The Scamp “Enema”
Many small travel trailers, the Scamp 13’ included, have toilets that sit atop their Black tanks. This simple system allows biological waste to be stored directly under the toilet and then eliminated (dumped into the sewer) when the camper’s Black tank valve is opened at the Dump site. The opening at the base of the toilet bowl is closed by default until the user depresses the toilet lever (usually on the side of the toilet), which opens the toilet bowl hole and allows the waste to drop into the Black tank. Surprisingly, this toilet mechanism keeps offensive smells mostly contained in the tank so bathroom odors should not get out of hand as long as the Black tank is properly maintained.
During our first year with our 2020 Scamp 13’, we relied exclusively on Happy Campers (see article “Drain and Clean Your Tanks Regularly …“) to sanitize our tanks. This is a very effective organic holding tank treatment that dissolves solids and eliminates odors. We have been extremely satisfied with Happy Campers and have continued to use it. However, even with holding tank treatments, sometimes our Black tank sensor (SeeLevel II) reads a small percentage level in the tank even after dumping and treating. I called Scamp and they suggested hosing down the inside of the Black tank to get rid of all residue. To do this, simply attach the Dump hose to the Black valve on camper end and sewer connection on the other end, open the valve to release all material in the Black tank into the sewer, leave the valve open and the Dump hose connected to the camper valve and sewer connection, and take a garden hose into the Scamp bathroom. Either have the garden hose turned on and the valve on the hose off or have someone turn the garden hose on once you are at the toilet with the toilet lever depressed. Then with the hose pointed into the Black tank (toilet bowl hole open) spray inside the Blank tank. It’s a good idea to wear a face mask covering your mouth just in case there is splash back! Use the high pressure spray to shoot water all the way around inside the Black tank. You should be able to see any remaining debris flush out and go down into the sewer connection hole at the base of the Black tank. After completing, close the Blank tank valve and remove the Dump hose. Once you are done, the tank should be extremely clean with no visible residue.
Now, complete the Happy Campers regimen (e.g. 1 scoop Happy Campers in 1 gallon of water into sink / toilet followed by 2 additional gallons water) and let mixture sit in tanks for at least several days to sanitize. Then, drain both tanks. Your tanks should now be very clean and sanitized and ready for your next trip! Ever since we started giving our Scamp “Enemas” after each trip, our Black tank sensor consistently reads 0 after each cleanse. Tanks so much!
Disclaimer: You will get the same great Amazon price by clicking on the links here compared to buying directly on Amazon, but by buying here you will also be supporting the continuation of this website as we get a small commission from each sale. These are products and procedures we use for our own Scamp that we selected and developed from our own research and experiences. However, we do not endorse any specific product and cannot guarantee that the products we use are exemplary and the procedures we use are complete, accurate, detail the correct recommended procedures, or apply to your model small travel trailer. It’s always best to double check with your manufacturer or operation manuals to ensure you are doing everything correctly.
