Post Camping Black Tank Deodorizing?

B11

We just returned from our 1st camping trip and were wondering if we should add some sort of Black Tank Deodorizer since our next trip isn't planned for quite a while? We only used the toilet for clear deposits and no toilet paper. We emptied the Black Tank at a dump station and followed up with a Black Tank flushing of water until the water was clear.  Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
B

marleecamps

I always add tank treatment as part of my home arrival / unpack process.  That way I don't risk odors caused by the RV sitting in my driveway for any length of time prior to my next trip. It needs to be done before the next outing anyway.

FYI, I also empty the fresh water tank (by opening the release valve usually at the dump station) as well as the Alde system.  You need to access the driver side bunk compartment and release the yellow valve to drain.  This eliminates the opportunity for bacteria to grow in stagnant water.

B11

@marleecamps Thanks for the info. We'll look for a biodegradable treatment and add that. 
I had no idea the Alde system needed to be emptied! Is it water that is emptied? I know the Alde system has glycol and we don't want to empty that since our camper is new and that doesn't need to be changed for a couple of years(I think).

marleecamps

Yes, you are emptying the water from the hot water tank.  Be sure to close the yellow valve before your next trip.  I just leave the cushion in the middle of the bed until I flip the valve closed.

You might consider "Happy Camper" for tank treatment if you don't have some already.  Dry powder - add a scoop and a gallon of water, flush.  Ez pz.  Highly recommended by many, and I have been happy with it too.  Available at Amazon and other sources, I am sure.

B11

@marleecamps Perfect, we'll look into the "Happy Camper" treatment. Thank you for the tip.
Is there a lower drain on the outside of the camper that must be opened as well once I have opened the "yellow valve" inside the camper? I know where the Fresh Water drain valve is located behind the driver-side backend of the camper. Would the Alde water valve be located near that?

marleecamps

Nope.  The yellow valve on the floor of that compartment will drain the Alde tank onto the ground behind the driver rear tire.  Couple gallons so doesn't take long.  Valve goes upright to drain, down to clise.

B11

@marleecamps Thanks again. I'll take care of this tonight. Much appreciated.
I reread the Alde manual and the Nautilus Manual and didn't find anything re this??
I also did a word search on the 71-page Tab 400 manual. Again, nothing.
Honestly, I'm finding the manuals for the T@b 400 are lacking compared to what I had with my Winnebago Class C RV. 
I couldn't locate any specs re the tanks in any of the manuals. I found them online and in our little brochure. I would expect that a manual would have all the technical specs and capacities for the camper. Nope! Nothing. Very odd. 

marleecamps

Just keep hanging with this group.  You will learn everything you need to know. I spent the first winter after I bought my Tab reading thru this forum.  Even threads I didn't think applied to me often yielded little nuggets of gold.

And welcome to the family!

xdr

We use a product called Happy Camper in our black tank. The product is a powder you mix in water and add to to black tank. We add it at the start of our trip and again when we dump if we are still camping. Happy Camper has enzymes that dissolve solids and keep the tank clean smelling. 

When we return from a trip I often use a swivel stick - made by Camco, to clean the sides of the tank. After cleaning, we drain and keep it empty till the next trip. 

We have not had any problems with our tank smelling. 

Mary

Denny16

@marleecamps, @B11 You do not need to use the yellow pressure relief valve to drain the hot water tank on either a 2021 or 2022 TaB400, just turn on the hot water faucets And open the two low point drains, early 2021 had the drains in the front of the Nautilus unit on bottom, late 2021/2022 have the low point drains under the trailer below the Nautilus compartment.  The low point drains will drain both the cold water lines and the hot water lines along with the Alde hot water tanks.  

Getting to the yellow flapper pressure release valves is a pain, requiring removing the bunk plywood panel under the mattress.  Totally unnecessary, with the low point drains doing the job, and are easy to get to.  Early TaB400s had three low point drains, one of which was just for the Alde hot water tank.  But with the plumbing changes made with the Nautilus unit, the system can be drained by just the two low point drains.  Both the main boiler tanks and the Flo tank will drain with the low point drain.  

Happy Camper is great, and has no chemicals, and is biodegradable, can be dumped into septic systems also.  We have used this for the last three years, after learning about it here on the Forum.   Never going back to chemical treatments.  Happy Camper keeps the tank clean, and eliminates any unpleasant odors.  We also just add a mix in a gallon of warm water to get a good mix job, and dump it into the toilet after draining the black tank.  

B11 congratulations on your new camper and safe travels.
 Cheers 

Sharon_is_SAM

@B11 and @marleecamps - the Alde yellow drain valve is inline with the cold water that flows to the Alde water tank.  The Alde water tank can be drained by opening a hot water tap and opening the cold water low point drain.  Opening the tap will prevent a vacuum and enhance tank drainage.  You can confirm this by heating water with the Alde, then open the cold water low point drain - it will be hot, so be careful.

B11

@marleecamps- I have most certainly gained oodles of knowledge with this forum. I read something daily. Love all the helpful ppl on here. I search the site every time I'm in need of an answer. Sometimes I'm successful while other times I come up empty. I'm guessing most questions are already answered somewhere deep within the forum but I just don't type the correct words or something. Anyway, thanks for the welcome and all your helpfulness. 

marleecamps

@Denny16, @B11.  See?  I learn something every day.  How helpful to learn I can simply drain the hot water tank by opening the faucets.  I always felt that valve needed to be more accessible...  i will add this to my campsite departure checklist so that I can do so before emptying the gray tank.

Love this forum.

B11

@Sharon_is_SAM @Denny16 Thanks for the time-saver tip.
Just want to be clear that by opening the low point drains, none of the water from the hot water faucet that was opened in the camper will drain into the Gray Tank? 

Sharon_is_SAM

The low point drains will empty your plumbing onto the ground.  Do this when you have disconnected from city water and the water pump is turned off.  Then, no water can exit the tap.  Be aware there may be some residual pressure in the plumbing lines, so open the drains first.

Denny16

Water going into gray tank what Sharon said… 

We are all here to help each other.  I knew out TaB400 had the third hot water tank drain, but forgot when it came time to drain it, after a camping trip.  So I pulled up the bunk panel (it is hinged in out TaB, not screwed down, so a little easier to get to.  Afterwards, I realized in could reach in the Alde compartment door (where the Nautilus is now) and reach in to flip the yellow lever up.  

Later yet, whilst watching a Travels with Delany,  Patrick was going over the low point drains, and pointed out the third drain was for the hot water tank.  this triggered my original walk through memory when we got the TaB. Let’s just call it a senior moment.  

There was a discussion here last year about using the low point drains to drain the Alde hot water, and it was pointed out the newer TaBs lacked the third low point drain, but the how water low point drain would do the same thing.  This is especially handy, since you need a screwdriver to get the top access panel off!  

Opening the faucets, allows air into the top, releases the check valve in the Alde cold water fill point, allowing air into the hot water tanks to gravity drain them.  Takes a few minutes, but it works.
 Cheers