UPDATE - Purchased the only part the RV store had in stock. Took about 10 minutes or less to replace the part. It took longer to get the tools and light and put them back than it did to replace the part. Good thing is the part fixed the leak! Back to normal operation.
We found the floor behind the toilet wet on the trip home from Michigan, but we hadn't located the leak yet. I believe we have found the leak and picked up a replacement today.
The POO story
When we left Michigan on Monday, July 5, 2021 we had been 11 days since our last black tank flush. Normally we can go about two weeks between flushes, so we reserved a full hookup camp site for Tuesday in Tennessee, and planned to flush the tank there. While stuck camping in the parking lot at Ray Skillman Chevrolet in Indy, waiting for the truck to be fixed, on day 14, Wednesday morning, our black tank went sour. When we found out the truck repair was going to take at least another day, Kathy started trying to find a septic service truck to come out to us and flush the tank. Most were not available for at least 2-3 days. Thankfully, she was able to find one, Service Sanitation, who promised to send a truck between 7 am and 8 am on Thursday morning 8 Jul 21.
So on Thursday, we got up early and were eating breakfast between 7 and 8 am, eagerly awaiting the service truck. At 8 am we called the company to see where the driver was, and the lady on the phone said it was only 7 am. Apparently they forgot to mention their office is in central time zone.
Having never used a service like this before, we didn’t know what to expect. At around 8:30 a Port-a-potty cleaning truck arrived at our spot on the dealership lot. Since Port-a-potty cleaning is very different than RV tank flushing, I asked the young driver about them not seeing this type of job very often because he had 2 port-a-potty pods on the back of his truck. He said they see it often during race week, meaning the Indy 500 week. So I was a little comforted by that statement. In hind sight, I should have asked if “HE” specifically had done this type of job before.
He proceeded to set up to pump out the black tank by hooking a small RV style hose with the proper connection to our clean out pipe. He then hooked his high powered suction hose to the end of the RV style hose. So far, so good. Then, with both the black tank dump valve and the auxiliary gate valve to the RV tank still closed, he idled up the truck to increase the suction to his hose which immediately collapsed the RV style very flexible hose attachment.
Then, without turning off the suction, he opened the auxiliary gate valve at the end of the cleanout pipe, but because the dump valve was still closed, there was still no flow. I opened the dump valve for the black tank, but the RV style hose was still collapsed. Although some of the nasty poopy water from the black tank was coming through, the hose stayed collapsed, so the guy tried to force the collapsed hose back to round with his gloved hands. Well the next thing we know is the RV style hose broke off, and fell away from the connection on the clean-out pipe on the RV. All sorts of nasty are now flowing out of the clean out pipe onto the parking lot. I wish I had a picture of him sprawled prone on both toes and one hand trying to close the gate valve with the other hand, as poo is still gushing out. I quickly closed the dump valve and the flow slowed. Meanwhile, he is still in a one handed push up position closing the gate valve. The flow finally stops.
Fortunately, where we are parked in the dealership parking lot is very far away from everyone and everything else going on at the dealership. Also fortunately, there is a storm drain for rain runoff very close by. Not the best place for poopy water to drain, but better than on the black top. The pump truck driver now picks up the broken RV style hose and disconnects his suction hose from the other end and carries the RV hose over to his truck about 15 feet away. With one hand, he grabs the hose by the end where his suction hose was previously attached, and with the other hand, he grabs the middle of the hose, leaving the broken end of the hose dangling and flinging poo all over the area, leaving a trail all the way back to the truck, puts the broken hose on the ground, then lifts it again, still flinging poo, and then finally puts it in an empty bucket.
This is about the time that Kathy, who is inside the RV, peeks out the window and sees what appears to be a guy literally swinging a sewer hose back and forth, front and back, flinging poo everywhere. Horrified, she texted me to find out where I was, and if I was watching him. We have a thing between us, any time someone is working on anything for us, somebody has to be watching them all the time because you just never know what might happen. Once I assured her that I was indeed watching, from a safe distance, just as horrified, she asked “Does this guy even understand what just happened? I mean does he have any idea how this happened? Because it doesn’t look like he does.” I told her sadly, I’m pretty sure he doesn’t.
He was very confused as to what happened to put him in this situation. Next, he unrolled his water hose from the reel on the truck, dragged it over to the camper, and laid it down in the poo mess. When he tried to wash the mess towards the storm water drain, because of the way he laid the water hose, it made a loop back towards the truck and made a dam collecting the poo he was trying to wash away, effectively making the mess bigger.
Next, he used his vacuum hose with a nozzle attachment to try and reach up into the RV clean out pipe and complete the pumping out of the black tank. As he was trying unsuccessfully to put the cap back on the RV clean out pipe, I let him know that the bright yellow broken piece of his RV hose attachment was still attached to the end of the clean out pipe. He asked “It is”? Apparently he hadn’t noticed, and didn’t understand why he couldn’t get the cap to go on. Finally, he collected the rest of his broken attachment, and all his hoses and left the area, leaving a big wet poo spot under and around our camper. It was a real interesting dance we were doing to try not to step in it as we were hooking the truck up to leave.
Honestly, we felt sorry for the kid. In a time when nobody wants to work, kudos to him giving something new a try. And I feel for the company having a hard time finding good help, but for the love of all that is good, he needs to go out with someone more experienced first!! I’m not sure he will ever really be ready to fly solo doing that job, but maybe if they pair him with somebody for a bit, they can try to find something he can do. We did call the company and let them know what happened. Thankfully they sent out a manager to come and clean the area. We were gone already by the time he showed up, but felt better about leaving the area knowing their lot was at least cleaned properly.
Killer backing skills!
Them walking thru the alfalfa field next door.
