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03-07-2016, 05:44 PM
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#1
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4 Rivet Member
2014 25' FB Flying Cloud
Hillsborough
, North Carolina
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 314
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Vacuum Breaker Check Valve - Sewer Flush
Anyone had the problem of hooking up the hose at the dump station to the sewer flush and opening the spigot valve too quickly allowing an in-rush surge to pop the top off the Vacuum Breaker Check Valve?
I am wondering if that could of been the cause of the failure of my vacuum breaker check valve. (in a 2014 Flying Cloud)
Any tips on replacing would also be appreciated. One side appears to be a fairly normal finger tight coupling. Once that side is disconnected, is it easier to pull the remaining assembly through the wall to the outside?
is a pressure regulator a good idea on the sewer flush?
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03-07-2016, 06:36 PM
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#2
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Rivet Master
1998 30' Excella 1000
Livingston
, Texas
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 546
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I'm assuming you have the inexpensive plastic one that Airstream started using some time ago. Your not the first to have it fail, even when it is hooked up to the pressure regulated supply from their rig. Do a google search into the forum and find info on the solid brass replacement (that Airstream previously used).
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03-07-2016, 07:34 PM
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#3
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Rivet Master
1974 Argosy 20
2014 20' Flying Cloud
Kooskia
, Idaho
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 4,591
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There is also a possibility that the valve was not blown out with air when the system was winterized and had become frozen. They are often plumbed so that they don't self drain, and due to the check valve nature, need to be blown out with compressed air.
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03-07-2016, 08:12 PM
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#5
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Rivet Master
2014 20' Flying Cloud
Sag Harbor
, New York
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 17,523
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GeeSag
. . .
is a pressure regulator a good idea on the sewer flush?
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Always. [even though in theory the water pressure cannot build up to maximum because the discharges are open-ended in the sidewall of the black water tank]
You may have introduced excessive water pressure to the vacuum breaker IMO if you did not have a regulator in-line.
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03-07-2016, 09:58 PM
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#6
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Rivet Master
1998 30' Excella 1000
Livingston
, Texas
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 546
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Quote:
Originally Posted by idroba
There is also a possibility that the valve was not blown out with air when the system was winterized and had become frozen. They are often plumbed so that they don't self drain, and due to the check valve nature, need to be blown out with compressed air.
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And if you don't blow out your system, but pump antifreeze instead, you can hook up your no-fuss-flush and briefly open the valve to pump antifreeze through it.
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03-08-2016, 03:35 AM
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#7
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Rivet Master
2007 20' Safari
Old Orchard Beach
, Maine
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 510
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Someone please describe what this discussion is about. This is the first that I have heard of this topic and I can't really envision what it is about.
__________________
Marty Womer
Old Orchard Beach, Maine
Trailer name: Quarantina
2019-2022 President, Northeast Mountaineers Airstream Club
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03-08-2016, 11:42 AM
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#8
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Rivet Master
2014 20' Flying Cloud
Sag Harbor
, New York
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 17,523
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Marty have you read the threads and seen the photos, as linked in Post 4 here? Your owner's manual should describe this black water tank back-flush system, one component of which is the vacuum breaker under discussion. If things are unclear after you have seen the above, please advise.
Peter
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03-08-2016, 03:17 PM
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#9
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Rivet Master
2014 20' Flying Cloud
Sag Harbor
, New York
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 17,523
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Marty, maybe your 2007 Safari does not have a black water tank flush system?
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03-09-2016, 10:38 PM
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#10
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Rivet Master
2007 20' Safari
Old Orchard Beach
, Maine
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 510
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My owner's manual does not describe a black water tank back-flush system. What is it and how does it work? I had already looked at the prior posts before asking.
__________________
Marty Womer
Old Orchard Beach, Maine
Trailer name: Quarantina
2019-2022 President, Northeast Mountaineers Airstream Club
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03-10-2016, 04:53 AM
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#11
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Rivet Master
2014 20' Flying Cloud
Sag Harbor
, New York
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 17,523
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It lets you hook up a city water hose to a special connection which then blasts the inside of the black water tank with high pressure water to flush out any remaining solid material. In my opinion it is not necessary, as the old-fashioned way works fine. [drive trailer just before dumping to reduce solids to pulp, which flows easily, then put fresh tank solution and some water in for the next trip -- at season's end stick an old hose down the toilet and let it run a while. Drive around with just some water in there and dump again.]
I will not use the black water tank flush system until I can get the new brass vacuum breaker installed, which will require removing the rear dinette seat entirely from what I can see.
Sometimes IMO all the new improvements just add things which can break. No thanks. You are better off without it . . .
Later . . . low on the list of Spring tasks to get OTRA! [on the road again]
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05-04-2016, 12:22 PM
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#12
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Rivet Master
2008 22' Safari
Spicewood (W of Austin)
, Texas
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 2,987
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Open up the wardrobe (or whatever cabinet is adjacent to the blackwater flush inlet) and cut that PEX and remove that backflow preventer and THROW IT AS FAR INTO THE LANDFILL AS YOU CAN!
