Help emptying toilet first time user

**Bailey'sMom** · 08-29-2013, 12:21 PM

Hi
I am dry camping right now and the Thetford is now full. I pulled the lever below the toilet to empty it, and heard a short whoosh sound, but didn't really hear anything emptying out.

How long do you have to leave the valve open for it to drain? The indicator still says full. The manual doesn't really give any ideas. I closed the valve u der toilet and pulled it out again thinking I would still hear a woosh sound but didn't.

Please let me know how long it takes.

Thanks.

**ShrimpBurrito** · 08-29-2013, 12:27 PM

It should take about 5 seconds to empty, and when it has emptied, it should be obvious by the lack of any noise of water rushing down the sewer hose.

There are 2 valves you need to open to dump -- one at the base of the toilet inside the TM, and one under the trailer (outside). Open both, and the waste comes rushing out through your hose.

The gauge may be stuck in the full position. Sometimes TP or other waste gets stuck in the float, preventing it from lowering back into the empty position.

Push the button on the toilet to flush. If water is recirculated in the bowl, the toilet is not empty. If nothing comes out but you here a loud racket from the motor, the toilet is empty.

Dave

**Bailey'sMom** · 08-29-2013, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShrimpBurrito

It should take about 5 seconds to empty, and when it has emptied, it should be obvious by the lack of any noise of water rushing down the sewer hose.

There are 2 valves you need to open to dump -- one at the base of the toilet inside the TM, and one under the trailer (outside). Open both, and the waste comes rushing out through your hose.

The gauge may be stuck in the full position. Sometimes TP or other waste gets stuck in the float, preventing it from lowering back into the empty position.

Push the button on the toilet to flush. If water is recirculated in the bowl, the toilet is not empty. If nothing comes out but you here a loud racket from the motor, the toilet is empty.

Dave

Hi Dave,

I don't want to empty at a dump station yet. I thought that this has a 10 gallon or so black water tank under the trailer? Yes? No? If I pull that outside lever before I am at the dump station and have hose hooked up that will be a problem.

Can you only fill it one time and then you have to actually dump it into something like a blue tote before recharging it? Even so, shouldn't it empty the toilet into the pipeline and show empty on the gauge?

I did try flushing again and it did have water recirculating so its not empty.

Sara

**ShrimpBurrito** · 08-29-2013, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bailey'sMom

Hi Dave,

I don't want to empty at a dump station yet. I thought that this has a 10 gallon or so black water tank under the trailer? Yes? No?

No, there is not. The only storage for waste is in the toilet. When that is full, you are done until you can get to a dump station, or dump the toilet into some other portable container that you would then take to a dump station.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bailey'sMom

If I pull that outside lever before I am at the dump station and have hose hooked up that will be a problem.

Yes, that would be a big problem, especially if you have the cap on the pipe outside off.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bailey'sMom

Can you only fill it one time and then you have to actually dump it into something like a blue tote before recharging it?

Yes, that is correct.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bailey'sMom

Even so, shouldn't it empty the toilet into the pipeline and show empty on the gauge?

Once you pull the valve at the base of the toilet, some waste (about a gallon) will drop down into the pipe under the trailer until it hits the next valve. That will get you a little more use....1 gallon represents about 1/4 of the capacity you had to start with.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bailey'sMom

I did try flushing again and it did have water recirculating so its not empty.

Sara

Yep, what you did was just drop about 1 gallon into the pipe below. But you soon will have to make it to a dump station or use a blue tote if you want to continue using the toilet.

Dave

**Bailey'sMom** · 08-29-2013, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShrimpBurrito

No, there is not. The only storage for waste is in the toilet. When that is full, you are done until you can get to a dump station, or dump the toilet into some other portable container that you would then take to a dump station.

Yes, that would be a big problem, especially if you have the cap on the pipe outside off.

Yes, that is correct.

Once you pull the valve at the base of the toilet, some waste (about a gallon) will drop down into the pipe under the trailer until it hits the next valve. That will get you a little more use....1 gallon represents about 1/4 of the capacity you had to start with.

Yep, what you did was just drop about 1 gallon into the pipe below. But you soon will have to make it to a dump station or use a blue tote if you want to continue using the toilet.

Dave

Thanks Dave!

I didn't realize this. Very good to know. At least I will have a couple more days use before I leave. So when I do leave, I should pull the lever out inside and leave it open so that when I get to the dumping station it will all flow out, correct?

Also in the manual it said something about rinsing while unit is closed, but I didn't understand that. Do you know what that is?

**ShrimpBurrito** · 08-29-2013, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bailey'sMom

Thanks Dave!

I didn't realize this. Very good to know. At least I will have a couple more days use before I leave. So when I do leave, I should pull the lever out inside and leave it open so that when I get to the dumping station it will all flow out, correct?

Yes, that is correct.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bailey'sMom

Also in the manual it said something about rinsing while unit is closed, but I didn't understand that. Do you know what that is?

You can rinse the toilet at the dump station if there is a pressurized hose there and you have a device like something like a "Flush King". It just back-fills the toilet, and then you dump out the rinse water. Otherwise, you need to open the TM at the dump station and manually dump water into the toilet, and then drain it out.

Glad to help!! Wish I were camping!

Dave

**Bailey'sMom** · 08-29-2013, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShrimpBurrito

Yes, that is correct.

You can rinse the toilet at the dump station if there is a pressurized hose there and you have a device like something like a "Flush King". It just back-fills the toilet, and then you dump out the rinse water. Otherwise, you need to open the TM at the dump station and manually dump water into the toilet, and then drain it out.

Glad to help!! Wish I were camping!

Dave

Thanks again. Now I will get out of the library and take my dog swimming for her birthday! Then I get to go swimming, yeah! Too bad my two weeks is up on Saturday, then back to work....boo hoo.

08-29-2013, 01:07 PM

One of the drawbacks to trailmanor is the lack of a true blackwater tank. When you pulled the lever at the base of the thetford you dumped part of the waste into the pipes below. I have not measured and done the calculations to determine the volume but i would guess maybe a gallon of waste is now out of the thetford and in the pipe below. This will afford you a little more time before needing to dump at a station, but not much. If your gauge is stuck you may be able to tell how much liquid is in the thetford by looking down the chute. Poke the flap back with a stick and shine a flashlight for a indication of level (kinda nasty to think about, but worth a shot).
We are new TM owners as well and this forum has helped us immensely. I think I have spent more time reading than camping with our TM so far. One suggestion (although it won't help right now) is to only put enough water in the initial charge that the toilet will flush without sputtering. This is much less than the 2 gallon that is recommended.
Good Luck.

08-29-2013, 03:20 PM

Sara,
When you open the valve outside, the stuff you emptied into the pipe will come out! You should not open the outside valve until after you get to the station and put your hose on the end of the pipe and the other end into the hole of the dump station.
THEN you open the outside valves- first the toilet valve then the greywater valve to wash out the hose. Then you can use the non-potable garden hose at the station to wash out more by unhooking the hose at the camper and directing the water hose down the sewer hose.
I hope this made sense to you and I didn't insult your intelligence. Sometimes it's hard to tell if you understood on-line.

08-29-2013, 05:44 PM

Don't know if I completely understand your intent, but DO NOT open either of the outside sewer valves (black or grey water) until you have your sewer hose attached to the TM with the open end of the hose in the dump station hole. If you do it any other way you will have a big mess!