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Old 07-29-2017, 02:49 PM   #1
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Gray Tank Drainage - New Escape 21

Do gray tanks drain well on the new 21? I have a 2014 Escape 21, and the gray tank drains slowly and incompletely unless the trailer is slanted toward the driver's side.
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Old 07-29-2017, 03:00 PM   #2
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In addition to raising the passenger side, it helps to open the stopper in shower and sink drains. The vent pipe is a small diameter.
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Old 07-29-2017, 08:10 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by Jubal View Post
In addition to raising the passenger side, it helps to open the stopper in shower and sink drains. The vent pipe is a small diameter.
Our experience too....and even then it trickles for 15-20 minutes, if you have the time.......
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Old 07-29-2017, 08:11 PM   #4
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Jeff, Everything about the gray tank in our 2017 21' is slow - from the galley sink drain to the dump valve. But I just use it as an excuse kick back and relax a little longer.
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Old 07-29-2017, 08:23 PM   #5
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Drain speed

Our 21 drains at about the same speed as the 19 did. Not too fast after the initial push of water. Like Bob says, open at least one drain, I like the shower drain myself. When I'm winterizing I either ran the 19 up on a couple of 2X6s or parked him on a slant an let him set a while. At dump stations after a few minutes it's still trickling out and I might rock it to get a little slosh and call it Good but I never shake it. Easy does it
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Old 07-30-2017, 08:43 AM   #6
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Jeff, Everything about the gray tank in our 2017 21' is slow - from the galley sink drain to the dump valve. But I just use it as an excuse kick back and relax a little longer.
And the opportunity to engage in conversation those that are in line waiting to dump !
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Old 07-30-2017, 09:30 AM   #7
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The issue with the slow draining tank has to also do with the way the tank is installed (almost flat). The almost level tank is slightly angled on my 5.0ta with a piece of wood about 3/4 of an inch. All the above ways of getting it to fully drain are helpful but that is what causes the slow drainage on our beautiful campers! Bill
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Old 07-30-2017, 09:39 AM   #8
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The E-21has the same issue as the Casita 17. The drain pipe is only 1.5" in dia. LHC speeded up the draining process in the C-17's by upgrading to greywater 2" drain plumbing and changing out a 90 deg. fitting to two 45 deg. fittings to improve flow. A 2" pipe has almost twice as much volume as a 1.5" pipe. There are formulas to figure out pipe flows if you like to see the exact figures. Opening up drains will not speed the process since there are traps in the drain lines between the drains and tanks. One reason the greywater tank does not empty completely is the tank is bowed down at the bottom which traps water in the tank. A third center tank support would help resolve this issue. Blocking up tires on the door side or just waiting is the fix for now.
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Old 07-30-2017, 10:03 AM   #9
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Replacing the shower trap with a hepvo helped - I guess the grey tank is getting additional venting somewhat from that. But it's not enough.

I'm in the process of replacing the sewer wye and valves with 3" on both sides, replacing the 1 1/2" with 2" piping, and adding bracing under the grey tank to minimize the sag. On my trailer, the grey water discharge is going somewhat uphill going into the dump valves - replacing with 2" will get rid of the uphill and should help.

On the Casita, the grey tank already had a 2" drain outlet - we used that outlet with 2" piping to speed up the drainage. On the Escape, the outlet is a 1 1/2" threaded outlet with little room to increase the outlet size. Any ideas on how to get around this?
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Old 07-30-2017, 10:05 AM   #10
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That's exactly what I did a week ago, Iowa Dave! ( See pic on Post #5). I'm wondering if the gray water tank on the newly designed 21 has been modified so that the tank will drain efficiently without tipping the trailer toward the driver's side. That should be easy to do.
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Old 07-30-2017, 10:15 AM   #11
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In addition to raising the passenger side, it helps to open the stopper in shower and sink drains. The vent pipe is a small diameter.
I'm no expert on venting..... nor plumbing

and yes our 2017 21' isn't a super fast grey tank empty.....

however air in a vent pipe... i would think that 1.5" would be plenty... air isn't dense at all, and would not present hardly any resistance to flow.....

just a thought.

