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Gurgling - Next chapter


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I was worried that you might have missed me, so I thought I would drop by. So we solved the gurgling issue (or should I say I know why). But in the process of running the washing machine (or a short cycle) to test the gurgling theory another plumbing issue surfaced.

I decided to take a shower and guess what? The shower was full of water. Great! No shower for me.

I didn't panic but perhaps I got pissed and said "what next." I know generally speaking you cannot snake these lines (easily) and so I went to Home Depot to buy a plunger, don't really use one for toilets as they both has macerators. So I bought a plunger...no luck. I did buy a plastic "drain weasel"....don;t ya love the name, but I figured for $5.67 why not. So Peggy and I bailed the water out, I plunged away and lots of stuff came out, well not lots. No hair (probably cause I am bald). So one wonders how to deal with a clogged line in an RV? So lets hope that Pequa  works.

So this is the first time this has happened. I wonder of this issue is (in some way related to the gurgling. I also shutter to think that there may be a Air Admittance Valve behind the washer. Oy Vey! Pulling the washer and dryer out (two separate appliances) to see if there is a AAV. I also guess I better look at the plumbing schematics that THOR sent me.

For those of you that might wonder. This is the first time in 10 months that this has happened. Guess I am lucky, right?

Sorry, but ME AGAIN!

 

 

 

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18 minutes ago, Tim and Peggy said:

Seems inconceivable that I should have to remove the washer and dryer to trouble shoot.

That is pretty typical in the RV world, especially with some manufacturers.

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

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so $295 later both black a gray tanks "flushed out" and yet gurgle still there. The company that did the "flushing" believe these that the tanks probably haven't been flushed out since it was first sold...4 years. He's probably right and then I presume (as he said) it should be done 1x a year. As we are full-times.

Gurgle clearly is the valve in the kitchen and compared to a plumbing problem, I can handle the gurgle. 

Have a great weekend everyone.

 

 

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We have full-timed for over ten years and part-timed for 10+ before that. We've never paid to have a gray (or black) water tank flushed, and it certainly isn't necessary on an annual basis. One in a while we'd leave the gray water valve closed, fill the tank, and then "flush" it that way, but that was it.  

I guess if you allowed a lot of grease or food down the drain you could get some build up, but with typical use no flushing of the tank should be necessary. 

Mark & Teri

2021 Grand Designs Imagine 2500RL, 2019 Ford F-350

Mark & Teri's Travels

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Thanks for your email. I generally agree with you, but whatever happened, happened and I know how we have used the coach since we acquired it but certainly did not know what the prior did (by way of maintenance). 

I am just glad that it got done and everything is working and, guess what, the sensors are actually working again.

Oh well. didn't really have a choice. Although not full time as long as you, we are cognizant of proper maintenance of both tanks as we have owned rigs for 7 years.

Happy New Year.

 

 

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10 hours ago, Tim and Peggy said:

The company that did the "flushing" believe these that the tanks probably haven't been flushed out since it was first sold...4 years. He's probably right and then I presume (as he said) it should be done 1x a year. As we are full-times.

Interesting on the comment about tank flushing. That sounds like someone who is selling a service. I have owned RVs for many years and have never had waste tanks professionally flushed. We lived in our class A as our only home for 11+ years and we owned it for 14 years, yet never had it professionally flushed. I have only known a few people who have had their waste tanks flushed and don't remember any gurgle noise problems. As a side note, just recently we have begun to get something of that sound from the shower drain in our stick home! I haven't figured that out either.  🙄

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

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I have had RVs since 1984 and been living in this one full time for 8 yeas now.  I have never needed to have a tank professionally flushed and cleaned.  I look on these tank cleaning services as a solution that was looking for a problem and a way to make money.

If you use the tanks properly and take care of them yourself, the professional is an unnecessary service.

Ken

Amateur radio operator, 2023 Cougar 22MLS, 2022 F150 Lariat 4x4 Off Road, Sport trim <br />Travel with 1 miniature schnauzer, 1 standard schnauzer and one African Gray parrot

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   With 13 years experience as a mobile rv tech I would suggest that you absolutely check to see if there is another gray water tank that is not open all the way. I have seen two gray water tanks hooked together. They were in older Motorhomes up into mid 2000.

 

   But I have discovered that pouring Simple green into anyplace there is a trap in the drain system may help clear the system. Maybe a cup of Simple Green into each trap at the end of the day. Or if you can at least let it set for a few hours. Go food shopping or something to spend the time away from using your drains.

   Now I have actually did some test on grey water and associated semi solids with Simple Green. I have also tested in on black water in a liquid form. It dissolves grease and other natural semisolids.

  I did those test over several days to see what would happen.

 

  Now I have never went to college or wore a white jacket as in a lab. I have been criticized for not being educated and trying to prove things without having a degree. Or a white jack.

 

 But I did go to the (school of hard knocks) real life experience. 

 

  This just a suggestion to try. It has worked for me personally, in our fifthwheel. And it has solved quite a few similar problems through the years for my customers.

  A 1 gallon container or Simple Green is about 20 bucks.

  I have used it to clean grease off on farm equipment, oil field equipment and a lot of other stuff that had oil or grease in, or on it.

