Gray tank not dumping

[Choudhury]

We have a Georgetown 364 TS (2016), been on the road about 6 weeks and have had problems with the tank sensors like everyone else, but we've been dumping the gray and black tanks frequently.

Last night I noticed the 1st (main) bathroom gray tank was emptying slowly, normally I get a rush of water when i pull the value, but this time it was trickling and took all night to drain to 1/3. The main black tank rushes when i open the valve, as so the other second set of gray and black tanks for the master bathroom.

I went to try and dump the black and gray tank tonight, and now the gray tank is hardly draining, no problem with the black tank. Obviously have a blockage of some type, just not sure how to fix. I tried using the toilet cleaner solution, but that's not helping at all. Also, i don't seem to have any blockages in the drains. The kitchen sink, main bathroom sink and shower drain just fine, so the issue must be in the gray tank and/or the dump release value.

Any advise would be appreciated.
Raj.

[brookstone345sa]

Check vent going to roof for blockage. Are you sure the valve is opening all the way?

[Witch Doctor]

That's a good idea first check the roof vent, If it's not that then your valve is not opening all the way. They do make a lubricant that you dump in the drain and it is used to lube the valve. Try to run some water down your vent pipe just in case something is blocking it you just never know. If the vents not clear or dropped into the tank you will not drain it.

[Evereddie]

Have heard that when they cut the hole in the tank that sometimes they let that hole material fall into the tank. It then can block drainage. If your problem is not your valve try a back flush using a flush king or equivalent to move the blockage. Maybe you can push some kind of flexible cable up the drain while open. Just get ready for a flood of water if you un clog it.

[Choudhury]

I checked the rood vent and it's clear, i can see water at the bottom. Also the valve is fully open, also feels like it's in the same open position as a few weeks ago, so I don't think it's stuck. Water is trickling out very slowly still, so it's draining, but it takes all night to get to 1/3.

one note "Evereddie" mentioned is that a few weeks ago the 2nd (master bathroom) black tank value got stuck. I had the RV at a service center installing a breaking system luckily and they fixed the problem. They found a piece of cut out wood that had blocked the value. Most likely left in the tank during manufacturing. I'm wondering if I have the same problem with this gray tank valve, i.e. a piece of wood cut out from construction is blocking the valve housing and that's why its trickling out and no rushing out when I try an drain?

if that's the issue, sounds like I need to open up the valve housing or take it in for someone to do it that knows what they are doing.

Let me know if anyone else has other suggestions or has come across this problem.

[fella10]

Choudhury, you could first try a plumbers snake,...a flexible wire used to unclog sewer clogs,....open the drain valve, run the snake up the pipe, all the way into the tank,.....if there is an obstruction, you will know it, it will either stop the snake or the snake will push thru it and you will see a difference in the water draining,......at least after doing that you'll have a better idea of what you are facing,.....the link below is from Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...plumbers+snake

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by Evereddie

Have heard that when they cut the hole in the tank that sometimes they let that hole material fall into the tank. It then can block drainage. If your problem is not your valve try a back flush using a flush king or equivalent to move the blockage. Maybe you can push some kind of flexible cable up the drain while open. Just get ready for a flood of water if you un clog it.

You know as well as me that is exactly what FR will do, they cut the whole with a whole saw. And if the piece isn't in the bit you know where it is at....

[RSchleder]

Originally Posted by Evereddie

Have heard that when they cut the hole in the tank that sometimes they let that hole material fall into the tank. It then can block drainage. If your problem is not your valve try a back flush using a flush king or equivalent to move the blockage. Maybe you can push some kind of flexible cable up the drain while open. Just get ready for a flood of water if you un clog it.

This happened to me in my 28RKX Wildcat MAXX. The "drilled out" piece got left in the tank and got wedged in the valve and prohibited the valve from closing fully. Pretty shoddy practice if you ask me. What is Forest River manufacturing thinking when the allow a large piece of foreign material to stay in the gray or black tank knowing full well, there's a fairly high percentage chance that it's going to cause the owner a issue with his tanks!

[ehpeters]

If indeed the "drilled out" piece is left in the tank how is it best removed?

[barrie1]

Originally Posted by ehpeters

If indeed the "drilled out" piece is left in the tank how is it best removed?

I hate to say this. BUT, if you are not under the warranty, then while it's blocked you could cut the pipe where it drains at the tank, cut enough pipe to glue a coupling on when done, so you can rejoin the pipe when finished.
See if you can pull the piece out.
Good luck.

[itat]

If the "coupon" from the hole saw is in that tank, and it's the same size or larger than the outlet hole, it may well be lodged at the outlet and reducing flow. If that's the case, just cutting the outlet pipe won't help as the stuck piece will be too large to get out. You'd have to enlarge the tank outlet hole and then use a reducer to connect to the existing outlet pipe.

[OldCoot]

I would suspect you have a cable pull and it is slipping on the valve.

[pmsherman]

I had the same type of issue with the grey tank on my 2011 Georgetown 327DS. The grey valve wouldn't completely close. I ended up disassembling the (easily reachable) valve and discovered a piece of flooring caught in it. Fortunately I was able to remove it using my extra long tip needle nose pliers. Unfortunately, the piece of flooring was shaped like a crescent moon.

There's only a single way to get a piece of flooring shaped like this. The original hole cut in the floor and tank was in the wrong place. A second hole was cut, offset from the first by around 3/4". This means that whatever pipe was inserted in the tank had a hole with a large gap on one side. I just hope that FR got it well sealed because there's no way to inspect it. I suspect that this was from the shower drain.

Phil

[Still Kickin]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

I would suspect you have a cable pull and it is slipping on the valve.

Listen to Coot! X2. The only other way is to run a snake up the pipe end, paying attention (calculate distance) to where you meet the obstruction. If you measure it to be at the valve, WELLA, the old Coot was right, AGAIN.

Or, just get your wallet out, your choice.

[ehpeters]

I have had the grey tank draining problem about 3 times now and I have got it open by flushing my black tank then filling it partially full of water and, with the grey tank empty and the valve open draining the black tank. Both of my tanks, Georgetown 378, empty into the same outlet. Bt doing this it seems to flush the obstruction out of the way. Not a permanent fix but seems to be a work around.

[barrie1]

Originally Posted by pmsherman

I had the same type of issue with the grey tank on my 2011 Georgetown 327DS. The grey valve wouldn't completely close. I ended up disassembling the (easily reachable) valve and discovered a piece of flooring caught in it. Fortunately I was able to remove it using my extra long tip needle nose pliers. Unfortunately, the piece of flooring was shaped like a crescent moon.

There's only a single way to get a piece of flooring shaped like this. The original hole cut in the floor and tank was in the wrong place. A second hole was cut, offset from the first by around 3/4". This means that whatever pipe was inserted in the tank had a hole with a large gap on one side. I just hope that FR got it well sealed because there's no way to inspect it. I suspect that this was from the shower drain.

Phil

I totally agree pmsherman. hope they did repair the oversized hole.

[Choudhury]

Just to update everyone. I ended up unscrewing the valve housing of the gray tank and taking it out, then used a plumbers snake to unblock. Success! I found a half moon piece of plastic that was blocking the pipe further up.

Process to take off and put back the valve house was pretty easy, just make sure you place the two washers on correctly and don't over tighten.

Thank you everyone for the advise in trouble shooting the issue. Hopefully that's all that's in that tank, but at least I know how to try and fix if I come across a similar issue on another tank.
Raj.

[itat]

Glad you got it fixed. Thanks for letting us know.