Urgent vintage grey water drainage question!

[1959newbie]

Hello, all. I'm coming up for air, near the end of my overwhelming, aggravating and extremely expensive restoration effort.

I'm at the point of trying to live in the trailer, to test the systems.

As per original, I have no grey water tank, am simply using a 50' 5/8"hose at the moment, because I'm on my own property. Grey water drains VERY slowly, sometimes even backing up into shower.

What's the solution? Bigger, shorter hose? Some type of air admittance valve? The grey system, as far as I could tell, had no vent or tie-in to the black tank vent originally.

HELP, please!

[Safari Tim]

If you take off the hose and let it drain straight to the ground does it back up?

If not, maybe run a 1.5" pvc drain for the 50' on your property.

If it does, you may have some kind of blockage in your drain piping on the trailer.

[1959newbie]

Thanks, Tim. It does OK if I just put a bucket under the drain -- but I'm wondering what to use at a campsite? I thought they usually had a hose-type grey water drain connection at "full-service" sites.

When boondocking I'll use a portable tank -- but won't I still have hose problem? Of course, I could use a MUCH shorter hose then.

[Boondocker]

I wonder if you have sufficent fall over the distance you are trying to run they grey water. Just a thought.

[Shacksman]

Originally Posted by 1959newbie

Thanks, Tim. It does OK if I just put a bucket under the drain -- but I'm wondering what to use at a campsite? I thought they usually had a hose-type grey water drain connection at "full-service" sites.

When boondocking I'll use a portable tank -- but won't I still have hose problem? Of course, I could use a MUCH shorter hose then.

At a campground you put the 4" sewer hose on and let the grey water drain through that to the camp conection.

[Excella CM]

In an unobstructed drain hose there are two factors that determine flow: drop in height from tank bottom to outlet and inside diameter of hose. You can go up to 3/4" on std. garden hose, but if your outlet is nearly at the same heigt as the tank bottom flow will be slow. You could connect the hose to a faucet and blow it out.

[2airishuman]

hi '59newbie...

if your plumbing isn't blocked...

d'ats too much hose of too little diameter.

occasionally while boondocking i've used a 50-5/8s to drain grey...

IF the holding tank is full it runs slowing but faithfully....

and like a siphon will keep flowing once movement is established...

Siphon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

so 2 suggestions...

1. a short stiff hose for campgrounds with hookups.
-and you'll need some 3 inch to garden hose adapters.
-unless you've still got tetford plumbing

2. a blueboy tote sitting under the trailer for usage on your property....
-position directly under your outlet if possible
-hook your longer hose to the low side drain on the blue tote....
-as the tote fills it will serve as a buffer for the trailer,
-once the tote is partially full passive drainage via the hose will commence...

slowly.

2air'

of course there may still be drainage issues for the long hose and if grade/drop isn't adequate,
but with the tote at least the plumbing shouldn't back up and the tote is 'tote-able!