RV Toilets Everything You Need to Know [Including How to Fix a Clogged RV Toilet with a Poop Pyramid] and the Best Toilet Paper and Totes to Use

We are having some serious (and not so serious) RV Toilet Talks. We will discuss the black tank, replacing an RV Toilet, the best Toilet Paper to use in an RV, the bathroom vent fan, toilet treatments, RV tote tanks, and how to fix a clogged RV Toilet.

1. The Black Tank and the Dreaded “Poo Pile”
2. Replacing an RV Toilet
3. The BEST RV Toilets
4. The Best Toilet Paper to Use
5. Toilet Treatments
6. The Best Dumping Totes, how to use them, and store them on your RV
7. How to Fix a clogged RV toilet

RV Toilets Everything You Need to Know: The Black Tank

Ok here is the truth. The stinky, nasty, no one really wants to talk about, truth. We all must use the bathroom at some point.

I have had friends that had a rule that no one in their family was able to use the restroom to go #2. This sounds funny but I respected the owner for knowing he couldn’t deal with a black tank that someone had done their business in.

The DREADED “Poo Pile”

If you use the proper treatments and flush your tank, well hopefully you will never have to deal with what a lot of RVers have had issues with. The DREADED “Poo Pile”. To understand this better you must understand how black tanks are comprised of.

The black water holding tank is really nothing more than what it is called a plastic tank that holds waste. It is usually a rectangular shape and will have a low point for everything to run to, to drain.

In the top if the tank there will be two pipes that come out. One is a vent that will most likely go up and through your roof to vent. The other is attached to the tank as well as a toilet flange that is screwed to the floor.

The Gravity Feed

When flushing your toilet in your camper it is what one would call gravity fed toilet. When you push the lever on your stool it is connected to a blade valve that slides out of the way allowing everything in the stool to drop with gravity hence “gravity fed toilet”.

This design is why people have issues with RV toilets. Unlike your home that uses water to flush waste down a drain. Gravity toilets let all the waste and paper build at the bottom of the tank if you do not take proper care of the tank. The Fit RV have a great video that shows you what to expect out of your RV black tank.

Video from The Fit RV

*TNT Pro Tips!*

TNT Toilet Talk Tip #1 is do not leave the valve open all the time on your black water holding tank while you are connected. You do not want the liquids to flow out and leave your RV Toilet System clogged with the ummm other stuff…

 

TNT Toilet Talk Tip #2 (no pun intended) is about the Vent Fan in your RV Bathroom. Make sure BEFORE you flush the RV Toilet that you CLOSE the Vent Fan! If you leave it open, you will be sorry. Having the vent fan open and on when you flush will allow an updraft of that black water tanks air to go straight up and fill the bathroom. If this happens to you GOOD LUCK NOT PUKING.

RV Toilets Everything You Need to Know: Replacing Your RV Toilet

Your RV toilet is easy to swap out. There are two bolts, one on each side like your home toilet. These are what hold the toilet in place. Once you have these off you will need to make sure your water line on the back of the toilet is removed. This fitting, depending on what your RV came with, may need to be extended shortened or rerouted.

Make sure you inspect the connection prior to ripping out your old toilet thinking your new one will be the exact same. You might get a surprise like I did and must put the old one back in until you get the correct fittings to attach the new one. Once the water line is disconnected you can lift the toilet out.

Make sure you remove the foam rubber seal from the sewer flange if it comes off the tank when removing. Thankfully, RV toilets do not have that nasty wax ring like your house. Just a bit of advice for you when installing the water line on the new toilet, go hand tight then a quarter to a half turn more then check for leaks by turning on the water. Overtightening the fitting will give you all kinds of problems.

RV Toilets Everything You Need to Know: The BEST RV Toilet

Well because we told you about how to replace an RV Toilet, we thought it would be helpful to share our suggestion on the best RV Toilet that we recommend. Our recommendation is the Dometic 320 Series Standard Height Toilet w/Hand Spray. This is the closet toilet we could find that has the same features of a household toilet when we were looking to replace our RV Toilet. It is elongated, has a deep ceramic bowl, and enameled wood seat that offers more comfort compared to most smaller RV toilets. There is a pressurized full-rim flush on this toilet that helps in rinsing the bowl every time. Additionally, like most RV toilets, it has the hands-free flushing for added sanitary benefits.

