Camping trailer identify

[ladyharley]

Thanks good idea. I figured they are all different and configured differently. :-)

Originally Posted by Mtelkman

When I first started learning about RVs, I was slightly embarrassed to go to the bookstore and buy a copy of RV for Dummies and/or Complete Idiots Guide to RVs. I had no idea they had RV boot camp classes and likely couldn't have afforded to go take one anyway.

Turns out it was one of the smartest things I did. I was completely clueless about most things RV and this REALLY helped give me the jump start I needed to know what I was dealing with.

Good luck with your new project!

[ladyharley]

HOLY COW.... I pulled that pvc thing out and it has a blue hose attached like a washing machine has, but nothing attached to the blue hose, just pulled out????????????

[Ford Idaho]

Originally Posted by ladyharley

Thanks. I live in New Mexico and there isn't much here. There is an RV place but can't tow this thing in town. I don't know what a cg is.

Camp Ground.

[rockfordroo]

The pics in post #35 are the sewer hose (stinky slinky) that you would connect to the trailer and run to the camp sites sewer opening or dump station. If I'm looking correctly, it's being stored inside the trailers bumper.

You need to find the PVC type pipe that this hose hooks up to. It should be UNDER the trailer somewhere (should be on the drivers side, and usually at the rear), and it should have a cap that comes off when you turn it 90 degrees. Then you can follow this piping back to the tanks. As you go backwards from the cap, you should find some kind of "Tee." One direction from the "Tee" will go to the black water (poop) tank and the other will go to the gray water tank (the tanks themselves could be any color; black and grey refers to what you're putting in them). There should be a square kind of fitting on each line just after the "Tee" that has a handle on it. This is the shutoff valve.

Here's an "RV University" website with a video that may help you: http://www.rvuniversity.com/staticpa....php/htanks101

[ladyharley]

Thank YOU! Now I have some guidance :-) now that was simple. Here is a pic I think this is what I connect the white pvc to... so both grey water AND black water come through this?

Originally Posted by rockfordroo

The pics in post #35 are the sewer hose (stinky slinky) that you would connect to the trailer and run to the camp sites sewer opening or dump station. If I'm looking correctly, it's being stored inside the trailers bumper.

You need to find the PVC type pipe that this hose hooks up to. It should be UNDER the trailer somewhere (should be on the drivers side, and usually at the rear), and it should have a cap that comes off when you turn it 90 degrees. Then you can follow this piping back to the tanks. As you go backwards from the cap, you should find some kind of "Tee." One direction from the "Tee" will go to the black water (poop) tank and the other will go to the gray water tank (the tanks themselves could be any color; black and grey refers to what you're putting in them). There should be a square kind of fitting on each line just after the "Tee" that has a handle on it. This is the shutoff valve.

[KDHfan]

Yep...that's where the piece that's in your bumper connects and then you drain your black tank, then the gray. If you follow that pipe back you should see where the gray and black lines connect into it. Somewhere along that line there should be a mechanism to open one line while the other remains closed. Switch it to drain the other... Then close them both up. On some campers, the black and gray discharges do not join and are separate. In that case you drain one, pull your line and hook it up to the other.

[ladyharley]

awww cool !!! the mechanism is under the camper?

Originally Posted by KDHfan

Yep...that's where the piece that's in your bumper connects and then you drain your black tank, then the gray. If you follow that pipe back you should see where the gray and black lines connect into it. Somewhere along that line there should be a mechanism to open one line while the other remains closed. Switch it to drain the other... Then close them both up. On some campers, the black and gray discharges do not join and are separate. In that case you drain one, pull your line and hook it up to the other.

[ladyharley]

Okay I found two levers that I can turn to the left. I guess that is to open. I'm trying to figure which one turns off what. It seems that one on the drain goes towards the back of the camper (looks like a container I guess to store water?) so the front lever must be to toilet but it looks too small??

[Ford Idaho]

Unsure about then but now the larger of the pipe is black water and the small one is gray.

