UNIQUE Clearing RV Toilet Clogs User Guide

UNIQUE Clearing RV Toilet Clogs

Using an actual toilet while camping is probably a big reason why you bought an RV in the first place, so dealing with a clog is never a fun experience. Fortunately, there are simple solutions for fixing all types of RV toilet clogs. In this guide, we’ll discuss the types of clogs, how to diagnose them, fix them, and prevent your camper clog, no matter what the cause.

What Type of RV Toilet Clog Could I Have?

Pyramid Plug – poop and toilet paper that accumulates into a pyramid shape right under your RV toilet, preventing anything from being added to the tank. A pyramid plug usually occurs when you have left your black tank valve open while on hook-ups because any liquid added to the tank immediately drains out of the open valve allowing accumulated waste to dry and build up. Always leave your black valve closed unless actively dumping a full tank.

Compacted Tank – solid waste accumulated in the bottom of your black tank, preventing waste from exiting when the valve is opened. Reasons include:

• Not using enough water
• Not using a bacterial treatment
• Leaky discharge valve
• Waste left in tanks while in storage

Blocked Toilet Line – A blockage of toilet paper and solid waste can become trapped in the actual pipe that leads from the toilet bowl to the black tank. This typically happens in RVs where the toilet is not situated directly over the black water tank and the plumbing system.

Determine the Type of Clog

Add water to your black tank through your RV toilet bowl.

1. If the water quickly collects in the toilet bowl, you have a blocked toilet line or a pyramid plug.
   • If you have left your black tank valve open for any period of time, then you likely have a pyramid plug.
   • If you never leave your black tank valve open, you likely have a blockage in the line between your toilet and holding tank.
2. If the added water easily flows into the black water tank, you have a compacted tank or misreading sensors.
   • If the water flows out of the tank when you open the black valve, you probably just have misreading sensors. Refer to the How to Clean and Restore RV Wastewater Sensors guide.
   • If nothing comes out of the tank when you open the black valve, you have a compacted tank.

Un clog a Pyramid Plug

1. Close your black valve and turn off the fresh water.

2. Pour one entire bottle of Unique Tank Cleaner into the toilet bowl, and hold down the flush pedal so the product gets to the clog.

3. Let the product sit in the toilet for a few hours.

   • If the liquid in the toilet has fully or partially emptied into the tank, fill your tank with as much water as possible and let sit for 72 hours.
   • If the liquid has NOT appeared to drain much at all, hold down the flush pedal, and use a PEX pipe or toilet snake to poke a hole in the top of the pyramid plug. Once you’ve created a big enough channel, fill your tank with as much water as possible and let sit for a minimum of 72 hours.
     Note: We typically recommend at least 72 hours for Tank Cleaner to work, but leaving it for longer will not harm anything.

4. After 72 hours, dump the tank.

5. Perform a black tank flush for 20-30 minutes with a rinser wand or back flusher.
   Note: You may see clear liquid coming out of the black tank discharge port when you first begin rinsing, but this doesn’t mean you’ve cleared the tank of all the waste making up the pyramid plug. Keep rinsing until the water is mostly clear.

6. Repeat this process again if you suspect there may still be waste build-up.

7. Don’t forget to turn your fresh water valve back on once you’ve cleared the clog.
   Important: When you are finished, be sure to close your black tank valve and keep it closed unless you are actively dumping a full tank.

Unclog a Compacted Tank

1. Close your black valve and fill the tank with as much water as possible.

2. Pour one entire bottle of Unique Tank Cleaner into your tank through the toilet.

3. Let the water and tank cleaner solution sit in the tank(s) for at least 72 hours.
   Note: We always recommend at least 72 hours for tank cleaner to work, but with compacted tanks, you may need to let it sit for longer than that because the waste is sometimes so solid that the solution needs more time to break it up.

4. Open the black valve and dump the tank(s).

   • If nothing comes out, close the valve again and let Unique Tank Cleaner work for longer, possibly another 72 hours if you are able. If the blockage in the discharge line is very stubborn, you may need to use a PEX pipe to break up the waste so the rest can flow out.
   • If water starts coming out, dump the tank as normal.

5. Perform a black tank flush for 20-30 minutes with a rinser wand or back flusher.

6. Close your black valve.

7. Repeat this process again if you think there may still be some stubborn waste on the floor of the tank.
   Note: You may need to let Unique Tank Cleaner work for longer than 72 hours or perform a second treatment process to get every piece of waste to loosen.

Misreading Sensors

So me people mistake misreading sensors for a clogged black water tank. Your sensors may tell you that the tank is full, but when you open the blac k valve to dump, nothing comes out of the tank. If you’re sure the tank is empty, then you pro bably just have debris caked on the sensors. Th e best way to confirm that the problem is just misreading sensors is to add water to the tank thr ough your toilet and immediately dump it:

• If nothing comes out of the tank when you open the black valve, then you have a compacted tank.
• If you can dump it out of your discharge port but the sensor still shows full, then you’re probably just dealing with misreading sensors.

Ref er to the How to Clean and Restore RV Wastewater Sensors guide to return your sensors to proper working order.

Unclog a Blockage in the Line

1. Turn the fresh water off and hold down the flush pedal.
2. Use a toilet plunger to force the blockage out of the line.
   • If the plunger clears the blockage, turn the fresh water on and hold down the flush pedal to cleanse the pipe of any debris; dump and flush the black water tank if necessary. You’re done!
   • If the plunger doesn’t clear the blockage, hold down the flush pedal and pour in one entire bottle of Unique Tank Cleaner.
3. Let Unique Tank Cleaner sit in the toilet overnight.
4. Try to plunge the toilet again the next morning.
   • If the blockage is cleared, turn the fresh water on and hold down the flush pedal to cleanse the pipe of any debris; dump and flush the black water tank if necessary. You’re done!
   • If it does not clear, try using a PEX pipe or toilet snake to push the blockage down the line and into the tank. Once it clears, turn the freshwater back on and hold down the flush pedal for a while to cleanse the pipe of any residual; dump and flush the black water tank if necessary. You’re done!

Note
Refer to the Preventing Clogs in Your RV Holding Tank guide for more information on the best ways to prevent toilet clogs.

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