Grey Tank Drain blocked

[MapNerd]

Back at the service center this week. Newmar took apart my grey tank drain all the way to the tank - it turned out to be a big glob of pipe glue that was clogging the tank drain. So that’s a new one.

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

Back at the service center this week. Newmar took apart my grey tank drain all the way to the tank - it turned out to be a big glob of pipe glue that was clogging the tank drain. So that’s a new one.

Glad you finally found the source of the problem. After all the back-and-forth on this thread, the obvious problem sources had been eliminated And there had to be some kind of internal blockage. Sounds like someone got overzealous with the glue during assembly. Stuff like this happens, and drives you crazy trying to find out why something doesn't work as it should.

Safe and happy travels.

TJ

 

[Neal]

Back at the service center this week. Newmar took apart my grey tank drain all the way to the tank - it turned out to be a big glob of pipe glue that was clogging the tank drain. So that’s a new one.

Any pictures? I still find that hard to believe. It’s a 3 inch hole. Not small.

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

Any pictures? I still find that hard to believe. It’s a 3 inch hole. Not small.

If a "big gob of pipe glue" oozed out on the bottom side of the fitting, it could collect debris that, over time, would form a dam. I can see how that could happen.

TJ

 

[Neal]

If a "big gob of pipe glue" oozed out on the bottom side of the fitting, it could collect debris that, over time, would form a dam. I can see how that could happen.

TJ

Valid

 

[MapNerd]

Any pictures? I still find that hard to believe. It’s a 3 inch hole. Not small.

Tech has a picture. I will get a copy and share when I have it. Also its a 1.5" diameter on my grey drain. I think the switch to 3" on grey came in 2021.

 

[Neal]

You can ask them to run 3 inch out of gray, I would if they had it all apart. It's just the same plumbing as they use coming out of black.

 

[MapNerd]

You can ask them to run 3 inch out of gray, I would if they had it all apart. It's just the same plumbing as they use coming out of black.

I did. Tech seemed hesitant to say he would so I’m not hopeful. Such a simple thing...smh

 

[Neal]

Just tell him, it's identical to the black tank plumbing, Neal did it

 

[MapNerd]

He seemed most conflicted over the need to change the wye valve since it would need to the a 3” x 3” x 3” instead of the 1.5” x 3” x 3”. I told him I was 50% sure that the 21 models had already done this but he seemed not so sure that the parts were there.

 

[Neal]

So what, put a new wye valve in if needed. I think T81 is what you have and T84 is what you need and if you go to parts and talk to Joe Gentry I bet they have them.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00594B73G/?tag=rvf01-20

 

[MapNerd]

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

Yikes! That looks petty nasty; a combination of a "gob" of glue and hardened sewage! No wonder you were having issues. Keeping our fingers crossed that there isn't a similar buildup occurring in our coach's plumbing.

Glad the problem has been found and rectified.

TJ

 

[sheridany]

Makes you really wonder who else has this as finding out can only be done with a camera I would imagine.

 

[MapNerd]

Keeping our fingers crossed that there isn't a similar buildup occurring in our coach's plumbing.

This hadn’t crossed my mind. Always good to have a few worries in the back of your mind. . FWIW This was grey. The brown stuff is most likely coffee grounds but I didn’t feel like taking a whiff to confirm.

Makes you really wonder who else has this as finding out can only be done with a camera I would imagine.

well, i had one and couldn’t get it up there. Sure understand why now. Thought I kept hitting the pipe, I was hitting the glue but because it’s all black, and the pipe is black, I couldn’t tell on the monitor.

 

[MapNerd]

I figure they just wanted to make sure my plumbing didn’t fly off while I was going down the road. Mission accomplished!

 

[sheridany]

The lurking concern is also getting to nappanee to deal with these special circumstance situations is a long trip for us left coasters. I guess ownership should include having to go back there possibly in these cases.

glad you got it resolved.

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

The lurking concern is also getting to nappanee to deal with these special circumstance situations is a long trip for us left coasters. I guess ownership should include having to go back there possibly in these cases.

glad you got it resolved.

I would be comfortable going to Guaranty RV in Junction City, OR, with this kind of a problem. I have a great deal of confidence in the service crew in Sherry Rouillard's shop. Solid, capable people and I believe they also have the confidence of Newmar's management. Driving 350 miles for service is much more palatable for us than going 2,250 miles to Nappanee.

TJ

 

[MapNerd]

Same. I’d have no issues taking it to many reputable service shops. I just happened to get a group of guys that really didn’t look into it much and just snaked the drain, saw some sand, called it kitty litter and charged me $500. Newmar agreed to reimburse me for that since the root cause was a minor construction defect.

frankly, while it was incredibly frustrating at the time, in retrospect it’s difficult to be to upset about it. Some one got heavy handed with the glue, wanted to make sure the connection was solid. Their intent was good and no one could have known until the problem surfaced and the drain was fully disassembled.

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

Same. I’d have no issues taking it to many reputable service shops. I just happened to get a group of guys that really didn’t look into it much and just snaked the drain, saw some sand, called it kitty litter and charged me $500. Newmar agreed to reimburse me for that since the root cause was a minor construction defect.

frankly, while it was incredibly frustrating at the time, in retrospect it’s difficult to be to upset about it. Some one got heavy handed with the glue, wanted to make sure the connection was solid. Their intent was good and no one could have known until the problem surfaced and the drain was fully disassembled.

Many, many years ago, I served an apprenticeship as a pipe fitter. One of the things I was taught was that the inside of each connection made needs to be inspected before moving to the next one. When someone put your plumbing together, they obviously did not do that.

It is relatively easy to check the interior of each connection as it is made; much harder after the entire system has been made up.

TJ