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Old 07-30-2017, 10:19 AM   #12
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I haven't found any difference in the dump time whether a drain is open or not. The two reasons for the slow draining have been pointed out well: a relatively flat tank bottom, and a narrow drain pipe. Personally, I just pull the tank valve and go do something else while it drains, so it's not a factor. I suppose it would be a bit more irritating at a dump station instead of a campsite.
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Old 07-30-2017, 10:33 AM   #13
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Draining

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Originally Posted by Jeff and Karen View Post
That's exactly what I did a week ago, Iowa Dave! ( See pic on Post #5). I'm wondering if the gray water tank on the newly designed 21 has been modified so that the tank will drain efficiently without tipping the trailer toward the driver's side. That should be easy to do.
Hi Jeff
We don't usually stay all that long in one place. I have decanted grey water a few times to give me another night of freeboard when planning to leave the next day and dumped it in a greywater dump, flush type toilet or in the bushes where allowed. Earlier this year none of those options were a available in a campground I was in so I decanted 10 gallons of grey and poured it in my black tank which was empty, then dumped both on the first gas stop at a station with a dump site. All in all a completely drained tank is not that critical to us. It's camping after all and one of the reasons I'm out there is that less than perfection is acceptable. Just my opinion.
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Old 07-31-2017, 07:31 AM   #14
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On the 2017 E-21 did the grey water drain valve get moved to pull out to the curb, the same as the black water valve? On the Classic you have to reach into the wheel well and the handle pulls aft.
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Old 07-31-2017, 08:49 AM   #15
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On the 2017 E-21 did the grey water drain valve get moved to pull out to the curb, the same as the black water valve? On the Classic you have to reach into the wheel well and the handle pulls aft.
Eddie
Yes. On the 2017 21', the two valve handles flank the drain and simply pull out.
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Old 07-31-2017, 10:07 AM   #16
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I looked at changing my classic to that configuration but held off. On the classic the 1.5" line it is a straight line shot from the tank to the back of the 3" outlet fitting to the hose connection (no restrictions). The pictures I had seen of the new E-17 set-up there was a 90 deg. fitting in the 1.5" line. The water has to make two 90 deg. changes in flow direction to get to the hose fitting (one in the 3" line) which slows down the flow. I was going to use two 45 deg. 1.5" fittings to make the turn in the drain line to help speed things up a little. The other reason I held off was a valve change is easier on the classic set up because it is easier to separate the lines.
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Old 07-31-2017, 10:32 AM   #17
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I should add that in our experience, the bulk of the gray tank flushes out rather quickly, and then there is the long, slow dribble of the rest. From a practical basis, unless winterizing, I dump the flush and don't worry about the dribble. It's not that much actual volume, so I shut the valve and move on.
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Old 07-31-2017, 10:53 AM   #18
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I should add that in our experience, the bulk of the gray tank flushes out rather quickly, and then there is the long, slow dribble of the rest. From a practical basis, unless winterizing, I dump the flush and don't worry about the dribble. It's not that much actual volume, so I shut the valve and move on.
Hi: War Eagle... I have a "Dribble" problem too!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie
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Old 07-31-2017, 11:24 AM   #19
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Hi: War Eagle... I have a "Dribble" problem too!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie
This would fix that problem.
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Old 07-31-2017, 11:28 AM   #20
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I looked at changing my classic to that configuration but held off. On the classic the 1.5" line it is a straight line shot from the tank to the back of the 3" outlet fitting to the hose connection (no restrictions). The pictures I had seen of the new E-17 set-up there was a 90 deg. fitting in the 1.5" line. The water has to make two 90 deg. changes in flow direction to get to the hose fitting (one in the 3" line) which slows down the flow. I was going to use two 45 deg. 1.5" fittings to make the turn in the drain line to help speed things up a little. The other reason I held off was a valve change is easier on the classic set up because it is easier to separate the lines.
Eddie
I did that mod on my 19. I used two 45's and a 90* It doesn't seem to slow down the rate at which it drains. Really glad to get rid of that awkward, for me anyway, sideways pull.

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