Fresh water drain wonky?

[MSgt Rick]

I have had trouble draining my fresh water tank, so I decided to investigate and found what you see in the picture. I’m no engineer, but water typically flows downhill. I guess if the tank was full enough the weight of the water would push it over the hump, but mine only has a few gallons and isn’t going anywhere. The tank is located inside on the floor under the bed, not in the undercarriage, BTW.

Was mine put together by a rookie, made on a Monday by an employee with a hangover, or is there a genuine reason it was made this way?

[gbaldwin]

We sure the one circled is the drain? Have a drain, supply, and pump feed line. sure which is which?

[hack522]

What is the line to the left for? I see the inlet fill line but why is there three lines?

[5picker]

Wait... what?!

I have no clue why it is plumbed that way.

Also looks like your pump suction line is kinked 1/2 shut too!

You sure you have them identified properly? It wouldn't matter about the rise in the plumbing if that one goes to the pump

[MSgt Rick]

Originally Posted by gbaldwin

We sure the one circled is the drain? Have a drain, supply, and pump feed line. sure which is which?

The line circled is definitely the drain, I had my wife jiggle it inside while I looked underneath and watched the drain valve move up and down. The hose closest to the front of the pic is the feed line to the pump, and the line above the circled drain hose is the vent.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by MSgt Rick

I have had trouble draining my fresh water tank, so I decided to investigate and found what you see in the picture. I’m no engineer, but water typically flows downhill. I guess if the tank was full enough the weight of the water would push it over the hump, but mine only has a few gallons and isn’t going anywhere. The tank is located inside on the floor under the bed, not in the undercarriage, BTW.

Was mine put together by a rookie, made on a Monday by an employee with a hangover, or is there a genuine reason it was made this way?

I certainly can't see any logical reason.

Also can't see any reason why it couldn't be straightened in order to more fully drain tank.

It will take a Psychic to figure out what was going through the mind of the installer. I could see the right angles if the hose(s) were horizontal and the installer was trying to get around a structural component but this?


One note, if the tank was full and you opened the drain this whatever it is would siphon the water out of the tank only stopping when water got to the level of the inlet and air broke the siphon effect. But WHY???

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by 5picker

Wait... what?!

I have no clue why it is plumbed that way.

Also looks like your pump suction line is kinked 1/2 shut too!

You sure you have them identified properly? It wouldn't matter about the rise in the plumbing if that one goes to the pump

No big deal as long as it will flow 3-3.5 gallons per minute. That's about max for a pump but it does indicate that whoever plumbed this was "challenged".

[5picker]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

No big deal as long as it will flow 3-3.5 gallons per minute. That's about max for a pump but it does indicate that whoever plumbed this was "challenged".

Agreed... but I've see a good pump suck a 1/2 kinked line completely shut.
May as well fix that while you're fixing.

[clr]

Well since water with not of its own accord flow uphill, you will have to replumb the drain line here. But you will have to remove all of the complicated plumbing that the factory installer put in place to accomplish this. Just run the line straight out and then down a rather simple fix. But you have to wonder what this person was smoking when they did this.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by clr

But you have to wonder what this person was smoking when they did this.

Maybe his foot was in the way and he just plumbed around it.

[gbaldwin]

If thats the drain, I think it is impossible to drain. Other than pumping it into the grey or black tank via pump and faucet.

[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by gbaldwin

If thats the drain, I think it is impossible to drain. Other than pumping it into the grey or black tank via pump and faucet.

It would not be impossible if the tank were full. If you start the drain when the tank is full, it should fill the top of the drain line and then create a siphon and drain the tank down until the drain connection becomes uncovered; it will then suck air and the siphon will be lost. In other words, it would drain the tank similarly to what many people's vent lines do when they are not routed correctly.

Any subsequent attempt to drain with the tank level below the top of the drain line would "probably" not work, depending on the amount of air/water remaining in the drain line.

[MSgt Rick]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

Maybe his foot was in the way and he just plumbed around it.

Haha, I do believe you have come up with the only plausible reason!

The kink in the feed tube actually looks worse in the picture, so no worries on that.

I just fixed the shattered roof vents and installed MaxxAir covers last weekend and was disappointed that I had nothing else to fix. Now I can re plumb the drain this weekend. Yay!!!

I better stock up on on repairman fluid (beer)

[gbaldwin]

I conceed.... if draining a full tank (which I can not remember ever attempting.)

[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by gbaldwin

I conceed.... if draining a full tank (which I can not remember ever attempting.)

I do it every spring when I chlorinate my tank. Don't you?

[gbaldwin]

Would have to really think about my chlorinating procedure with that drain. Quite a bit left in the bottom of that tank even in best case scenerio.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by gbaldwin

Would have to really think about my chlorinating procedure with that drain. Quite a bit left in the bottom of that tank even in best case scenerio.

Again... not if you started the siphoning/draining when the tank was full.

[gbaldwin]

ok

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by clr

Well since water with not of its own accord flow uphill, you will have to replumb the drain line here. But you will have to remove all of the complicated plumbing that the factory installer put in place to accomplish this. Just run the line straight out and then down a rather simple fix. But you have to wonder what this person was smoking when they did this.

Yup. Just re-use one of the 90-degree elbows, right where it goes through the floor.

[IsleDog]

I think this installer is a whole lot smarter than we are giving them credit for. they are teaching us a valuable lesson in physics using Pythagorean's Cup.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-YMHXuiaWw