Black Water Horrors

Michigan_Mike

I will probably step into some telling this story but......  

I spoke to a guy one morning down in Why, AZ this past spring after receiving my new 42 gallon blue boy tank I got for a travel trailer I am using down in AZ as a home base if you will during the off season.   He saw the new holding tank, commented how nice a unit it was and then looked me in the eye, smiled eagerly and said, "the joys of black water....  everyone has a story!"   He proceeded to tell me his episode with his new blue boy, how he'd filled er up, let her sit in the warm Arizona sun, decided to take it over to the dump station, carefully removed the small black cap from the tank and was suddenly blasted in the face with a volcano size stream of excrement (shades of Robin Williams) and urine!  So he chuckled, waved and said, "be careful!" as I drove away.

Needless to say I did take his advice, assembled the new blue boy, got all my ducks in order and decided I would dump the trailer on site and find out just how nice this new, large capacity blue boy would work.  I knew the new tank was fit for the task, carefully hooked up both ends of the short Rhino discharge hose, tightened things down firmly and now knew this was going to be a great moment and my new investment would really make this chore easy.  I reached down, carefully pulled the plunger out on the black water tank, heard that sudden flow or rush of material heading for the tank, heard water running and KABOOM!   before I knew I looked back at the new holding tank and the Rhino hose broke free from where it was attached to the blue boy and all heck broke loose!  I quickly pushed the valve on the black water tank in and stopped the flow, but the area was saturated and did stink to high heaven....  I had to cover up the material with dirt so I shoveled for a while until I had things fully under control.

So the moral of the story here is that irregardless of the claims of these hose manufacturers, they will fail and it's always a good idea to inspect them, see if anything is unusual and do know that they are glued to the inside of the plastic fittings and can fail miserably when you least expect it!  I am sure there are others out there who have had similar experiences and will only say that it isn't fun, nor something you want to happen...  I've heard of people dumping the blue boys over too while transporting them and it required a hazmat style cleanup.   

Mr_Mrs_Gnome

Mike, where did the hose fail? Is it something you might have seen coming by doing a pre-run inspection? Asking for a friend.

Ratkity

I'm so sorry... I can't stop laughing. There's GOT to be a way to have a vent attached to it so that doesn't happen. Just a specially made DOME above lagoons at animal farms collect enough methane to nearly run all the electric needs of a farm.

jgram2

Would such an epic equipment fail be prevented by someone inside holding the flush open? Assuming it was related to gas and pressure.

jgram2

Or would the inside job have to be simultaneous with opening the outside valve to avoid an indoor event? A truly catastrophic event.

Verna

Mike's hose came apart...the connection end separated from the hose. 

Homebodyatheart

The next obvious question is "Why do I read these posts during my lunch break...!" (Mental note: duct tape the sewer hose to the trailer end fitting!)

Ratkity

@Homebodyatheart LOL I did the same thing. Late lunch... nearly did an "@ericnliz-spray".  I'm sure it was coincidental that it happened, although if @ericnliz could have gotten the cool tote first, he'd have written what M_Mike did, except it might have involved a park ranger, a sprinkler and (hopefully) several eyewitnesses.

Edit: (I can't stand it... I have to say it) M_Mike, did you say "ahhhhh, crap" when it happened?

jkjenn

I can see why you would use a portable black tank, Mike, given your situation, but personally, I don't think I could ever entertain it because I know something like that would happen to me, lol. I had success with my 6 gallon portable grey tanks, but that is probably as far as I will take it, lol.

Ratkity

I think in honor of @Michigan_Mike, we should watch RV again to feel his pain!

Michigan_Mike

I am cracking up here!!!  

Mr_Mrs_Gnome said:

Mike, where did the hose fail? Is it something you might have seen coming by doing a pre-run inspection? Asking for a friend.

The hose failed at the connection and it seemed to pull out from where it was connected, the fitting remained intact on the blue boy.   It was as if there was glue holding it inside the plastic attachment and it simply came out.  I had used this 10 foot hose once before and had no issues and there was no reason that it should have  failed the way it did.

