user (all of us) but rather on whose ever bright idea this particular black tank design was. They should’ve copied Casita’s black tank. If they had we wouldn’t be talking about it.

John

[YakRV]

Originally Posted by JohnK

Exactly! You made my point for me that having to solve this problem on a problem solving forum is not a reflection on the end user (all of us) but rather on whose ever bright idea this particular black tank design was. They should’ve copied Casita’s black tank. If they had we wouldn’t be talking about it.

John

Wow. I totally misread that! My apologies. Carry on.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by JohnK

They should’ve copied Casita’s black tank. If they had we wouldn’t be talking about it.

John

The toilet sits right on top of the 15 gallon black water tank in the Casita. The discharge valve is right under the tank through the floor. Do you really want to have the valve on the passenger side of the trailer and only a 15 gallon tank in the 21C Escape trailer?

[JohnK]

Donna we were still in a Casita when you changed trailers so I know the Casita configuration quite well. It wouldn't take the same configuration to replicate the performance of Casita's tank. It's a compromise I knew we were making when we changed trailers but a black tank that works and doesn't have to be babied is what I wish for.

John

[Mike Lewis]

I haven't had this particular problem with my black tank that I've noticed. The last time I dumped I noticed that the gurgling sound from the black tank stopped suddenly. I hope it's because it was empty and not clogged somehow. I'll find out soon enough.

About those wet wipes-- I did an experiment. I dunked a Charmin wet wipe in a tall glass of water and left it for a couple of days. When I tried to pick it up by a corner it held together and I was able to do so. That's not a good sign for use in a black tank. I did the same thing with a Cottonelle wet wipe. When I tried to pick it up it disintegrated. I don't see how it would harm a black tank, but I could be missing something.

Somewhat related-- many of us have noticed how slowly the gray water tank empties in an E21. When the flow gets low I run out of patience and shut the valve, figuring there isn't much left in it anyway. I could be wrong: recently I had the rare luxury of having full hookups for six days in a row, so I left the gray tank valve open, completely draining the tank. Afterward I was startled by how long it took to fill the gray tank again. There must be more left in that tank than I think when I shut the valve.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by JohnK

Donna we were still in a Casita when you changed trailers so I know the Casita configuration quite well. It wouldn't take the same configuration to replicate the performance of Casita's tank. It's a compromise I knew we were making when we changed trailers but a black tank that works and doesn't have to be babied is what I wish for.

John

And I was just answering your statement:

Originally Posted by JohnK

They should’ve copied Casita’s black tank. If they had we wouldn’t be talking about it.
John

How would you reconfigure the 21C tank if you had the opportunity? If it's a really good idea, I bet ETI would like knowing about it for a possible manufacturer change.