RE: [A/S] Digest Number 1579

["DT/BW" <dtbw_1999@xxxxxxxxx>]

Richard,
The ThermaSan manual recommends that you periodically fill the black
tank with fresh water and dump the old-fashioned way. 

I have found that with only a small amount of agitation during towing,
the contents of my tank pretty well break down, but the screen on the
ThermaSan is small gauge so even small bits of tissue are NOT going to
get thru.  The ThermaSan idea was to rid the tank of all the liquid
contents and very small solids. 

I have several ideas cooking about enhancing the installation so that I
could install a permanent macerator between the black tank and a new
custom, mini-tank (2-3 gallons) where I would mount the ThermaSan
extraction probe.  This way I would not have to penetrate the actual
black tank (which is actually above floor level on my A/S) and I have
room in the area around the tank outlet area to place such a tank.  My
thoughts had been to remove the current combining plumbing, install
electric dump valves directly to the two tanks, have the gray tank as
well as the black tank plumb into the new mini-tank and then have a
common manual outlet on the minitank with a macerator between the
electric valve from the black tank to the mini-tank.  This way, I could
remotely open the black water valve, turn on the macerator and the
ThermaSan, and allow it to pump from the mini-tank.  Once the ThermaSan
probe indicated that the mini-tank was empty, I would remotely close the
valve and turn everything off.  I am also thinking about converting my
two ThermaSan units into a single, dual tank config so that I can empty
the gray tank and the black tank at the same time using the ThermaSan.
Thetford actually sold exactly this config (where I got the idea) which
was just two of the pumps ganged to the same motor.  The pumps are
designed to be ganged, so it is pretty easy and with two units, I have
all the parts.   I was amazed to find that the manufacturer of the pumps
still sells the EXACT model, so replacement parts are no problem.  If I
do this mod, I think I will do a direct connect to the grey tank so that
I can pull its contents without having dumping into my new mini-tank at
the same time as that tank contains black water contents. 

I will post the details of my efforts as they unfold.

I have been using another device that I REALLY like...the Sewer
Solution.  This is a holding tank sewer pump than uses a high pressure
stream of water to shred holding tanks contents and then pump them thru
a 1' hose (no moving parts, no electricity needed)  Of course it does
require a connection to water, but the thing works like a charm.  It
eliminates that stinky 4" hose as you can hook it up for gray water
draining on a permanent basis and then when you need to dump the black
tank, you just hook up the water connection, turn it one, pull the black
tank valve and it works.  Never once I have had it plug up or fail (I
know a couple of other users who swear by it as well).  After I empty
the black tank I use my black tank flush (factory installed) to rinse
the tank.  I have found that the first fill/rinse produces some
additional material from the tank, but by the second fill/flushing, the
tank is completely clean.

David