RV Toilet clog .... help please

[JudyJB]

You would have to have an awful lot of paper in the tank to cause this problem. Is it possible that someone put something else in the toilet?

Almost all of us have had similar clogs. I had two stubborn toilet paper clogs when I first got my motorhome. This coincided when my grandchildren were small, visiting me, and believed that more TP was better than less!! I ended up having to supervise their wiping because they liked to use huge handfuls of the stuff, which is what clogged my toilet. They are teenagers now, and a LOT easier to educate about RV bathroom use!

So, when you get all this cleared and cleaned up, you may want to have an education session for your family members! (Use as little TP and possible and lots of water, etc.) In the future, you might also want to occasionally dump down an extra bucket or two of water to clear the stuff that sits in the bottom of your black tank.

Also, I just noticed you live in Nevada, which is a hot and dry climate. If you park your rig for weeks and months at a time, make sure you add some extra water in your black tank before you park it so it does not dry up. Even after you empty your tank, there could be some residual TP or other solids, and you want to make sure it does not harden into a block that will be difficult to get rid of in the future.

 

[phil-t]

Didn't read, in the thread, where anyone suggested that maybe the black tank valve is broken? Like the handle rod disconnected from the gate valve disc? Or, if cable actuator, the cable is broken or disconnected?

 

[Henry J Fate]

Didn't read, in the thread, where anyone suggested that maybe the black tank valve is broken? Like the handle rod disconnected from the gate valve disc? Or, if cable actuator, the cable is broken or disconnected?

Good point. The other possibility is that the blockage is localized to the toilet entrance area which would mean that the tank is not full and the dump valve doesn't have anything there to dump.

In that case, shut the water off and use a stick down the throat of the toilet to loosen things up. Then fill the tank and dump it.

 

[gwinger]

Didn't read, in the thread, where anyone suggested that maybe the black tank valve is broken? Like the handle rod disconnected from the gate valve disc? Or, if cable actuator, the cable is broken or disconnected?

I did mention that in my post #20. Easy to find out. Either look up the pipe or try to push a piece of hose up the pipe.
If that's the case, it isn't hard to replace the entire valve assembly.

 

[Rene T]

If that's the case, it isn't hard to replace the entire valve assembly.

I don’t envy anyone having to remove that valve knowing what will follow. YUK!!!!

 

[Kirk]

but my tank is not draining at all. My toilet water is just over the flap into my toilet bowl and when I peer in all I see is toilet paper. My dump hose doesn't have a clog because my gray is running through it just fine so the clog is in my black tank and I don't know what to do next , trying to save money and not call a professional.

Do you want to save money enough to do some nasty, very unpleasant work? If you do there are a few things that may work, such as running a plumber's snake up from the opening where you attach the sewer hose. That won't be fun and if it works you will need something there to catch what comes out.

Like the handle rod disconnected from the gate valve disc? Or, if cable actuator, the cable is broken or disconnected?

This is the second suggestion that could be the real problem and I'll be hoping that it is. Is your dump valve out where you can see it like this picture?

Or is it way up where you can't see it and uses a cable to reach out where the handle is located so that you can only see the handles and not the actual valves? If it is one that is cable operated, as you sure that it has actually opened, or could there be a problem with the cable and it just didn't open?

 

[Henry J Fate]

I don’t envy anyone having to remove that valve knowing what will follow. YUK!!!!

Or looking up into the pipe to see if its open

 

[rvlifer]

I am glad i switched to a composting toilet and dont have to deal with the black tank anymore.

If you have two gate valves on the rv (one to turn off the drain to your black tank and a 2nd on the end of the sewer drain pipe) you can try closing the outer gate valve and opening the inner valves to both the black and gray holding tanks. The water from the gray tank will flow up to the black tank and may help loosen any clogs at the entrance to the black tank.

Only works if the black and gray tanks are plumbed to a single drain.

 

[TonyL]

Didn't read, in the thread, where anyone suggested that maybe the black tank valve is broken? Like the handle rod disconnected from the gate valve disc? Or, if cable actuator, the cable is broken or disconnected?

That's what I was trying to cover in post 18

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I don't think the situation is a dire and most of the replies suggest. I'm guessing a simple TP clog in the pipe between the toiler flush valve and the black tank. Once the first piece of paper lodges in the throat of that pipe, it quickly packs in more soggy paper (+ any "stuff") and soon no water passes at all. Most RVs now have a 45 degree bend in the upper pipe and that bend plus the fitting where the pipe enters the tank are prime places for a jam. A toilet snake or toilet auger is the tool to work through it, but it's rarely easy. [An auger is similar to a snake but stiffer and fatter. Can be rough on plastic pipe, though].

You might have to try a couple different types of snake/auger to find one that will either push thru or can snag out pieces of the clog. Here's one that might help. And another.

