Where in the world are the low point drains???

[RVCinderella]

Y'all!!! Help a sister out!

We just bought a used 2006 Puma 27FQ. It's in great shape and we are so excited...BUT

We can't find the low point drains to drain the water!! Can some PLEASE tell me where the heck they are? My husband and I are not new to the travel trailer world, but this one has us stumped!

Thanks so much,

Puzzled In Louisiana

[5picker]

If you don't see any plumbing stubs sticking out the bottom the they 'may' be cut nearly flush with the the bottom covering. (if so equipped)

Some low point drains have caps on them or possibly ball valves if the previous owner install such.

Some low point drain lines don't have a cap or a ball valve on the bottom. They have a valve farther up in a wet bay or compartment with a small pull handle on the valve to drain. But either way, usually, there is a stub of pipe sticking down underneath.

[RVCinderella]

Thanks! We found them and they are the cap kind. How do you get the caps off? It's raining here in north Louisiana today, but as soon as it dries up, this girl is going to replace those dang caps with ball valves!

Thanks again!

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by RVCinderella

Thanks! We found them and they are the cap kind. How do you get the caps off? It's raining here in north Louisiana today, but as soon as it dries up, this girl is going to replace those dang caps with ball valves!

Thanks again!

They should be unscrewed.

[PenJoe]

Originally Posted by RVCinderella

Thanks! We found them and they are the cap kind. How do you get the caps off? It's raining here in north Louisiana today, but as soon as it dries up, this girl is going to replace those dang caps with ball valves!

Thanks again!

Now that you have them located, find the location above the floor where they come through. Place the valves where you don't have to crawl underneath. When those caps are removed, you are going to get splashed whether or not it is raining.

My take is that the manufacturer is cutting nickles and dimes by capping the ends. It also tells me they don't care about the inconvenience and frustration of their customers. We bought a new MH with an MSRP over $100K. The low point drains were capped as are yours. I had to reconfigure the waterlines to get a valve setup to winterize as-well.

[Iwritecode]

Originally Posted by PenJoe

It also tells me they don't care about the inconvenience and frustration of their customers.

You want to discuss inconvenience and frustration? Have you seen where some car manufacturers put the oil filter? Or how many screws I've had to remove to change a simple light bulb?

Having to reach underneath my trailer to unscrew a couple of caps and getting splashed with a little bit of water ranks pretty low compared to a few of those experiences.

[PenJoe]

Originally Posted by Iwritecode

You want to discuss inconvenience and frustration? Have you seen where some car manufacturers put the oil filter? Or how many screws I've had to remove to change a simple light bulb?

Having to reach underneath my trailer to unscrew a couple of caps and getting splashed with a little bit of water ranks pretty low compared to a few of those experiences.

Let's be truthful here. A camper is less complex than a motor vehicle. How expensive can it be to put drain valves in a convenient area rather than caps you have to crawl to get to? Try it with knee replacements. Depending on conditions, the OP, a woman, may be required to crawl in mud after it stops raining. Would you expect a vehicle manufacturer to put the ignition switch under the hood because they can save a few pennies?

[Iwritecode]

Originally Posted by PenJoe

Let's be truthful here. A camper is less complex than a motor vehicle. How expensive can it be to put drain valves in a convenient area rather than caps you have to crawl to get to?

I guess it depends on the layout of your trailer. For mine, if I tried to put valves on the inside where the drains are, they'd be right in the middle of my floor.

Originally Posted by PenJoe

Try it with knee replacements. Depending on conditions, the OP, a woman, may be required to crawl in mud after it stops raining.

How often does one really need to access the low point drains though? For me it's twice a year. Once when I'm de-winterizing and draining the AF from the lines and once when I'm winterizing. I can put a tarp or a small piece of plywood down if the ground is wet or muddy but since I'm on a seasonal site I have gravel under my trailer.

Originally Posted by PenJoe

Would you expect a vehicle manufacturer to put the ignition switch under the hood because they can save a few pennies?

That's not a fair comparison because the ignition is something you need every single time you get in the vehicle. The low point drains as I mentioned aren't accessed nearly as often. Which is why I compared it to a oil filter.

[Tundra 2014]

I agree w/ those saying it would not break mfg. to put ball valves underneath from factory. IMO- flush the system first to get all the construction plastic crud out, before putting ball valves on. Thought my water pump was going out and it was the plastic chips from construction in the pump filter.

[Mr. Dan]

My low point drains are in the center left to right of my trailer and exactly under my freestanding kitchen island. If I went into the cabinet under the sink and added valves, it wouldn’t work because there are hot and cold lines under where those valve would be located.