Liquid plumber or Drano?

[757Dave]

You could get one of these and just scope it to see what might be your problem.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Hope this helps.

[gastan]

Sorry about the image being too small to read. Perhaps a mod an delete it.


It was from DIY.com. Said try simple stuff first.



Crumble three Alka-Seltzer tablets into your drain followed by 7 fluid ounces of white vinegar. Allow the concoction to sit for a few minutes then rinse with hot water. Baking soda can be substituted for Alka-Seltzer, use two tablespoons. Repeat as necessary.

Off the shelf drain cleaner may also do the trick. Follow the can’s directions.

Plunging is your next step; this works by pushing the clog free or by pulling debris back into the sink. Two types of plungers exist. The first resembles an upside down rubber bowl at the end of a wooden handle. The second is heavier duty; the business end looks like an accordion.

Before you plunge make certain that water can only flow out the drain. Clamp other exits, such the hose that connects the dish washer to the drain. Plunging can be messy so wear your gloves and be prepared to clean up afterward.

One caution: if you’ve used a commercial drain cleaner before plunging wear safety goggles and a long sleeve shirt.


It then goes on about using harsher treatments - - chemicals, augering, etc..

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by jeff64

Do you have the strainer screens to go in the drains to keep chunks from going down.
Since its outside, have you tried running a waterhose in the drain sealed with a disrag to try and flush it through. Same deal with air, like from a shop vac going either direction . Had you taken off the trap?
Like the others said, chemical means would not be an approach I'd take. Did you try a couple buckets of hot water?

Drain King!
Take off the "U" trap and insert this fully into the drain pipe. Run water for a minute or so. Turn off water. Remove Drain King. Reassemble. Drain will be clear.

Larry

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by nomad297

I have snaked thousands of sink drains, and it is very, very rare that the stoppage is in the trap. It is either before it, in a lavatory’s popup assembly, or after it, in the horizontal piping. With kitchen drains, if the trap is clogged, it is always because somebody batch-fed their disposal with something like spaghetti or potato peels — it’s never due to grease.

Bruce

I told (the late) DW not to do it, but she didn't believe me and continued to stuff grapefruit rinds into the disposal. When I took apart the plumbing 20' downstream and started pulling rinds from the elbow there, she continued to deny it until I showed her a fistful of pink.

Larry

[bedubya]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

Before resorting to chemical warfare it might be a good idea to just remove the p-trap first and see how much buildup there is in it. If minimal then consider just running a stiff wire with the end bent back and wound into a loop down the discharge pipe. Rotating the wire as you push it down the pipe will scrape crud off the walls of the pipe and when done just flush drain with boiling water.

X2

[Ortep]

x2 with gastan….I use baking soda and white vinegar for all our slow draining pipes at home. Haven't had any problems with the camper's plumbing "yet". Taught the DW a long time ago "NO GREASE DOWN THE DRAIN" so the only real clogs we get in our plumbing comes from hair in the sink, shower or tub drains. I learned this many years ago while working for a plumber who was adamant about not using the caustic chemicals like Liquid Plumber or Draino.

[wjrdmr]

Originally Posted by Reverse_snowbird

Good heavens NO!

Try pouring some Dawn liquid down that drain to break up grease and food. If that doesn't work, try one of the products in the rv store to 'eat' the waste.

I'd suggest liquid Dawn as well. It also works fairly well as a more 'friendly' toliet bowl cleaner. After draining and rinsing the black tank I like to close the gate valve and drain two bowlfuls into the black tank, then put about 1/2 cup of Dawn into the tank. The sloshing around while driving helps clean the tank. I just leave it until the next set up and the dish soap helps breakdown any remaining solids in the tank.

[BjceyzF]

I tried a similar endoscope down a drain. The problem is that the "scum" on the pipe walls quickly covered the camera lens as it was snaked down the drain.

I think professional systems have wheels on the camera head that keep it away from the pipe walls?

