New member- Water Tank Not Draining

[jvandal]

Hello,
I have been reading the winterizing tips. We are new to Airstreams and purchased a 1967 Safari earlier this year. We filled the fresh water intake tank full during the summer and found after opening the drain, and seeing only drops trickle out, that someone may have put leaves (something green...or calcification?) that have clogged the drain (there is no lockable cap on the intake tank). Little leaves can be occasionally pried out by using a wire as a snake. Compressed air forced up the drain hose has also not worked. Has anyone encountered this problem?
Any help appreciated,
Jim

[Chaplain Kent]

Welcome to the forums. We once had a gravel substance in the tank from a campground well but never leaves. I wonder if you keep filling the tank if you could wash the leaves out the top or try draining and filling at the same time to rinse out the tank.
Hopefully someone else will chime in here.

[balrgn]

Looks like a pretty old thread, wonder if he found a solution

[ticki2]

If you can rig up a garden hose connection at the drain valve you can try back flushing letting it come out the fill spout . You may also try double chlorinating and letting it sit for a few days , this will sometimes desolves small things , not recommended if you have a galvinized tank , only plastic or stainless steel . Good luck

[Tom Nugler]

I wish I had a drain valve in my '67 GlobeTrotter. I need to run the pump and drain it out the city water fitting at the rear of the coach. But then I don't have even half of the original plumbing.
The GT and Safari are nearly identical at the front end so maybe Jim can come back with a little more info.
My sediment filter plugs up every other year or so. The tank was taken out and flushed 7 years ago so appearently enough crud builds up to gum things up.
The last few years I've been using a pre filter on my fill hose when I'm at the campgrounds to see if this helps the situation. I suspect it's just hard water from the camp's well that does it though.

Tom.

[Fyrzowt]

Prefilters are a great idea, even just the garden hose end insert. You would be amazed at the types of things that we find in the domestic water supply/fire hydrants.

[Cracker]

Can anyone tell me how the drain valve is installed on my 2000 30' Excella??? I have the same problem with the valve being clogged and due to the protective tab underneath the valve, it's darn near impossible to blow it out (i.e. - backflush it) with an air hose. The tire and aluminum belly skin prevents me from seeing how the valve is installed and I don't want to start trying to unscrew it only to find out it has a flange with screws. It took a week for the tank to drain this Fall. I know, I know --- I could have drained it with the pump but I just kept waiting!