 

 

   Vern in a T-shirt 

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49 minutes ago, Kirk W said:

Interesting on the comment about tank flushing. That sounds like someone who is selling a service. I have owned RVs for many years and have never had waste tanks professionally flushed. We lived in our class A as our only home for 11+ years and we owned it for 14 years, yet never had it professionally flushed. I have only known a few people who have had their waste tanks flushed and don't remember any gurgle noise problems. As a side note, just recently we have begun to get something of that sound from the shower drain in our stick home! I haven't figured that out either.  🙄

 

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Tough crowd. 

So there was undeniably a blockage somewhere as none of the drains would empty. So what to do? Notwithstanding that vendors do like to "sell there service" was I just supposed to say oh heck we don't need to use the sinks, showers, dishwasher? Hope I don't sound too defensive, but frankly I had no option.

So while I agree that you shouldn't NEED to, I am frankly glad that I had it done...despite the need. As a preventative measure I actually might think about having it done every so often, despite the normal use of proper chemicals to keep drains cleaned. Believe me, as someone who grew up in Maine and being somewhat frugal myself, I hated to spend the money.

But as I said earlier having a desire/need to shower, do the dishes, wash clothes and keep the Mrs. happy, I figure it is was a good use of the money, and as a side benefit, the gauges/monitors now are cleaned and work (for the time being).

Good football weekend.

 

 

 

 

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30 minutes ago, Wrknrvr said:

   With 13 years experience as a mobile rv tech I would suggest that you absolutely check to see if there is another gray water tank that is not open all the way. I have seen two gray water tanks hooked together. They were in older Motorhomes up into mid 2000.

 

   But I have discovered that pouring Simple green into anyplace there is a trap in the drain system may help clear the system. Maybe a cup of Simple Green into each trap at the end of the day. Or if you can at least let it set for a few hours. Go food shopping or something to spend the time away from using your drains.

   Now I have actually did some test on grey water and associated semi solids with Simple Green. I have also tested in on black water in a liquid form. It dissolves grease and other natural semisolids.

  I did those test over several days to see what would happen.

 

  Now I have never went to college or wore a white jacket as in a lab. I have been criticized for not being educated and trying to prove things without having a degree. Or a white jack.

 

 But I did go to the (school of hard knocks) real life experience. 

 

  This just a suggestion to try. It has worked for me personally, in our fifthwheel. And it has solved quite a few similar problems through the years for my customers.

  A 1 gallon container or Simple Green is about 20 bucks.

  I have used it to clean grease off on farm equipment, oil field equipment and a lot of other stuff that had oil or grease in, or on it.

 

 

   Vern in a T-shirt 

 

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  You already did the basics of a mechanical problem.

 

  In the beginning of my career as a rv tech I discovered that a plugged toilet could leave a snake pass the problem. But plug up as soon as the snake is removed. Make ya think what the       Is going on. 

  I figured out how to fix that problem.

  So I personally did the basics as you did on my own fifthwheel. My kitchen sink would not drain. Take the trap apart after trying the plunger trick. Double sink causes plunging pumping fun. Following the flexible drain line as it is in a slide and found a clean out fitting. No water there. So from sink p trap to the clean out there was blockage . Emptied the sink of most water. Poured about two cups of Simple Green in the sink that night. Got up in the am and sink has drained since then. That was about two years ago. 

   Now I normally put about a half a cup of Simple Green in each trap once every six months.

 

  Vern in a T-shirt 

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30 minutes ago, Wrknrvr said:

Now I normally put about a half a cup of Simple Green in each trap once every six months. 

I don't have a gurgling issue but that seems to me to be a relatively easy and inexpensive bit of preventative maintenance that could even be done more often, like once a month.

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I don't see anything wrong with cleaning waste tanks but am too cheap to pay for it. I do put water and trisodium phosphate into our tanks just before travel and dump as soon as parked on a fairly frequent basis, with the same thing in mind. Of course, when you buy a used RV there is no way to be sure of tank condition other than to do as you did. My comment was intended toward the advice to get it done annually.

I am reminded of when we were on a septic system and I had a friend in the pumping business do mine. I asked him about how often it should be done and he told me that the profession recommends it annually, but that he did his own more like every 3 to 5 years.

 

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

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  The news said it was about 100 mph in Bigfork. Is was windy enough that our 18’ slides top moved in about a inch with one gust. That slide has a fridge, range, dishwasher and the sink with lots of cabinets.

Wife did not see that.  Yes stuff was moving around outside.

 

   Vern in a T-shirt 

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  So back to the subject of gurgling.

 

  If you had about a 6’ piece of 3/4” clear flexible hose like you can get at a hardware store. Or a piece of garden hose the same length yo could possibly find the noise location.

  First thing is to try and pinpoint the area of the noise in the rv. Then put a clean end of the hose against your ear. Then move the other end around, following the noise. Maybe put the end at the air vents on the sink lines, and where the washer drains.

  It mite be good to do a test on a noise that you can test the hose trick on.   Like a hair dryer or coffee grinder. Back when I was young a engine builder taught me that trick. Very easy way to find a noisy lifter on a engine. I have found other old noises that way also.

 

 Vern in a T-shirt 

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