This Dometic 320 is available in white or bone colors, and standard or low-profile heights but we definitely prefer the Standard Height, that is 19.75-inch in height.

Like we mentioned earlier when we were talking about replacing the toilet, this toilet has that “two-bolt installation with quick access water connection” as well. Finally, it comes with Dometic’s Two-Year Protection Plus warranty.

RV Toilets Everything You Need to Know: The Best Toilet Paper to Use

Using RV Toilet Paper or any Rapid Dissolving Toilet Paper is important. However, using these kinds of special toilet paper will not guarantee that you will not have clogs of toilet paper at the bottom of your black holding tank.

We prefer the Scott Rapid-Dissolving Toilet Paper, Bath Tissue for RV & Boats, but like I mentioned before, as long as you are using some kind of rapid-dissolving toilet paper, you should be fine.

TNT Toilet Talk Tip #3: The Broken Sewer Valve that Turned NASTY!

RV Toilets Everything You Need to Know: The Broken Sewer Valve that Turned NASTY!

We want to tell you about a broken sewer valve, one we had on our Travel Trailer and how we had to change it in a campsite.

Have you ever had one of those days that just turns to crap? Yeah, kinda like this day I am going to talk about!

We were camping in a state campground and noticed a smell at our campsite one evening. At first, I honestly thought that someone had dumped their black water in the campsite next to us or something.

After searching around for a while, I saw that there was a drip coming from the cap that covers the grey and black water drain. This had never happened before, so I figured the valve was not sealing all the way.

So, I went over and attempted to push it in. To my disappointment it was already all the way in. Thankfully, we always carry our tote with us because the sites we were staying at did not have sewer hookups.

So, I went ahead and got the sewer hose and tote ready to dump the camper. I started to take the sewer cap off and that is when I realized the whole freaking pipe from the valve to the cap was full of urine!

Additionally, just let me ask, “have you ever tried to get a cap back on something that had pressure behind it”?

Needless to say, I wasn’t happy getting urinated on basically. After that happened, I went ahead and flushed the black tank to see if we could get the valve to seal. Unfortunately, I could not. This meant that I had to go to town and get a new valve.

New Valve

So, the next day I went KC Home and Trailer (a nearby RV Supply Store) and got the valve. I went back to the campsite thinking I would just change it out real quick.

My “real quick” turned into a 3-hour-long project, because the valve was in the middle if the camper and I had to remove the Underbelly Shield to get access to the valve that was attached to a cable that ran 6 feet over to the side of the camper!

To top it all off, the valve was located near a cross brace that almost blocked access to the four screws that hold the blade valve in place!

There I was lying on the ground reaching around bracing trying not to destroy the thick heavy belly shield that was drooping from being dropped as much as it could be, but a gas line prevented it from being taken out all the way fumbling to find the nuts and bolts.

FINALLY!

Then it happened I was able to get the last bolt broke loose. What a feeling exhilaration and profound manliness that, yes, I was going to get this fixed without needed to take it to a shop. Then that feeling went away quickly when I had the feeling of liquid running down my arm. Do you remember the conversation from earlier the one about how you would be disgusted by what is left over in a tank even after it had been flushed?

I thank God that he gave me patience and persistence that day, because I was able to get the old valve out and the new one in.

Yes, it fixed the issue. As for me, on the other hand, I still start to gag a little bit when think about that darn smell.

RV Toilets Everything You Need to Know: Toilet Treatments

As Far as toilet treatment for the black water tank, this is a subject that many people have different opinions about.

We use Campa Chem for both of our RV’s. It works for us. The biggest part of it is your black water tanks needs sufficient water in it to help breakdown any solids and paper products you might use.

