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altamont · 02-17-2007, 09:06 PM

My 07 Safari 27 FB SE seems to have a problem draining. The shower is slow to drain and tonight the kitchen sink was very slow and grey water started to come out of the shower drain. It looks like a venting problem in the grey holding tank. Any ideas?

overlander63 · 02-17-2007, 09:10 PM

I know you have thought of this, but your grey tank may be full. When you try to empty it, does anything come out? The drain may be plugged.

altamont · 02-17-2007, 09:16 PM

Thanks,

It was the first thing I thought of but the tank only reads 3/8's full which jibes with the 2 showers and some kitchen use.

Thanks

overlander63 · 02-17-2007, 09:24 PM

Those gauges are notoriously inaccurate, try dumping the grey tank before assuming the panic position. Even if it's not full, you will need to open the valve to do anything with it.

altamont · 02-17-2007, 09:40 PM

I just emtied the grey tank and it still reads 3/8's full! There is also water sitting in the shower. I just filled the kitchen sink and then let that drain and that also caused water to flow up into the shower even with the grey water drain open to the sewer.

Any other ideas as I am stumped. This didn't happen on our maiden voyage.

SilverGate · 02-17-2007, 11:09 PM

I would also make sure your black water tank is empty.
Then check your plumbing vent tube… ours is in the exterior storage compartment…
Under the rear bed and next to the shower. It is accessed through the rear of the trailer through a locked exterior door.
SilverGate

2airishuman · 02-17-2007, 11:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by altamont

I just emtied the grey tank and it still reads 3/8's full! There is also water sitting in the shower. I just filled the kitchen sink and then let that drain and that also caused water to flow up into the shower even with the grey water drain open to the sewer.

hi altamont...

i agree with terry the micropulse monitors are often way off on new units.

also check the shower plug. it has an 'open' and 'closed' position.

in fact the show plug screws in/out and that can affect drainage too...

it is posible you have construction debris in a drain pipe somewhere.

-with the water ON in the shower and either sink,

-and the gray tank valve OPEN does water drain outside?

you might try a rubber plunger on the shower drain or kitchen sink, but don't use any chemical openers.

also you might try a 'drive around the block' if debris is suspected...

lastly if the trailer is extremely un level (nose down 4 yours)
or high on the street side, drainage will be affected.

keep us posted

2air'

Steve & Susan · 02-18-2007, 04:26 AM

If you can get an old coat hanger and straighten it out to form a long 'probe', gently insert it in the grey tank dump 'pipe' with the valve open. and fish it around GENTLY. On our 2005, I had a slow draining problem with the BLACK tank and it turns out that the piece of plastic that was cut out to make the hole for the toilet was IN THE TANK partially blocking the dump valve.

You could also take your garden hose and feed it in the dump valve and turn the water on to back flush that tank.

If none of this works, you have a 2007 that is still under warranty - call your dealer.

Best of Luck!

altamont · 02-18-2007, 12:26 PM

All good advice and thankyou.

All tanks are empty and I am still having the same problem. I am really thinking that the vent for the tank is blocked with something as this fits all the symptoms.

Of course, the best advice is to take it to the dealer but that is admitting defeat

The other little things are a leaking drain petcock, misaligned drain in bathroom sink, small gap around kitchen sink. Aside from these, the quality has been pretty decent. No popped rivets, misaligned windows, etc.

I am sure glad we are taking these little shakedown cruises to see all that has to be done and fixed. We went to Camping World yesterday and spent about $12. We must be getting close to RV nirvana if that is all we needed.

