ATF: Cyclone - Cyclone 4270 Septic Plumbing schematic

2PawsRiver

Active Member
My wife, like so many others believes each roll of toilet paper is single use......and she does not like the RV Toilet paper....she uses the front bathroom, while I typically use the rear 1/2 bath. Yesterday she calls me and says she can see toilet paper when she flushes and the water is not going down.

I think, eh, how bad can it be. Pick up a small hand held line snake, thinking I will route out a couple inches.....about 3 feet and still not draining and I think I have hit a bend and not getting any further. Read on line and went with a natural line safe toilet paper eating additive. Put it in last night, working today and will check it out when I get home........fingers crossed and will conduct weekly searches of the bathroom for illegal TP.

Just to clarify, I did check the level of that black tank, showed 2/3s, drained the tank, now shows empty. I am pretty confident the plug is limited to the pipe between the toilet and the tank.
 

JohnD

Moved on to the next thing...
Re: Toilet Lesson #1

If you can (and you should be able to)...

Once you drain out the black tank you can leave the black tank valve open, and then let the gray water backflush into the black tank to remove any blockage, plus will push the stuff off of the bottom of the tank.

A Valterra Twist-On Valve is a must for this process (about $25 bucks at Camping World or other RV parts store).

These are a must-have for any RV and I will not drive off of a dealer's lot without one on each sewer line!

Very important to make sure you get the twist-on valve...this will allow you to close the twist-on valve so that when the black is open and you let the gray water to flow back into the black tank, once you feel the bubbling stop, you can then close the gray valve...open the Twist On valve (leaving the black valve open at the same time) and you'll see that you dislodged stuff you didn't know was still there.

Four or five back flows typically clears out the bottom of the black tank...then finish cleaning as usual.

And use the rest of the gray water to clear the sewer how of black water.

Here is mine:

ProwlerDrainCap-P3290012.jpg valterratwistoncover-.jpg
 
Last edited:

JohnD

Moved on to the next thing...
Re: Toilet Lesson #1

I use the TST orange flavored toilet mints...

The other brand of orange mints (Walex) stinks on it's own and doesn't have an orangy scent...but they do work in the tank!
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
Re: Toilet Lesson #1

I use the TST orange flavored toilet mints...

The other brand of orange mints (Walex) stinks on it's own and doesn't have an orangy scent...but they do work in the tank!

Mmm, flavored toilet mints :)


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2PawsRiver

Active Member
Re: Toilet Lesson #1

Thank you for all the input.....I clearly had no understanding of the schematics of an Rv's septic system. I ran a snake 15 feet down and thought this can't be right the outlet is 7 feet away. Tried to no avail to find a schematic......but here is what I thought....a long tube that reaches the black water tank and the plug had to be in the tube, however once I got down and really thought about the lay out, the tube to the black water tank is only about 4 feet. I drained the black water tank and then used the flush and water comes from the black water tank out to the blueboy....squirted 30 gallons. What I don't understand is why is the tube blocked if it just dumps into the tank. I have ran a snake through it several times so if the pipe between the toilet and the tank was clogged, why is it still clogged.
,
Is it possible that too much toilet made a mountain, which then plugged the tube and toilet paper piled up on to of that........I think I will try what JohnD recommended, maybe a larger flow of water will break up this mountain.

Boiling water was recommended, but the water won't make it through the pipe to the pile.

Again, thank you for the help.
 

pjones1969

Well-known member
Re: Toilet Lesson #1

Thank you for all the input.....I clearly had no understanding of the schematics of an Rv's septic system. I ran a snake 15 feet down and thought this can't be right the outlet is 7 feet away. Tried to no avail to find a schematic......but here is what I thought....a long tube that reaches the black water tank and the plug had to be in the tube, however once I got down and really thought about the lay out, the tube to the black water tank is only about 4 feet. I drained the black water tank and then used the flush and water comes from the black water tank out to the blueboy....squirted 30 gallons. What I don't understand is why is the tube blocked if it just dumps into the tank. I have ran a snake through it several times so if the pipe between the toilet and the tank was clogged, why is it still clogged.
,
Is it possible that too much toilet made a mountain, which then plugged the tube and toilet paper piled up on to of that........I think I will try what JohnD recommended, maybe a larger flow of water will break up this mountain.

Boiling water was recommended, but the water won't make it through the pipe to the pile.

Again, thank you for the help.

When you do get this initial problem resolved, make sure you always have water in the black tank before using, it floats the solids and paper away and prevents from forming a TP teepee directly under the down tube which is a direct shot from the toilet.

Assuming a teepee has formed, I’d probably run the flush with the outside valve closed and fill the black tank and let it sit for a bit to soften whatever has formed, after that I’d turn off the water and use a stick or something to go down through the toilet to break up whatever is there, then dump and repeat as necessary, it would be nice to have a sewer hookup while doing this.
 

Gary521

Well-known member
Re: Toilet Lesson #1

My wife, like so many others believes each roll of toilet paper is single use......and she does not like the RV Toilet paper....she uses the front bathroom, while I typically use the rear 1/2 bath. Yesterday she calls me and says she can see toilet paper when she flushes and the water is not going down.

I think, eh, how bad can it be. Pick up a small hand held line snake, thinking I will route out a couple inches.....about 3 feet and still not draining and I think I have hit a bend and not getting any further. Read on line and went with a natural line safe toilet paper eating additive. Put it in last night, working today and will check it out when I get home........fingers crossed and will conduct weekly searches of the bathroom for illegal TP.

Just to clarify, I did check the level of that black tank, showed 2/3s, drained the tank, now shows empty. I am pretty confident the plug is limited to the pipe between the toilet and the tank.