Ratkity said:

Edit: (I can't stand it... I have to say it) M_Mike, did you say "ahhhhh, crap" when it happened?

It was very frustrating! When you have checked something and checked it again and know full well that both ends are secure and expect nothing less then to finish the task,  how else would you feel?    I had to look around and quite frankly it was quite the embarrassing moment, then to quickly contain things and get things cleaned up. 

ChanW

I thought the ends on the Rhino hose were secured onto the vinyl hose material with a screw in type of connection, rather than glue. ie the vinyl hose material is clamped between the inner and outer parts of the connector. 
Our Rhino had an explicit note with it, to make sure that clamp ring was tight on the hose end.... (I think it clicks too, ratchet style).
Thanks for the heads up Mike. I'll have to check ours....  !
Good of you to 'take one for the team'.
...... Heh.

Homebodyatheart

@Ratkity I have never seen RV...

@ChanW I've become quite familiar with my 15' rhino hose of late. I've had to take off the ends to slide it into the pvc tube I had help mounting on the tongue. Last weekend I was able to modify the connector end for the T@b side of things so now I can slide it all into the tube. The orange end that connects to the trailer just unscrews to remove and screws back on. There's even instructions on which way to tighten it on the unit. I have no evidence of any kind of glue at either end. I've removed and stored the dump station end piece and just tuck the hose end down the sewer dump. The gal who taught me how to dump said she just threw hers away. It is much easier to dump without that end piece, and lots easier to rinse it all out. You can always go open a box in the store to check out a clean one. 

jkjenn

Homebodyatheart said:

@Ratkity I have never seen RV...

Me either

Ratkity

Michigan_Mike said:

I am cracking up here!!!  

Ratkity said:

Edit: (I can't stand it... I have to say it) M_Mike, did you say "ahhhhh, crap" when it happened?

It was very frustrating! When you have checked something and checked it again and know full well that both ends are secure and expect nothing less then to finish the task,  how else would you feel?    I had to look around and quite frankly it was quite the embarrassing moment, then to quickly contain things and get things cleaned up. 

I notice that my question wasn't specifically answered. Perhaps there were more/other words? Or even worse, you were afraid to open your mouth for fear of residual spray floating around? Either way... your frustration was eloquently written and I would have been just as blown away.

Ratkity

jkjenn said:

Homebodyatheart said:

@Ratkity I have never seen RV...

Me either

The first time I saw it, I thought it was the cheesiest B movie on the planet that probably had a budget that way exceeded its income - nothing like THAT stuff would ever happen, really? Then..... I started owning campers that started become more and more complex. And of course, camera videos and YouTube began capturing embarrassing moments. Now the movie gets funnier and funnier each time I see it.

Michigan_Mike

I had the 10' Rhino hose for about two years and quite frankly after that experience it makes me a bit leery of experiencing something similar in a campground or state park.   I spoke to Verna and she also stated that the ends "screwed in" but the hose I had basically exploded (if you will) off the end fitting, so after examining it after things calmed down and were cleaned up, I determined that the hose I had was no longer repairable and functional so I tossed it.  There would be no reason or self imposed action on my part that would have allowed or created this event to happen (e.g., constant bumping, etc. that would loosen or damage the fitting in a manner that allowed the hose to come loose from the fitting).  

I spent good money on these hoses, have never had issues in the past and will just say that I am a bit apprehensive about the Rhino hose quality and may look elsewhere to find a suitable hose that gives me confidence that it will not fail when I least expect it.   Inasmuch as this event appears to be humorous (I can certainly laugh about it now and find some humor in it after the fact), you do not want to ever experience something like this at a dump station as it wasn't fun and I'm lucky that I was able to snuff it out quickly, before it became an even bigger event.  

ericnliz

@Michigan_Mike, Wow, sorry 'ya had to have that kind of experience. (Was kinda funny though!)
I have to agree with both @Homebodyatheart, @Verna, and @ChanW about the end attachments. Both ends DO screw on, and have a ratchet tighter. I'm just wondering, if after several uses, somehow the hose end became a little un-screwed, and kept working it's way loose. I've taken off, and re-installed both ends of my Rhino hose to check fitment in to a hose tube. Believe me when I say that I made absolutely sure they were secured afterwards! After reading @Michigan_Mike's episode, I can assure you I'll be checking BOTH ends of mine periodically. By the way, thanks for the experiment @Michigan_Mike, sorry 'ya came out on the "crappy" end of the deal!

