Grey Tank Drain blocked

[Neal]

You’re going to conquer today. Waiting for the news.

 

[Gizmo]

I have seen a guy clear a black tank clog with one of these. He hooked a water hose to the fitting and backflushed into the tank then closed the valve and dump the contents of the pipe into a bucket.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BQKBP2/?tag=rvf01-20

 

[Jim]

Comedic relief appreciated

Well, this has NOTHING to do with the problem at hand, but I saw it this morning and thought it was funny.

 

[MapNerd]

Update: Newmar got us over to RV Specialist Inc. in Orlando, FL. We were over in Clermont so just a 40m drive. The guys here are futzing with it now. Like true engineers, doing everything I told them I already did because engineers never trust one another

 

[NWIP]

Update: Newmar got us over to RV Specialist Inc. in Orlando, FL. We were over in Clermont so just a 40m drive. The guys here are futzing with it now. Like true engineers, doing everything I told them I already did because engineers never trust one another

Glad Newmar stepped up and got you in, hopefully they can get your problem solved in shot order.

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

Glad they are finally working on the problem, @MapNerd. It's about time!

Please be sure to let us know what was finally found to be the cause and how it was resolved.

TJ

 

[MapNerd]

It’s fixed and it’s not Newmar’s fault at all.

there was some sort of sand build up in the grey. The guys removed the gate valve and snaked it, it all came right out. The drain pan had been opened and they were ready with a pump on standby in case the water level in the pan rose too high but the pan did its job.

i will say that if Newmar had installed a grey rinse which I have asked for since FPU, perhaps this could have been avoided but alas, no plastic circle in my grey and it drains fine now.

We live and learn. I am now a little wiser, and a little poorer and will be sending Josh @ Newmar CS a thank you note.

...yes we’re still selling it

edit: I just want to point out that what the guys did to solve the problem is almost exactly what @Neal prescribed. So there’s that.

 

[Jim]

Glad that's behind you, but where is the "sand" coming from?

 

[Neal]

It’s fixed and it’s not Newmar’s fault at all.

there was some sort of sand build up in the grey. The guys removed the gate valve and snaked it, it all came right out. The drain pan had been opened and they were ready with a pump on standby in case the water level in the pan rose too high but the pan did its job.

i will say that if Newmar had installed a grey rinse which I have asked for since FPU, perhaps this could have been avoided but alas, no plastic circle in my grey and it drains fine now.

We live and learn. I am now a little wiser, and a little poorer and will be sending Josh @ Newmar CS a thank you note.

...yes we’re still selling it

Can you make up something more exciting? Living creature? Missing child? Squirrel? Something? Is this all we get??

 

[MapNerd]

Glad that's behind you, but where is the "sand" coming from?

Our best guess is that over time it might have built up in the bottom of the tanks. It also could be cat litter. We put the litter box in the shower when traveling and that would certainly block things up down there. But the litter box is huge - 18” x 24” x 18” and it only gets filled 1/3 of the way if that. But my suspicion is that the cat jumps out while we’re traveling (we leave the shower doors open so she can access it) and little by little over the course of a year some goes down the shower drain.

spoke to DW about it and neither of us ever recall a cat litter spill in the shower and we would certainly never flush it. So...yeah we have no clue but the litter box will no longer go in the shower.

 

[MapNerd]

Can you make up something more exciting? Living creature? Missing child? Squirrel? Something? Is this all we get??

Baby Groot was in there, growing vines to protect the integrity of my grey tank.

 

[Neal]

Well, an odd finding for sure. You'd think this would come out of the 3 inch drain even though yours may have the 1.5 inch stepdown plumbing. Glad you got it fixed. I assume the for sale signs are being returned?

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

Wow! I'm having a hard time understanding how "sand" (or, even "kitty litter") could build up to a depth sufficient to completely block the drain. Is there some sort of a baffle near the drain opening in the gray tank that would make this happen? It would seem that "sand" would flow out with the drain water and, if a build-up started to occur, the water would erode a path through it.

Did this "sand" come out in clumps? Maybe there's enough solid material in gray water to act as a binder. Soap residue, maybe? It sure does seem odd. One last question; do you normally leave the gray water valve open when connected to a sewer? Or do you keep it closed between dumps? Wondering whether one way or the other might affect a buildup like that?

Glad you got it fixed.

TJ

 

[Neal]

Yeah, gonna have to call in mythbusters on this. I'm not really buying the verdict either.

 

[MapNerd]

here’s what came out when they snaked it. I am also not sure I buy that this was the cause. It still may very well be a plastic cutout but I cannot prove that at this point (inspection scope is on the way from Amazon).

 

[MapNerd]

Did this "sand" come out in clumps? Maybe there's enough solid material in gray water to act as a binder. Soap residue, maybe? It sure does seem odd. One last question; do you normally leave the gray water valve open when connected to a sewer? Or do you keep it closed between dumps?

No clumps. Came out like it was on the bottom of the tank. I am not convinced but I cannot prove anything.

We only use organic liquid soap which breaks down very easily and does not gum up like that.

We never leave our tanks open, black or grey, hookups or not.

 

[Neal]

Remember it’s a 3 inch outlet. That’s large. Newmar needs to remove and inspect or replace the tank. I think they just moved whatever the block was and it will happen again. I bet 8 of @TJ&LadyDi’s quarters.

 

[MapNerd]

I assume the for sale signs are being returned?

At this point, no. We still plan to sell. I can’t at the time in good faith fault newmar for this one but their response to other items has not been up to my expectations.

 

[MapNerd]

Remember it’s a 3 inch outlet. That’s large. Newmar needs to remove and inspect or replace the tank. I think they just moved whatever the block was and it will happen again. I bet 8 of @TJ&LadyDi’s quarters.

I have the step down to a 1.5” on grey.

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

Remember it’s a 3 inch outlet. That’s large. Newmar needs to remove and inspect or replace the tank. I think they just moved whatever the block was and it will happen again. I bet 8 of @TJ&LadyDi’s quarters.

And, I'll raise you 8 more!

TJ