Since you can see the top of the clog with the toilet valve open, I'd first use a "grabber" device to pull out as much of the clog as I could reach. Then try to force a slim pointed tool thru the remainder, but that may not be possible if there is a 45 degree angle in the pipe.

Don't be afraid to try household drain clearing products as long as they aren't the type that generate heat, e.g. contains lye. Examples include Zep Heat or Crystal Lye. However, few drain openers have much effect on thick paper jams.

 

[JudyJB]

Let us know what happened and if and how you unclogged your tank.

 

[gwinger]

I don't think the situation is a dire and most of the replies suggest. I'm guessing a simple TP clog in the pipe between the toiler flush valve and the black tank. Once the first piece of paper lodges in the throat of that pipe, it quickly packs in more soggy paper (+ any "stuff") and soon no water passes at all. Most RVs now have a 45 degree bend in the upper pipe and that bend plus the fitting where the pipe enters the tank are prime places for a jam. A toilet snake or toilet auger is the tool to work through it, but it's rarely easy. [An auger is similar to a snake but stiffer and fatter. Can be rough on plastic pipe, though].

You might have to try a couple different types of snake/auger to find one that will either push thru or can snag out pieces of the clog. Here's one that might help. And another.

Since you can see the top of the clog with the toilet valve open, I'd first use a "grabber" device to pull out as much of the clog as I could reach. Then try to force a slim pointed tool thru the remainder, but that may not be possible if there is a 45 degree angle in the pipe.

Don't be afraid to try household drain clearing products as long as they aren't the type that generate heat, e.g. contains lye. Examples include Zep Heat or Crystal Lye. However, few drain openers have much effect on thick paper jams.

Not all have a pipe from the toilet to the black tank. The OP has a small TT. Chances are it dumps directly into tank.
The fact that NO water even drips from the tank, it sounds like the gate is still closed.

 

[Bearcatrp]

Can always do it the nasty way. Get a snake and go up from the bottom. See if it’s hitting something solid like the gate is not opening. If not, then push it through to knock a hole it the blockage. Just have a large bucket and those long gloves as if it does let loose, you will have a big mess. Have someone with you to cap it if it does let loose.

 

[Onyrlef]

I think I'd cut a slot in a bayonet cap just wide enough for a snake cable, tape off the slot from the inside of the cap after feeding the snake through. Attach the cap and go from there. Once the snake is through the blockake, pull it back, close the valve, and catch what's between the valve and the cap in a 5 gal. bucket as the cap is removed. Won't be pretty, but not as ugly as the alternatives.

 

[whiteva]

A local guy called me blow out his clogged black tank but my reverse jet hose would not go beyond the valve located way under the MH.
Since we determined the valve was stuck closed and would not budge open. He contacted the local sucker truck and had the tank pumped clean from the toilet. The truck guy let him run water a couple of times to clean the best they could but we knew there was poop remaining in the pipe. Then it was gloves and plastic bags on his arms to help keep the remaining honey off the skin while replacing the bad valve. After examining the stuck valve it showed the cheap gasket had folded over jamming the blade. Expensive sucker truck but whatcha gonna do.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Not all have a pipe from the toilet to the black tank. The OP has a small TT. Chances are it dumps directly into tank.
The fact that NO water even drips from the tank, it sounds like the gate is still closed.

• There's always a vertical pipe from the floor level to the top of the tank. It may be short, though.
• The OP didn't say whether he has the short 19 footer or the bigger Hyper-lite that could be as much as 29 ft.
• We know that there is no water coming through now, but we don't know if there was any flow when he first opened the dump valve. That's a good question to ask.

 

[Rene T]

A little bit better communication with the OP would really help. Several question have been asked which need answers

 

[Kirk]

Sweetjane has not been back since Monday evening, which makes me wonder if she found an answer or got some help?

 

[TonyL]

Sweetjane has not been back since Monday evening, which makes me wonder if she found an answer or got some help?

Be nice if they told the forum either way.

 

[1stimerver]

The device DonTom pointed out works about 95% of the time. Very effective most of the time, assuming you have good water pressure. I added a gate valve on the back of mine to actually ram the clog back into the tank so the high pressure stream can break it up.

For when that doesn't work I keep a sawed off garden hose in my kit for just such occasions. It's messy and disgusting but it will teach you to stay away from bad TP and to use plenty of water. A plastic tub comes in handy too.

I would suggest the sawed off hose being introduced through the toilet valve and worked in and out to break up the coagulated solids, before opening the drain valve. After that, driving down the road with fast starts and stops and sudden turns should also help.
I have a nozzle that screws onto the end of an old garden hose that sprays in a fan pattern that I introduce thru the toilet valve that use to clean my tank at the end of the season.

Tip: use a plastic cup with the bottom cut out and inserted into the toilet valve to hold the valve open...

Safe travels and all the best.