Mod Description:

This mod was contributed by ModMyRV member babblescriber.

Ever wake up at 3am in a cold sweat wondering if your holding tanks are clean? Probably not but installing a holding tank rinser will ensure this never happens to you. This mod will give you peace of mind so that the next time you use your toilet or sink after a long storage period, no stinky odors will gag you out of your RV.

Mod Difficulty: 

Tornado Tank Rinser

Tornado Tank Rinser Parts

Measuring Using the Hole Template

Hole Drilled in to Black Tank

Tornado Rinser Mounted and Sealed to Black Tank

Routing of Water Supply Hose

Mounting of Water Supply Inlet

Y Connection and Shutoff Valves for Two Tornado Rinsers

Installation of the Tornado tank rinser is straightforward but there are a few things to consider. The instructions say to mount the Tornado on the end of the tank opposite the tank outlet about 3/4 up from the bottom of the tank. This may not be possible depending on how your tank is mounted. If this is the case, an alternate location would be on the side of the tank as close to the end of the tank as possible. Also be sure that you have emptied the tank completely before proceeding. otherwise, you’ll have a nice stinky mess on your hands.

Once you locate the position to install the Tornado, clean around the area so that after you drill the mounting hole, the sealant used between the tank and the Tornado will adhere properly. Mark the center of the mounting location with the template provided and with a 1 1/8″ hole saw, carefully drill through the tank taking care to not drop the plastic removed in to the tank. If you do, you may, after installing the Tornado, have to fill the tank completely and flush the tank of the plastic.

Next, apply a bead of silicone sealant around the hole and insert the Tornado in to the hole. Secure the Tornado to the tank using the self-tapping screws provided. Wipe off the excess sealant (if any) for a clean look. Now you get to take a break for about 24 hours so the silicone sealant can cure. This is very important since you don’t want the flange to move at all while drying. Leakage can occur if you try to complete the installation before the sealant has dried.

Now that it’s the next day, you can finish up by connecting the provided hose to the rinser using the provided fitting and hose clamp. Don’t overtighten the clamp as this could cause tearing of the clear hose and possible leakage. Route the plastic hose to a convenient location near the dump valves. Use tie-wraps to secure the hose so it doesn’t hang down. Using the L-bracket provided, secure the water inlet to the frame or flooring. An alternative way to secure the L-bracket is to use a 4″ hose clamp and mount the bracket to the dump valve tube. Installation is now complete.

To operate, simply attach an ordinary garden hose to the the water inlet and turn on the water. You will hear a whirring noise from the tank. This is normal as the Tornado spins under water pressure so that it sprays everywhere inside of the tank. Be sure to check for leaks while the system is in use. At the dump station, allow the the tank to empty for a few seconds before turning on the water supply to the Tornado. This will help the sprayer to get some of the gunk off the top of the tank. Let the rinser run for a minute or so after the tank is empty to ensure complete cleaning. Happy dumping!

You can also fit your gray water tank with a Tornado rinser. Perform the same steps as above and when it comes time to attach the water supply hose to the water inlet, use a “Y” fitting with shutoff valves instead so you can rinse either tank independently, or both at the same time.

You can source parts for this mod from these links:

Tank Rinsers
http://www.rvtoyoutlet.com/c-rv-tools-008/p-RV5836.html

General Reference
http://www.ehow.com/how_2097794_empty-rv-holding-tanks.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_2182280_manage-water-usage-rv.html

3 Comments For This Post

1. Capn Courage (November 20th, 2008 at 3:17 pm)

   A tank rinser is one thing that no RV should be without, it is so much easier than dragging a hose into the trailer to use a wand. When I installed my Quickie Flush units I added quick connects to the hose connection, the quick connects make it very simple to connect your hose to the flush units. We are on a seasonal site and my hose and all attachments have the quick connects, it would be real simple to make up a short hose with regular garden hose connection on one end and a quick connect on the other if your using dump stations.

   Norm
2. babblescriber (December 22nd, 2008 at 10:08 pm)

   That’s a great idea! I’m going to modify my installation to use the quick disconnects. Do you have any pictures of your quick disconnects installed? Maybe you could post them in the forum since I can’t see any way to post a picture in a comment. Thanks for the cool tip.
3. ModMyRV (December 26th, 2008 at 12:16 pm)

   If you know the URL to the picture, you can put the link in the comment like this:

   http://www.modmyrv.com/wp-content/gallery/mods-330×190/tornado-tank-rinser-parts-1-330×190.jpg

   Just copy the image link URL and paste it here. When you click on the link, the image will appear in the browser.

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