Michigan_Mike

I had used the hose twice before and if you look around, others have experienced failures with the Rhino flex hose system too.  

ericnliz

@Michigan_Mike, Would be interested to know what hose system you decide to go with. Thanks.

Ratkity

Well, M_Mike, it can't be as bad as a friend of mine's failure at her first dump station experience. She and her friend went golfing for turds after a dog show. Not sure if doggie poop degrades as well in a black tank, but I was about to wet myself after reading how they ruined a pooper scooper, a broom, splashed bleach accidentally everywhere (including in their hair) combined with a whole bottle of Dawn when cleaning things up and THEN started chasing errant bubbles with the broom. No video phones at the time. Too bad. Apparently, things were spotless and sterile (including them) by the time they were done. They claim there were no witnesses - that's their story and were sticking to it!!

Restless_Native

I feel so guilty, but I can't stop laughing. Sorry Mike. 

Verna

What's really funny is that a Mike told me this story a couple of weeks ago. While I did laugh when he told me, I admit to chuckling after the phone call. But his secret was safe with me. He told on himself!  That's the funny part!  

Mike, I do feel for you < chuckle, chuckle >......  I'll double check my hoses the next time I use them. 

Ratkity

V, I think everyone is going to take a peek at their hoses and connections after Mike's experience!!!

dsatwork

I'm thinking in a normal dump setup when your not dumping into a closed tank with not nearly the venting of a dump site, the main concern would be the connection at the RV or the connection points when you using more than one hose.  If it's one hose and it's going into a normal dump site with a drain area and a hose to clean up, you'll be able to deal with some spillage and clean it up. I seriously considered getting a portable dump before we went on our Yellowstone/Mt Rushmore trip and along the way I saw a few at different sites we stayed at. Although I'm not sure where they would have been dumping them, because there were no dump sites anywhere near the campgrounds we stayed at. @Michigan_Mike this is seriously making me rethink the whole RhinoFlex hose and portable dump idea. I'm new to this whole dump thing, but it grosses me out when you pull the cap off the black tank and that little bit drips out before you can get the hose up to the connection.

Homebodyatheart

@dsatwork I've added 'bring newspaper' to my packing list so that I can lay a section down under the end cap when I unscrew it to plug in the rhino as I had the same experience as you last time. It was only a few tablespoons of liquid, and it dried by the time I was all done and hosing it off would have sent it the wrong direction from the dump hole. Then I can just toss the newspaper when I'm done. I like tidy better!  I had not considered bringing an external dump tank, but after reading and thinking on this, I think I'm fine the way things are. I don't need it with my style of camping right now, anyway. And it's one more thing to clean, sanitize, and haul around. 

Verna

I just put the hose under the cap as I'm loosening the cap. The hose catches the drips and there's no mess on the ground. 

Homebodyatheart

@Verna, since this was my second time dumping it took me by surprise. Good tip, thanks!

Ratkity

I did the V method as well the first few times and then I realized I had a few puppy training pads left. I set that on the ground underneath and it went into the "sewer waste" bag with the used gloves. The hose-catch method works, but it was only because I had practiced with just water at home that I realized residual water came out after I took the cap off. Had I not done that, my first dump experience would have been a D- for leakage. Not top T@B University Badge material.

RollingLagrima

True Confession: I have never pooped in my T@B. These stories are not helping me lean towards it any time soon.  ---> 2 years and 4 months poop free. 

Michigan_Mike

RollingLagrima said:

True Confession: I have never pooped in my T@B. These stories are not helping me lean towards it any time soon.  ---> 2 years and 4 months poop free. 

No guts, no glory!!!!  Take a ride on the wild side!!!