REplace it with a common plumbing elbow or "sharkbite" elbow and be forever untroubled with it again.
The reason that backflow preventer was installed was to satisfy a building code that is unlikely to apply. That code was intended to prevent germs from backing up into the city water supply thru a hose that is continuously connected to the flush system in an unpressurized condition.... something that you will never ever do.
The backflow preventer is a common problem with the flush system and even when it works properly can and does leak a little water into the hollow compartments of your trailer... Don't believe?... remove the paneling and observe the little air-vent on the device when first pressurized with water.
Throw that POS away and replace it with ordinary plumbing connector of your choice. IMHO.
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05-14-2016, 06:56 PM
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#13
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Rivet Master
2016 25' Flying Cloud
Jupiter
, Florida
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,140
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Any other opinions on the right way to fix this?
I just tried to use the black tank flush and I heard it start to work, and then it just stopped. The initial water pressure was probably quite high. Mine is the brass unit, and apparently it is now stuck closed. No water is getting through. I can access it inside the closet, and it's not leaking inside the trailer. If I turn off the water, there is still a lot of pressure from the hose side when I disconnect it - so it's like the check valve or something is stuck closed.
Thoughts?
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01-04-2017, 09:32 AM
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#14
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2 Rivet Member
2015 25' Flying Cloud
Lafayette
, Louisiana
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 30
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Excellent thread. I had this happen a month ago at a campground with extremely high pressure. It blew that thing apart & I was barely able to reach behind the panels & grab one of two pieces; the other still down there somewhere. I came here to post this question. Thanks everyone for input!
__________________
Michael Siener
Lafayette, Louisiana
2015 Flying Cloud 25
2015 Toyota Tundra CrewMax 4x4, 5.7 V8
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01-04-2017, 10:29 PM
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#15
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Rivet Master
2007 20' Safari
Old Orchard Beach
, Maine
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 510
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I have only tried using my black tank flush once. Water rushed out of the bottom of my trailer -- out of the wall -- so clearly something, probably the valve, is broken or plugged. I haven't bothered with it further.
__________________
Marty Womer
Old Orchard Beach, Maine
Trailer name: Quarantina
2019-2022 President, Northeast Mountaineers Airstream Club
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01-14-2017, 10:10 PM
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#16
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Rivet Master
2008 22' Safari
Spicewood (W of Austin)
, Texas
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 2,987
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My previous post on this subject was because my black tank backflush did not work. I bought the AS slightly used and the flush system would not accept water at all.
A fellow traveler (RoadCessna here at the forums) showed me how good the system works...when it works ...by demonstration on his 20' Safari.
So I gathered my courage...located the removable panel inside the wardrobe (immediately inboard of where the external water hose connector is) and FOUND the cheap plastic backflow preventer completely blocked by an insect nest of some sort. Some little bugger had crawled in there and built a very substantial paper-plug that completely shut it off.
When I saw it was a cheap plastic device.... and when I saw it was mounted so high up inside the trailer-wall....well-above the black tank... I realized there is simply NO WAY that the black tank is going to back-feed the city water system unless someone deliberately applied SUCTION to the system.
So rather than deal with another plastic check-valve failure (as that's what the backflow preventer is...a checkvalve).... I simply used tubing cutters and cut it out of the system and threw it away.
I installed a brass "elbow" instead.... and I did it the simple way... I bought a "sharkbite" brand of elbow and inserted the PEX tubing I had cut the preventer out of. A year later now and it still works perfectly with no leaks and my black tank gets flushed easily and sanitarily.
Simple fix.
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06-28-2017, 04:23 PM
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#18
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2 Rivet Member
2014 28' Flying Cloud
Raleigh
, North Carolina
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 22
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My black water is not flushing when I turn on the
Hose to flush it out. Where is the vacuum breaker on 2014 FC,
So I can check it?
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06-28-2017, 05:04 PM
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#19
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Rivet Master
2014 20' Flying Cloud
Sag Harbor
, New York
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 17,523
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If your black water flush system has not been used consistently, the small holes in the spray jet heads (inside the black tank) may be clogged up with dried-out fecal and TP material.
Vacuum breakers are located in different areas in different models. Your owner's manual may inform, or may be silent. Ours is buried under the bath counter. See Post #17 and the other threads linked therein.
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06-28-2017, 05:59 PM
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#20
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Rivet Master
2008 22' Safari
Spicewood (W of Austin)
, Texas
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 2,987
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Quote:
Originally Posted by silverkiwi
My black water is not flushing when I turn on the
Hose to flush it out. Where is the vacuum breaker on 2014 FC,
So I can check it?
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I'll bet it's directly inside from the outside connection.... and UP about 12-inches from the connection. Look inside cabinetry for an access-panel.
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