Do ice cubes in the black tank really work?

[dedmiston]

I stumbled across an interesting YouTube video today that takes a look at the age old topic of pouring a bag of ice down the toilet.

From what I can tell, it helps but only a little. I hadn't thought of this before, but since ice floats, it really doesn't make contact with the solids at the bottom of the tank unless you drain the liquids first. I think the quantity and makeup of the ice would be big variables too.

The video is worth a watch though.

SENSITIVITY WARNING: There is no actual human waste in the video, but he uses simulated waste per a NASA testing recipe. Personally, I score this a 4 of 10 on the yucky scale. As much as we discuss tank maintenance on these forums, there shouldn't be anything we haven't already discussed here before. Nobody should be shocked.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH6acEmqvcw

[H___E]

We have been using Pine Sol and drop in tank treatment for 12 years. Always put a couple of gallons of water in tank after dump and flush. So far no issues with sensors or smell. When I dump I run the flush water until the waste runs clean. (Use clear plastic in 3" hose)

[dedmiston]

Grit dog wrote:
Poof!!

You're a smart guy though. You knew that would happen.

Use dirty language, watch your posts get deleted. It's not complicated.

[Grit_dog]

Poof!!

[Wishbone51]

navegator wrote:
.and have the cap on the vent that I can remove to insert the tube and flush the gray tank.

If you're going that far, why not just dump ice cubes down the gray vent? 😛

[navegator]

The ice cubes just keep "le crapo" kool, calm and collected, nothing more.

1/4 tank of water one bag if ice cubes and one 1/4 cup dishwaser detergent and having the black water tank in the rear and off center helps a lot, I drive slowlly arround the block jerking the steering wheel back and forth, it does clean the tank preety good unfortunately all the cheap sensors in all the tanks were useles from the second month since purchased, I made a window for the potable water tank and marked it, use a flash light down the head and the shower tub lets me know that the grey is full.

Now all my neighbors do the tank wadlle, they all wanted to know what on earth I was doing so I showed them, now we do not have stinky tanks. I also made a 12 foot wand with white PVC pipe with a union in the middle and it hooks to the garden hose and glued a cap at the other end and drilled small holes, and have the cap on the vent that I can remove to insert the tube and flush the gray tank.

navegator

[mgirardo]

I don't think it is any more effective than just leaving water in the black tank to slosh around while driving. If you do use ice, I'm pretty sure you'd need a lot more than what is used that video.

-Michael

[Veebyes]

How long do you think ice will last in the tank?

When you are finished dumping add a few gallons of water & let that slosh around till the next dumping.

[Wishbone51]

harley4275 wrote:
Start using the geo Method, will take a few fills and dumps but walls and sensors get slippery and all stuff falls off.

I've been doing this for awhile now .. A couple of years ago, my trailer was sitting for three years with a 1/2 full tank. Took it to the dump, and was surprised that with only one re-fill and dump, the sensors were still clean.

Often after a drive, they will show 1/3, at least until the tank walls dry off, but I'm happy to always have the other two lights work.

[BarabooBob]

I camp with 10 to 15 friends at our personal property. At the end of every weekend we dump the leftover ice into my black tank. I drive 50 miles home on hill crooked roads. My tank looks good when I shine a light down the toilet after dumping. Results may vary.

[harley4275]

Start using the geo Method, will take a few fills and dumps but walls and sensors get slippery and all stuff falls off.

[down_home]

It will work if you use enough ice and right amount of water. It is like rocks being sloshed around if you drive it on a rough road until they melt. Reason it works better when it is cold outside.
Put about a third of a tank of water and about half that in ice, and start driving immediately. That will clean the sides and should get some off the bottom but ice floats so too much water might not do too good on the bottom.
one thing that I think would work well, is with some liquid detergent and maybe some calgon in the bottom with valve closed a hose nozzle and good pressure in through the toilet. Especially one of those wand with the flow reducer taken out.Blast the bottom good and sides and when the tank is getting full, have someone open the sewer valve and keep blasting until the little clear elbow in the sewer hose runs clear and clean. Just be careful to keep the toilet flush valve open so it and the seal won't get damaged possibly.
If you can look into the emptied tank first with a flashlight and see what there is it would possibly help directing the nozzle.
Didn't say this is a bouquet of flowers experience.
Would this damage any sensors...someone know?

[CavemanCharlie]

My sensors quit working because the switch that you push to read them got broke. After that I didn't have to worry about cleaning the tank to try and keep them working. It's bee 4 years now and everything is just fine. I should have broken the switch sooner.

[wildtoad]

The simple answer is No.

[Wishbone51]

Super_Dave wrote:
I think that my sensor must have been installed directly under the drop shoot. Just a flush of water makes it read 3/4 full. Being that the sensor has always been inaccurate, I just use the sniff test to empty my black tank.

Mine has been pretty accurate, but when I put 2 gallons of water in after dumping, it always shows 1/3.. I think they put the first sensor too low.