Black water flush

[davidz71]

My '77 31' Excella 500 TT has a pipe with female hose connector on the end of it. It comes out below and in front of the rear bumper. I suspect it is to flush the black water tank. It doesn't have a male cap on it. Should it be left open or be capped? What is the procedure for flushing after you connect a water hose to it? Any insight into this procedure would be appreciated. Craig

Hey David,

To use the black water flush:
1. Drain bwt and then close the drain.
2. Hook up hose to bwt inlet and turn it on full blast.
(you'll hear the water flowing/filling up in the btw)
3. After a couple of minutes, drain btw while the water is still running.
4. Close btw and repeat.

I've read that it's good if you can let the btw fill up half way. More water volume and pressure to flush out Mr Hankey.

I can't help you on your other question.

John

[FrankR]

Most folks know about never empting the tank that is less than 3/4 full. I use lots of dish liquid soap. I makes everything real slippy Before using the tank about a gallon of water is added with a generous squeeze of dish soap. I do not add any other potions. Standard cosco toilet tissue is used very carefully. Our toilet is rigged with a spray hose for before and after use. The sprayer used is the same as used for kitchen sinks. I raised the toilet 4 inches for ease of use. I'm considering a pump system to use the grey water for the toilet and to water the trees. We have a macerator to pump out the black tank with a 3/4 inch hose that lays flat. Easy to store, only 30 feet. In the future, a vacuum fitting will be placed on black tank. While movine the tank vapors are drawn from tank. Frank

[apple 1]

David,
Are you sure you have a black water flush. I have owned both a '65 model year Safari trailer and a '81 Excella II and neither had a black water flush. The newer trailers do have a black water flush, I not sure what year they started installing them. I have one on my '96 Excella 1000 which is located in the water hook up area. On my '81 model trailer the hook up you describe was the fresh water inlet hook up. This had a solid cap on it for travel which was removed to install the hose.

Frank,
Your black warter tank has a vent pipe which goes out the roof of your trailer. No need to add any other vent.

[FrankR]

On some rare occasions, the black tank gets a thoro wash inside. The tool that is used is shaped like a cane. The long end has a connection for a water hose with a ball valve. The short end has a very powerful nozzle with a small hole. This device is called a tank wand and made by Valterra. The process is, tank has been emptied... add a little soap, block foot lever open, view any contents, put cleaning nozzle into tank and begin the spray. Turn off the water and check the level, add water as necessary up to full, then open tank to drain. Check tank interior with flashlite. Add a gallon of water, more soap, remove foot lever block. Ready for use.
A air jet is a device that is attached to the black water vent pipe above roof line. This device creates a vacuum in pipe and tank to draw out odors. This air jet is attached with a few small screws for easy replacement if damaged. Retails about $14... Frank

[Jim W]

Hi David. On my 77/31' the fresh water hookup is below & in front of the bumper on the street side. That sounds like what you discribed. It would seem like your TT would be the same as mine. I have a plastic male plug I put in there when not hooked to fresh water. Where have you been hooking up to your fresh water?

[davidz71]

Thanks John, Frank R, apple 1 and Jim W for help on what appears to be a black water spray hookup. I have a compartment just behind the rear wheels on the street side that opens up to allow access to 2 reels holding first my 10 ft. fresh water hose and next to it my 30 amp electrical cord. I also have a small locking door to pour water into my fresh water tank. Since the female hose connector is 6 " in front of my gray and black water exit, I would not think this would be very sanitary to have a fresh water connection there. It also appears that there is a check valve right behind the female hose connector. I guess I will have to experiment to see where the water goes. Thanks again for your help. Craig

[tenrsingr]

I'll have to agree with Jim, and say that it would most likely be a fresh water hookup. This is where mine is located and I have block it off when not in use, because my water would come out. I may need a check valve here. Yes?

When you check it and find out what it does, why not let us know what it is for. And if it is for BWT flush, where is your potable water hookup?

Steve
'72 31' Int. Sov.
'99 Ford F150

[davidz71]

Steve,
I will be checking in a couple hours when I get home from work so I will let you know. My fresh water hookup hose is located behind the rear wheels on an enclosed reel which holds 10 ft. of 5/8 inch water hose. It is next to my electrical cord wheel in the same compartment. I lift 2 small latches like you would find on a steamer truck, except smaller, and the door falls down. You reach in and pull either the water hose or elec. cord or both out. The door has a notch on each end which allows you to close it while the hose and cord are connected. I don't know if this was an Excella option/feature or not but it sure is nice. Check in a couple hours and I will have posted what that other connection does. Hope i'm not cleaning water out from the inside of the trailer.

[davidz71]

OK Gang,
The female connector does indeed connect to my fresh water system. As soon as I turned the water on, I heard it running inside the trailer. I ran around and saw water running out of my sink faucet and shower. Tell me then, why do I have a 10 ft. hose and reel that is also connected to my fresh water system? I understand the onboard fresh water tank being filled up from the outside locked compartment since you may be camping where there is no water source but why the 2 connections? Also, if connected to this rear female hose connector, what keeps water from running through the system, back to my hose reel, through the hose and out the hose reel compartment? Craig

[apple 1]

Craig,
This second hose on a reel sounds like something a previous owner added to the trailer. Both my '65 and '81 trailers had the fresh water hook up near the rear bumper but this was the only hook up. The '81 was an Excella II with all the options and did not have a compartment for the hose reel or electrical reel. The electrical cord was stored in the rear bumper. The rear bumper cover had a slot for the power cord when you were hooked up.
It would be interesting to see how and where this 10' hose on the reel is hooked into the water system.
Jim

[jkleven]

Originally posted by davidz71
OK Gang,
The female connector does indeed connect to my fresh water system. As soon as I turned the water on, I heard it running inside the trailer. I ran around and saw water running out of my sink faucet and shower. Tell me then, why do I have a 10 ft. hose and reel that is also connected to my fresh water system? I understand the onboard fresh water tank being filled up from the outside locked compartment since you may be camping where there is no water source but why the 2 connections? Also, if connected to this rear female hose connector, what keeps water from running through the system, back to my hose reel, through the hose and out the hose reel compartment? Craig

Dumb question. Is the female connector a means of winterizing the trailer in the fall. (Draining the system0?

[thenewkid64]

Craig,

Based on the descriptions of your water hook up the prior owner may have installed an additional check valve in the system.

Ther is a check valve in line between the water inlet and the pump, it looks like a brass gourd in the water lines. when the hose reel was added, I am sure the hose reel is plumbed in the same way, that is why you do not have water shooting out of the hose reel when you hook up to the bumper fitting.

[davidz71]

apple1,
My '77 service manual shows the Water Hose Reel Assembly with 26 seperate parts with part #'s. It was an option for Excella 500 models.
Brett,
It looks like it will be next weekend before I will wire that switch in. As far as the check valve is concerned, you are probably right about the addition. These Airstreams can be rather interesting with all the different options and sometimes lack of option sheets available to look at. All you can do is talk with those who have been in the business for years, like Andy from Inland RV, and those who have trailers. I have seen pictures and diagrams of '77 31' Airstreams and have seen all kinds of configurations. This doesn't even take into consideration Andy's comment that all kinds of modifications have been made by owners who thought they were making improvements. Craig

[davidz71]

jkleven,
Since there is a check valve in line, it will not drain out through this connection. Now, if the hose was connected and water turned on, it would flush the system out but so would the 10 ft. hose on the reel. Craig