Is there more than one pipe behind the valve you have and are they different sizes?

[ladyharley]

okay so the toilet and/or bath goes into the container in the back under the camper and the lever on the big pipe to the right of the drain is the black water -toilet shower. The one on the frame goes back to metal small lines which I guess is the faucet water in the kitchen and bath?

Originally Posted by Ford Idaho

Unsure about then but now the larger of the pipe is black water and the small one is gray.

Is there more than one pipe behind the valve you have and are they different sizes?

[Mtelkman]

Those handles should pull/push open and close. Not turn to the side.

[Ford Idaho]

Originally Posted by Mtelkman

Those handles should pull/push open and close. Not turn to the side.

It may be a twist lock type spade valve but yes twist to unlock and then pull if it is.

[ladyharley]

I can't post tried five times here is a print screen

Originally Posted by Ford Idaho

It may be a twist lock type spade valve but yes twist to unlock and then pull if it is.

[Ford Idaho]

If they are pushed in then yes they are closed.

Delete your cache, reboot your PC and try again.

[ladyharley]

last question. If the camper is parked on your property , how do you configure where the black water goes and to dispose of it? Where I live you can use gray water on your lawn.

[Ford Idaho]

Sewer clean out cap.

Here we are allowed to dump RV waste in the clean out for our home waste.

[ladyharley]

ok I have to remove the skirting on my mobile home to do that I think thank you...

[dcheatwood]

Originally Posted by ladyharley

Thanks. I live in New Mexico and there isn't much here. There is an RV place but can't tow this thing in town. I don't know what a cg is.

Oops. Sorry. Cg = campground. : *)

Sent from my XT907 using Forest River Forums mobile app

[rockfordroo]

Remember you really should have THREE tanks: Black water (toilet), Gray water (sinks, shower), and Fresh Water.

[campingwilliamsons]

It looks like you figured out your grey and black tanks as far as location. A word of experience. Do not leave the valve open when you are connected. Instead, let the tanks fill and empty them as needed, especially the black tank. Always dump the black tank first, then dump the grey. That way you rinse the sewer hose with grey water last. Also, invest in a new sewer line. It sounds like yours has some age, and the last thing you want is for that thing to leak when you are dumping the black tanks. Walmart carries those hoses for a fairly low cost.

As for the fresh water, you have a little work to do. Having previously owned a "vintage" trailer, the following is what I did to prep the fresh water system.

From your very first pictures it looks like the fresh water fill is on the the "street" side or "drivers" side side of the camper in the back. You should also have an inlet that looks like a female hose barb/connection. That hose barb will allow you to run the water off the city/campground water supply. They make drinking water specific hoses (also at walmart) to be able to hook that line up. As far as the fresh water tank, you will need to fill and sanitize the tank and the trailer plumbing before you use it. Mix 1/2 cup of bleach per 10 gallons and add it to the fresh water tank until the tank is full. At this point, you will need to find the inside switch for the fresh water pump (I assume you have an electric pump, assuming you have a shower). Turn it on and then open your faucet. The pump will run to maintain a factory set pressure. Once it hits that pressure it will turn off. So, when you open the faucet or flush a toilet, you will here it run. It will stop a few seconds after you close the faucet. To sanitize the plumbing, run each tap in the trailer until you smell the bleach. I would include the shower and the toilet. Then let it sit for four hours. Then, run it again. On a trailer this old, you may notice some debris running from the taps. If so, run the water until the debris is gone, and then let it sit again. You may need to do this several times and have to refill the fresh water tanks a few times (that also means you will need to be able to dump the black and grey water tanks, as they are going to fill up in this process). Once the water runs clear, drain the fresh water tank and fill it with clean water (you can add a tsp of white vinegar per 10 gallons of water to help get rid of remaining bleach). Run all the taps for a couple of minutes to flush the chlorine/bleach out. Then dump the fresh water again, refill with 5-10 gallons of warer and run the taps one more time. You should not smell any bleach or vinegar. At this point the water system should be clean, safe and ready to use.