[NJKris]

When I took apart the plumbing 20' downstream and started pulling rinds from the elbow there, she continued to deny it until I showed her a fistful of pink.

That made me laugh! Busted!!!

[waybeck2018]

Originally Posted by campfiregirl57

Any contras against using these in the outdoor kitchen sink drain? It's not completely stopped up, just getting slow. Have tried to keep fats out of drains in sinks, don't know what causes...

A simple and safe method...pour baking soda down the drain then pour in some white vinegar. It will fizz and fuss...but your stoppage will be gone. I do this as a PM on a regular basis at home and on last stop when camping just before leaving for home.

[McCormickJim]

x2 on Larry's solution to use a "Drain King."

An option is to use a snake to break through and loosen the clog and then Larry's solution to flush the drain clean.

https://www.amazon.com/G-T-Water-Pro...gateway&sr=8-3

The G.T. Water Products 186 Drain King Unclog Hose Attachment comes in various sizes. Pick the one appropriate for your drain ID.

[SpringerPop]

I'm not a fan of liquid drain cleaners. If I decide to use one in an attempt to free a clog, I buy a gallon of "germicidal" bleach. It's usually about six percent sodium hypochlorite. That's the main ingredient used in both the most-popular liquid drain cleaners, and costs a fraction of them.

Any left over can be used in your laundry the same as bleach, but only use half as much, as it's twice as concentrated.

Pop

[Villagerjjm]

Use Hydrogen Peroxide solution. It cleans. It foams. It disinfects. No harmful acids or base sitting around.

[FrankMor]

I have used a product I bought at WalMart, don't remember the name. It is peroxide and citric acid. It works great on slow drains.

Frank

[Larry-NC]

I trust that all you chemical fans are using these potions at home. Going to a campground and killing the bio-ecosystem in their septic tank is not a friendly thing to do.

Larry

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

I trust that all you chemical fans are using these potions at home. Going to a campground and killing the bio-ecosystem in their septic tank is not a friendly thing to do.

Larry

This is the big reason not to use that stuff at campgrounds (most have septic systems) and at home if you have a septic tank (not so common anymore).

[myredracer]

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

I trust that all you chemical fans are using these potions at home. Going to a campground and killing the bio-ecosystem in their septic tank is not a friendly thing to do.

Larry

Exactly. The bleach and formaldehyde that many use can do serious and costly damage to on-site disposal fields. All we use regularly is lots of water - before, during and after in the black tank. Often, when you visit various CGs, you don't know if they're on a municipal or on-site disposal system or if they have an outside tanker service that regularly empties a main tank on-site somewhere.

Then, if you were to visit Victoria, BC their sewage has been going straight into the ocean from the beginning (soon to get a new treatment plant tho. after being forced to).

[NJKris]

Not to be disputatious, but I've infrequently used Liquid Plumber (maybe once every few years) on a drain or two with no ill effects to my septic.

if you have a septic tank (not so common anymore).

Hahaha, I wish! I've never lived anywhere I DIDN'T have to use a septic tank and burn heating oil in my furnace. I am envious of everybody else in this country who has sewers and natural gas. Must be my dumb luck.

[NJKris]

Damnit, now you guys got me worried, so I looked it up. From Liquid Plumber's FAQs: Yes. It's safe to use Liquid-Plumr® products if you have a septic system. The ingredients degrade rapidly and will not harm the bacteria in your tank.

[babock]

Originally Posted by NJKris

Damnit, now you guys got me worried, so I looked it up. From Liquid Plumber's FAQs: Yes. It's safe to use Liquid-Plumr[emoji768] products if you have a septic system. The ingredients degrade rapidly and will not harm the bacteria in your tank.

Of course they say that! No way I would use it with my septic tank.

If course I don't use bleach or anti bacterial soaps with mine either.

Only thing s that go into my septic is toilet paper or stuff you have eaten first.