Visit our Popular Forums

Seabloom · 03-19-2015, 09:24 AM

Hello fellow Overlanders,

I recently purchased a 1976 Overlander International in the fall. I am stumped on the fresh water drain. My particular layout has a bed/couch across the front and a bed/couch in the middle of the trailer, with a rear bathroom. My galley is the model with the one piece stove/oven combination. This makes access to the water pump area especially difficult.

My question is about the fresh water drain, I orginally thought the tank was curbside behind the galley, but after looking at other various blogs and from what I see on the trailer the tank is actually just ahead of the axles dead centre of the trailer and looks to be within the frame. I still cannot see any drain valves, the alum belly pan looks to be easy to remove with one large bolt in the middle any numerous smaller ones around the outside. Has anyone tackled this to put their own drain on?

Or, has any one tried using a drill pump or similar to syphon the water back out the fill access.

We camp off grid a lot and I would like to not only be able to dump the weight to travel, but also clean and flush the tank.

Thank you for your help.

adonh · 03-19-2015, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seabloom

Hello fellow Overlanders,

I recently purchased a 1976 Overlander International in the fall. I am stumped on the fresh water drain. My particular layout has a bed/couch across the front and a bed/couch in the middle of the trailer, with a rear bathroom. My galley is the model with the one piece stove/oven combination. This makes access to the water pump area especially difficult.

My question is about the fresh water drain, I orginally thought the tank was curbside behind the galley, but after looking at other various blogs and from what I see on the trailer the tank is actually just ahead of the axles dead centre of the trailer and looks to be within the frame. I still cannot see any drain valves, the alum belly pan looks to be easy to remove with one large bolt in the middle any numerous smaller ones around the outside. Has anyone tackled this to put their own drain on?

Or, has any one tried using a drill pump or similar to syphon the water back out the fill access.

We camp off grid a lot and I would like to not only be able to dump the weight to travel, but also clean and flush the tank.

Thank you for your help.

In my 1976 31'Sovereign center bath there are 2 low point drains, one is rear drivers side under the twin bed, the other is under the sink floor level. There is no actual drain to the fresh water tank. The only way to drain the fresh water tank is to turn on the pump and and open a faucet and let run until it drains.

Belegedhel · 03-19-2015, 10:27 AM

I'll second the above--the only access points to your FW tank are for the FW inlet, the outlet to the water pump, and some breather tubes. So it is not only difficult to ensure you have emptied the tank completely (using the onboard pump as described above), but practically impossible to clean out the tank.

When I replaced the floor and installed grey water tanks, I also removed the FW tank, and installed a "clean out" port in the top surface. It is actaully a 4" screw-in access hatch like you might use on a boat deck. I also put a corresponding hole in the floor to access the port. I figure that I will at least be able to use a wet vac to suck out the dregs of the tank a the end of a trip to minimize the amount of funk that might grow in there when I put it away.

good luck!