There are several brands of TP that are "septic tank" approved that are not RV TP. Make sure your wife uses one of these brands. Secondly, use a lot of water. As someone has suggested, make sure there is at least two gallons of water in the tank before use. Don't be skimpy on the water when you flush. You did not say that you normally use a tank additive - use something. There is a learning curve to all this stuff.
 

2PawsRiver

Active Member
Re: Toilet Lesson #1

Well, we have tried the backwash of gray water. Then I flushed it with 80 gallons of water using the tank sprayer. Then I filled his about 2/3s, hooked the truck to it, then moved the trailer forward and back to slosh it around...….no luck, still plugged. I just don't understand how it can still be plugged. I ran a snake all the way to the bank. But it is the small hand held crank snake. I have to work tomorrow so my wife is going to call around to see if she can locate a plumber that is familiar with RV's or a mobile RV service. Thinking maybe a little more aggressive head on a snake.

If anybody has a diagram that shows how the septic is lined up on the cyclones I would appreciate seeing it.
 

2PawsRiver

Active Member
I have a 2019 Cyclone 4270 and the main bathroom toilet is plugged up. Seems my wife has not been using RV specific toilet paper. I have ran a small hand held sewer snake to the tank. I am able to fill the tank using the sprayer and drain the tank without issue. It just makes no sense to me that it is still plugged. Hoping maybe I could get a drawing or schematic that shows the lay out of the septic system, maybe it will give me a clue.....thank you
 

pjones1969

Well-known member
I have a 2019 Cyclone 4270 and the main bathroom toilet is plugged up. Seems my wife has not been using RV specific toilet paper. I have ran a small hand held sewer snake to the tank. I am able to fill the tank using the sprayer and drain the tank without issue. It just makes no sense to me that it is still plugged. Hoping maybe I could get a drawing or schematic that shows the lay out of the septic system, maybe it will give me a clue.....thank you

Did’nt you just just post this same problem the other day? The layout is pretty simple, your toilet most likely, positively, sits directly above your black tank.

https://heartlandowners.org/showthread.php/73176-Toilet-Lesson-1
 

Sowie

Well-known member
Not sure what part you are saying is plugged. Is the paper not going down the toilet into the tank or does the black tank not drain when you open the valve?


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2PawsRiver

Active Member
Did’nt you just just post this same problem the other day? The layout is pretty simple, your toilet most likely, positively, sits directly above your black tank.

https://heartlandowners.org/showthread.php/73176-Toilet-Lesson-1

Is the same problem, still not cleared and I have no idea why....that is why I am looking for a diagram that shows the layout, thought maybe I was missing something.

- - - Updated - - -

Not sure what part you are saying is plugged. Is the paper not going down the toilet into the tank or does the black tank not drain when you open the valve?


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Paper is still not going down the tube between the toilet and the black tank. I have a sprayer I an spray inside the black tank then drain it, but the toilet is not draining into the tank.

- - - Updated - - -

Not sure what part you are saying is plugged. Is the paper not going down the toilet into the tank or does the black tank not drain when you open the valve?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Paper is still not going down the tube between the toilet and the black tank. I have a sprayer I an spray inside the black tank then drain it, but the toilet is not draining into the tank.
 

Sowie

Well-known member
Ok. On my 4200 the toilet sits directly over the tank with just a 12” long piece of drain pipe connecting the two. Can you just take a toilet brush and push the paper straight down while stepping on the flush lever?


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Bones

Well-known member
Re: Toilet Lesson #1

The other possibility could be when the tank holes were drilled they left the plug in there.
 

Oregon_Camper

Well-known member
Re: Toilet Lesson #1

If anybody has a diagram that shows how the septic is lined up on the cyclones I would appreciate seeing it.

I was able to get this plumbing diagram from Heartland by calling customer service and having my VIN ready. My toilet plumbing (we only have one) is shown below.

Capture.JPG
 

LBR

Well-known member
If the pipe to your tank has a couple of 45° bends instead of a straight shot, buy an endoscope for your phone to view what the hangup is.
 

2PawsRiver

Active Member
Problem solved...….....I knew the problem was between the toilet and the tank. I would run a hand operated hand snake down to the tank, pull it back out and the water would still not drain. Roto-Rooter brought in their camera snake and we put it down and there was a toilet paper clog from the first turn down to the second turn. The toilet paper almost looked like white gel.

The snake would go through the clog to the tank. When we pulled the camera back through the clog we could watch and the toilet paper just fell back upon itself and reseal the pipe. The camera snake is 2 inches wide. Using it and water we were able to clear the pipe.

What a headache.

Thanks to all for the help and information.
 

pjones1969

Well-known member
Problem solved...….....I knew the problem was between the toilet and the tank. I would run a hand operated hand snake down to the tank, pull it back out and the water would still not drain. Roto-Rooter brought in their camera snake and we put it down and there was a toilet paper clog from the first turn down to the second turn. The toilet paper almost looked like white gel.

The snake would go through the clog to the tank. When we pulled the camera back through the clog we could watch and the toilet paper just fell back upon itself and reseal the pipe. The camera snake is 2 inches wide. Using it and water we were able to clear the pipe.

What a headache.

Thanks to all for the help and information.

Glad you got it figured out!
 

david-steph2018

Well-known member
Same thing happened to us, when the wife liked using TP made for the house since it was soft. But not being made for use in an RV it cost us a couple of hundred for a mobile RV repair to unplug the line.
Now only TP made for RV use is going into the new Road Warrior. Lesson learned.
 
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