Frustrating Fly Infestation
Dear RV Doctor:
I just purchased my first motorhome earlier this year, a used 38-foot Damon. I have what seems like fruit flies breeding in the black water holding tank. I do not have this problem with the gray water holding tank. Whenever I push the flush foot pedal, the flies come swarming up out of the commode. I tried putting a half-gallon of ammonia down the toilet, and it seemed to help for a few days, but the flies came back. I have talked with some of the other motorhome residents in my park, but they have never heard of this problem. I usually dump both tanks when they are about two-thirds full. Has anyone had this problem before, and what was the solution?
Jim Munro, F408000, San Antonio, Texas
First off, congratulations on the purchase of your first motorhome! I’m sure you’ll rack up plenty of RVing miles in the coming months.
Now, on to your bug problem. Evidently you are experiencing an onslaught of sewer flies, also called drain gnats, among other names (some of which cannot be printed here). Depending on your specific variety, the scientific name is probably either Psychoda alternata or Psychoda cinerea. They are sometimes found in RV holding tanks, since they thrive on moist organic waste, especially solid waste. Just the kind of stuff you’d find in a black holding tank, particularly one that has not been cleaned, flushed, or maintained adequately. Chances are, at some point, your new-to-you motorhome was probably stored without the holding tanks being flushed, cleaned, and emptied completely.
Thankfully, sewer flies do not bite, but they can be very annoying and even dangerous at times. Because they are born among decaying filth and waste, they have the capability to transfer bacteria to kitchen surfaces, etc. Prolific little creatures, they lay their eggs in masses of anywhere from 10 to 200 groups, according to one report I researched. The eggs hatch approximately 32 to 48 hours after being laid, and the larvae resemble small worms. The flies mature in about two weeks and simply keep reproducing until they die or are eradicated. Keep in mind, new adults continue to emerge from the pupae every 20 to 40 hours! The adults live approximately two weeks.
For short-term relief, published reports recommend using a spray can of an insecticide containing pyrethrins (natural insecticides produced by certain species of the chrysanthemum plant) or resmethrin. A treatment using this type of insecticide should knock the adults down for a while. I must admit, however, that I’ve never personally tried the insecticide route. If you do, always follow the proper safety precautions for pesticide use, especially inside the motorhome. After killing the flies in the immediate area, be sure to sufficiently vent the entire RV. Read the precautions on the spray can carefully.
But the best defense against long-term infestation is to simply keep the holding tanks flushed and clean during periods of nonuse. In your particular instance, it may be necessary to have your holding tanks hydro-cleaned (visit www.allprowaterflow.com for information about one company that performs this service). Because dried waste can stick to the sides and bottom of the holding tank or clog the tank outlet, simply draining and flushing with fresh water may not be enough to dislodge all contaminants. And as you flush the toilet, the added moisture imbues new life into the larvae, prolonging the infestation. The bottom line is that the toilet drain and the black holding tank must be thoroughly cleaned prior to placing the motorhome in storage.
Although some people may not favor a holding tank additive, the proliferation of sewer flies is one strong case to indeed employ one. An enzyme-based, formaldehyde-free additive, one that helps digest the solids, is my recommendation. I’ve personally seen an infestation so severe that the flies had backed up into the integral tubing inside the toilet. The toilet had to be completely disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled. It was quite time-consuming. I hope your situation isn’t that bad. But it does mandate at least a complete inspection of the toilet and other components, such as the vent pipe for the black holding tank. It’s not the end of the world, obviously, but it is quite annoying.
Fresh Fixtures
Dear RV Doctor:
I own an older motorhome, and the bathroom and kitchen water fixtures are beginning to tarnish. They still work okay, but I want to replace them to be more in-line with our interior wishes. What is the difference, if any, between an RV fixture and a standard home fixture? If I upgrade to a higher-grade fixture to get what I want, will there be any performance issues within the motorhome?
Ron Conley, F367002, Evington, Virginia
You should have no problems replacing the faucets in the motorhome with a higher-grade aftermarket faucet. The hole spacings are the same in RVs as they are in home applications for both lavatory and kitchen sets. The only negative would be the added weight of heavy brass faucets compared to the lighter (and cheaper) plastic faucet assemblies common to many motorhomes. Still, that would be a minimal consideration at best. Any of the large home improvement stores will have a plethora of choices (too many, in my opinion), and all will work in the motorhome. Just be sure you have the correct fittings to adapt to the existing water supply tubing in the coach. Typically, the faucet kit will come with the needed adapters.
De-Cafinverter
Dear RV Doctor:
Do you have any information about where I can find a coffeemaker that does not short out or burn out when the inverter is used? We have gone through six coffeemakers in three years of full-timing in our motorhome. The unit burns up when we shut off the 50-amp power and operate off the inverter when on the road. I have a Newmar motorhome with a 2,000-watt inverter and a 7,500-watt generator. The inverter is a Xantrex model RV2012, which was installed by Newmar at the factory when the motorhome was built. I just installed four new Trojan 6-volt deep-cycle batteries.
Ron Windemuller, Spring Lake, Michigan
Ron, I have two words for you: iced tea. I think I’d give up on coffee at the rate you’re going through coffeemakers! Just kidding. Seriously, I don’t think I’d blame the coffeemaker(s) at all. I’d focus on the inverter itself, since you do not have a problem while on generator or shore power. If the coffeemakers were the issue, you’d be having the same problems regardless of the power source.
To begin, be sure all the connections for the positive and negative battery terminals, the remote panel, the incoming and outgoing AC conductors, etc., are all clean and tight at the inverter. Those terminal blocks with the small screw clamps can sometimes vibrate loose. Loose connections always will present problems, or at least opportunities for eventual problems.
One other item to check “” and this is a common problem with some of the lighter loads that may be put on an inverter “” is that you should have another load on the inverter at the same time as you are running the coffeemaker. There’s an internal function inside the inverter called the “search sense threshold.” If the inverter’s search sense threshold is set too high or too low, it could cause erratic output voltages, especially when the inverter is powering a relatively light load, such as a coffeemaker. Measure the output voltage of the inverter with a light (small) AC load applied to help stabilize the output reading.
Remember, your inverter design mandates that voltage measurements be made with a true RMS voltmeter. Be sure your voltmeter is a true RMS type. Many RV service technicians aren’t even aware of this requirement. If the voltage output at the coffeemaker receptacle is 129 or more RMS volts AC, I would suggest calling the Xantrex customer service line to see whether any firmware upgrades are available for your model. As improvements to the algorithms are effectuated, the upgrade will update your older unit. Contact Xantrex Technology Inc. at (800) 670-0707, Monday through Friday from 5:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time. Or send an e-mail message to customerservice@xantrex.com.
I hope this at least points you in the right direction. It’s not easy trying to diagnose long-distance problems such as yours. I often wish my voltmeter leads were a little longer!
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