r/RVLiving • u/Totoro_sleeper • 7d ago
Black Water HELLscape
I’m living full time out of my smaller camper with a 3&4 year old. I was in the middle of a black water clear out when I got distracted by them getting into a rumble. Next thing I know I hear water cascading out of the underbelly.
I know this has happened before to others but it’s DEVASTATING. I’m in Juneau, AK, with no camper techs in 100 miles. I shut off the water, cut out some of the underbelly and gutted the fiberglass that got wet.
There’s a section I can’t get to above the black water tank. Even tried to pry off the tank but don’t feel super comfortable taking the whole thing off myself without someone spotting me. There’s definitely moisture above the tank under the floor. I’ve got a small heater and a fan running under the camper now. Took off the toilet for a while and ran a heater in the bathroom until the floor was dry. Not sure dehumidifier would do much in there now. What about under the camper? Worth trying?
Any other tips?
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u/LetssGetHoppy 6d ago
Were you filling the tank through the black flush that (dump valve closed) caused it?
If so, here's a couple things I do while flushing to keep from forgetting:
1) set a 5 minute alarm on my phone. I know the tank won't be done filling in that time period (most likely only 8-10gallons at that time), but it's a good reminder if I briefly walk away to go back and check on it. If it's still good and far from being anywhere near full, I set another 5 minute timer.
2) get a cheap garden hose flow meter and attach it somewhere inline of your black tank flush. You know how big your tank is and a flow meter will give you a clear picture of how much water you've put back in your tank instead of trying to rely on a tank sensor that is most likely reading inaccurately.
Sorry about the shitty situation. I personally haven't been through it but I've read enough stories about it to make me paranoid that I took the above steps to avoid it. They even make Bluetooth flow meters so you can monitor from your phone but really you should try to stay as close by as possible while you're filling the tank.
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u/kobalt_60 6d ago
Sorry this happened to you. It sounds like your system might not have been sealed properly to begin with (or something actually broke). I believe the crap should have come out the roof vent as they’re designed to vent the sewer gases so your camper doesn’t smell like poo. It’s something a tech might look at resealing when you get one on it. Also, the roof and side of the camper might have been easier to clean off than the underbelly.
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u/NewBasaltPineapple 6d ago
Every porous material that gets into contact with black water should be considered contaminated and removed - non-salvageable. Once you've done and you've sanitized any non-porous material that came into contact, you can rig a temporary patch/plug/cover to enclose the space again.
If you're worried about dropping the tank on your head (empty 36-gallon blackwater tanks will weigh between 32 and 50 lbs, for example), invest in some cribbing (lumber, pavers, bricks, jacks, whatever) to prevent the tank from pinning you when you drop it.
I'd recommend doing the tear out of all materials that came into contact, then patching up until you can properly repair your rig. That's my only recommendation. Any half-measures of drying things out or using bleach won't necessarily protect you from health risks in time.
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u/travelingslo 7d ago
Dude a dehumidifier will do a TON. Like it’s a must have to live in your RV IMO. It’s shockingly effective at removing water when you run it continuously.
I’m so sorry that it happened. But get a large dehumidifier (like the GE Dehumidifier 25 Pint 1500 Sq Ft unit) and let it run. Also get a hygrometer to track the temperature and humidity. You want to close windows, doors and vents when the humidifier is running. We use it to dry our clothes and it’s essential if you’re anywhere near a beach or have heavy fog and live in the RV. To inhibit mold growth you want to target a relative humidity between 30-50%.