I recently ran across a new approach to keeping your tanks clean and smells away from your black water tank. It is a product by TR Bowlin. Maybe this will be the year I try something new!

RV Toilets Everything You Need to Know: The Best Dumping Totes

As far as the best portable dumping totes, most will work just fine. We recommend the Camco Rhino RV Heavy Duty Portable Waste Holding Tank. It is Steerable, has 4-Wheels, and comes with a Complete Kit for everything needed to transport waste from your RV to a dump station when you’re parked too far away for an RV sewer hose.

This Complete Kit includes a 3-foot Rhino EXTREME sewer hose with bayonet and lug fittings, 15-inch water hose rinse adapter, clear elbow with 4-in-1 adapter, clear double bayonet elbow, (3) storage caps, (2) caps with lanyards for rinse connections and 24-inch tow bar that allows you to easily roll the tote tank as you would with a wagon or cart.

You can also transport the tote tank by towing it slowly behind a golf cart or truck. Additionally, this Complete Kit includes accessories to clean, maintain and store the tote tank when not in use.

RV Toilets Everything You Need to Know: How to use Dumping Totes and How to Store Them on Your RV

OK, so how about how to use the dumping totes and then how to store them on your RV? That has been a big question we have had recently.

How to Use a Dumping Tote

You will use your dumping tote the same way you would dump at the dump station. Just keep in mind that your tote is of the ground, so you will need to elevate the sewer hose to get the all the waste out of it.

How to Store a Dumping Tote on Your RV

I find that your ladder rack or bumper is a great place to store the tote for traveling. A couple of bungees or ratchet straps and your good to go no pun intended. You can also get the Camco Rhino Bumper Mount RV Tote Tank Carrier that mounts directly to your RV bumper to secure the Rhino Tote Tank in place.

RV Toilets Everything You Need to Know: How to Fix a Clogged RV Toilet

Going back to the dreaded “poop pyramid” or “Poo Pile”… Remember, this is when the waste in your black tank hasn’t been properly dispersing in the tank.

In a perfect world, all the waste that goes into your black tank would dissolve and disperse throughout.

Unfortunately, the toilet paper you use will play a big role in this. If it does not break down effectively or there is not enough water in the tank to break it down, it will build up directly below the pipe that goes into the tank.

This, if not caught, will literally back all the way up the pipe to the stool. When this happens, someone is going to have a bad day.

Your first thought may be to just go dump the tank. When you do this, you will most likely think your problem is solved because you are going to get all the waste out that was in the tank and not compacted in your “pile” so to say.

Even running your tank flushers does not seem to help in these situations.

The only way I have found to remedy the problem is to get something that can get to the impacted area and break it up. I have had to use an old left-over awning rod before! (See more information in Conclusion-SOWLE RV is not responsible for any damage done to your RV if you try this)!

What I was able to do was first turn the water off to the camper or you will just overflow the toilet more. Once that is done, you need to use whatever tool you must try and move the buildup away from the bottom of the hole where it enters the tank.

On my RV’s, I have always had good luck with this. On some 5^th Wheel I have seen, where the sewer pipe makes some bends, and this makes is a lot harder.

Understanding what it is that causes the problem will go a long way to keep it from happening.

Conclusion of RV Toilets Everything You Need to Know [Including How to Fix a Clogged RV Toilet with a Poop Pyramid] and the Best Toilet Paper and Totes to Use

That is it for RV Toilets Everything You Need to Know [Including How to Fix a Clogged RV Toilet with a Poop Pyramid] and the Best Toilet Paper and Totes to Use! We hope that we have answered a few of your questions about RV Toilets and how to fix a clogged toilet along with the best accessories. Just a quick reminder, if you decide that the only option you are left with is to do what I did with the old Awning Rod, keep in mind that there are sensors in your black water tank and if you go thrashing around, you can damage or destroy so be incredibly careful when doing this! SOWLE RV is not responsible for any damage you cause to your RV!

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RV Toilets Everything You Need to Know [Including How to Fix a Clogged RV Toilet with a Poop Pyramid] and the Best Toilet Paper and Totes to Use