2airishuman · 02-18-2007, 04:07 PM

hi altamont...

frustrating no doubt. hope a dealer is close.

certainly it could be the vent but i'm having trouble working out how.

clearly your sensor isn't calibrated IF it reads 3/8 when empty...

the vent tube in mounted on the very top/corner of the tank. it is approx. 2 inches in diameter.

so IF the wash water drain is open outstide, you should have normal operation unless the undersink/tub plumging into the tank is blocked.

your shower pan is actually a few inches higher that the vent tube, so the tank would need to FULL (really full) before water backs up into the shower...

in fact a 3-5 inch colum of water will be IN the vent tube before this happens...if the trailer is level.

like szy8xj reports, many owners find big chunks of debris in their tanks...

keep us updated.
2air'

Phil Gobie · 02-18-2007, 04:28 PM

Is your trailer new to you? My 77/31 manual has the Grey and black reversed from how they actually are. So the first trip when the Grey was full I emptied the black thinking it was the Grey. When I looked in the daylight the next day I saw the labels next to the valves!

altamont · 02-18-2007, 05:30 PM

Phil,

I actually DID empty the black tank thinking it was the gray (I might try looking at the labels sometime) so it did read 3/8's full when I thought it had been emptied. Beginners mistake.

My gray tank is definitely empty and reads so. I guess what is bothering me is that we used the unit 4 weeks ago and all worked perfectly at the same spot we are in today, level with full hookups.

Good dealer is 70 miles away. Mediocre dealer 20 miles away.

overlander63 · 02-18-2007, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by altamont

Good dealer is 70 miles away. Mediocre dealer 20 miles away.

I think you should try making an appointment with the 70 mile away dealer. Get this and your othre little problems taken care of, you spent a great deal of money on it, it should be usable.

Steve & Susan · 02-19-2007, 04:50 AM

First - please tell me how to go to Camping World and only spend $12? Did you leave your wallet at home! Camping World is like Sam's Club - I never INTEND to spend $200, it just HAPPENS!!!

Second - if the dealer is only 70 miles away go see him - you've done enough poking around. Overlander63 is spot-on on this. And don't let it be a blow to your ego - it is NOT a defeat! And don't be bashful about having them check and fix all of those 'little' things you find - you paid a bundle for that bauxite beauty and there's no reason to put up with 'little' annoyances. "Little" annoyances become 'big' annoyances as time goes on. The dealers build in a chunk of their 'take' from the sales price for just those things.

Finally, I don't know if theyr'e doing this on the 2007's, but on our 2005 the tank valves and the pipes that come from the tank are grey and black. Another way to identify is the diameter of the dump pipes - black is bigger - grey water tanks only need to handle liquids - black water tanks, another story altogether!

Hang in there!

SilverGate · 02-19-2007, 09:33 AM

I agree with Szy8xj's points.
An additional note to our setup...
In addition to the plumbing vent next to the shower,
We also have vents under the Lobster and Vanity Sinks.
They are black and are 1 3/4" in diameter.

SilverGate

Steve & Susan · 02-19-2007, 12:16 PM

SilverGate -

Where did you get the AS pillow in your AVATAR?

steve

SilverGate · 02-19-2007, 07:19 PM

Thanks for asking, Steve.
The pillow came as a gift last November...
It originally came from Mervyn's... probably a seasonal item.
Closer view of it is on page 2 of this thread:
http://www.airforums.com/forum...t-29471-2.html
SilverGate

ROBERTSUNRUS · 02-19-2007, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by altamont

My 07 Safari 27 FB SE seems to have a problem draining. The shower is slow to drain and tonight the kitchen sink was very slow and grey water started to come out of the shower drain. It looks like a venting problem in the grey holding tank. Any ideas?

Hi, Just by chance, did you let something go down the drain? Sometimes we forget [we meaning anyone] that these trailers don't have garbage disposals like our homes do. We, my wife and I, scrape the plates Etc. into the trash can, very well before washing them. Only idea I could come up with that wasn't already mentioned. Take it to the dealer and if you did cause it, just chock it up as lesson learned.

altamont · 03-22-2007, 10:22 PM

Went to dealer (Toscano) and the problem was a simple as we thought. The cap on the vent had been put on to tightly and was not allowing the system to drain quicky. A two minute fix.

Thanks to all.

John