Flushing RV holding tanks on a regular basis is an important element in eliminating tank blockages and foul odors in and around your RV.

Many types of tank flushers have been produced over the years. The wand was popular for a long time. Folks did not like having to run a garden hose in a window or drag it through the entry door to the bathroom.

wand style holding tank flusher

Wand Style Flusher

While almost all RV Manufacturers put an internal sprayer in the Black holding tank, only a few provide one for the Gray Tank/Tanks.

By far the most popular tank flusher is the No Fuss Flush.

no fuss flush - holding tank flusher

No Fuss Flush

The No Fuss Flush requires a check valve when installed by the RV mfg. and adds cost to the RV which is a big part of the reason it does not come standard on the Gray tank. The device also needs to be installed above the flood plain or above the bathroom sink. They would also need to supply a 3 way valve so the supply hose can be switched from one tank to the other. This is not the case in the aftermarket. An aftermarket kit comes complete with the tank flusher and a water hose inlet port with a check valve in it, making the installation far easier.

A unit called a back flush appeared on the market about 10 to 15 years ago and its purpose was to connect it to the sewer hose connection and run water back into the holding tank.

Back-flush Device

While this is against RVIA code regulations, it is not against the rules in the consumer market. The only effective use of this device we found over time and testing is to clear a blockage in the Black tank without making a mess! With the sewer hose connected to the outlet and to the sewer ground inlet back-filling with the pressure from the water spigot works very well to dislodge tank blockages. As for cleaning out the tank itself, not so effective! Any action created from the spigot pressure is diminished greatly by the turns in the fittings getting to the holding tank. The agitation created by the spray in the internal method is much more effective than back-filling. If you tend to use too much RV toilet paper and not enough water, a back-filling device should be in your waste fitting container–if not, you have spent money and gotten little value.

If you have questions regarding this article or questions in general about RV waste management, we encourage you to contact us via email or by calling our toll free number (877) 787-8833.