Gray Tank Drainage - New Escape 21

[Iowa Dave]

I practice the same flush out tactic, a couple times a season. I elevate the other side of the trailer for drainage or pull the trailer off the driveway with the drain on the low side. I have a steel wand that twists in the plastic holder that attaches to the garden hose that has a pretty fine, strong stream capable of blowing the crud off the tank walls. The plastic wand that's commonly available can be drilled with additional holes in the end and at an angle, forward facing on the sides too. That stuff that comes out is indeed, nasty.
Iowa Dave

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by tdf-texas

I had to get a pic to get it into my head. (below) That would make clean out a lot easier!

I guess I could have obtained the same results if I had used a tee with a cap instead of a 90 for the grey pipe.

I junked mine for the front pull. Doesn't speed up draining but getting rid of that awkward side pull was a big deal for me.

Ron

[Steve Clark]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

I junked mine for the front pull. Doesn't speed up draining but getting rid of that awkward side pull was a big deal for me.

Ron

It has probably already been mentioned in this thread, but for new or potential owners, the Front Pull discharge handles have been standard with new Escapes for at least a couple of years. They are a good thing!

[tdf-texas]

Below is a demo video of my mod to the 21' grey tank drain. I'm not good at making videos so be kind.

[currinh]

Originally Posted by tdf-texas

I had to get a pic to get it into my head. (below) That would make clean out a lot easier!

Yes. That is a picture of our valving. The 1 1/2" connection goes straight back to the tank.

Thanks.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by tdf-texas

Below is a demo video of my mod to the 21' grey tank drain. I'm not good at making videos so be kind.

Does anyone else get an error and cannot view? When I tried to upload a video previously it didn't work either and I needed to post it to YouTube and provide the link.

On edit: Never mind. It works on my desktop. Wasn't working on the iPad.

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Does anyone else get an error and cannot view? When I tried to upload a video previously it didn't work either and I needed to post it to YouTube and provide the link.

On edit: Never mind. It works on my desktop. Wasn't working on the iPad.

That weird! I had a hard time uploading the video as it kept giving me an error as soon as I hit send. I converted the video from mp4 to MOV (Apple) format and it took right away. Now it doesn't want to play on an Apple iPad?

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by tdf-texas

That weird! I had a hard time uploading the video as it kept giving me an error as soon as I hit send. I converted the video from mp4 to MOV (Apple) format and it took right away. Now it doesn't want to play on an Apple iPad?

Won’t play on my iPhone either. I’m sure the tech gurus on here know why. Gives me this message.

“The video could not be loaded, either because the server or network failed or because the format is not supported: http://videos.oogala.com/show_video.php?sitename=localhost&do=cdn_video&pub key=83442231244213333231&command=10nHwwM62cocq6nJQ a43ja%2Fku04z4ITlbT0UjnviMMTZER2K3Zbu0F43tpr2IqJt5 MFQYzhtvU7xI9DN5QRobsmMM4oEqfwN8FqAPBhHNuoUwd%2Bh1 mMwLQj8n3o7ZUBs7BBlSSwRXEm3nTtUQpbZiWyvItLOx8Qm“

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Won’t play on my iPhone either. I’m sure the tech gurus on here know why. Gives me this message.

I have an answer, but pretty sure any Apple user would not like it.

Tom, it works just fine on my phone and PC.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

I have an answer, but pretty sure any Apple user would not like it.

[thiggins]

Great video.

[gbaglo]

The video runs just fine on my MacBook Air. Requires user to enable Adobe Flash.

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by thiggins

Great video.

Thanks! For anyone who owns or has owned a Casita, the mod should look very familiar. The Casita group call it the "fast gray" mod. Strange that so many of the travel trailer manufacturers don't do the drain plumbing as well as they could.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by tdf-texas

Below is a demo video of my mod to the 21' grey tank drain. I'm not good at making videos so be kind.

Yes, nice work. Wish you had a before video of the draining to compare. Based on your old drain times quoted in your video I’m glad I’ve never been behind you at the dump station. Looks like a huge improvement!

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Looks like a huge improvement!

Removing that 1/4" of glue forming a dam in the bottom of the grey tank piping helped some. Also, getting rid of the uphill slope in the piping. The grey also empties to a lower level than before without tilting the trailer which helps.

As you can tell from the video, I can now drain my grey tank from full to one bar in a very short time. That's the point where I usually say "good enough" and close the valve. I'm pleased with the results.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by currinh

We have an older '19 with a slow gray drain. I believe it is 1 1/2" piping. It comes straight into the 3" black drain at the 3" elbow. The kind with the awkward side pull valve. But it is a straight shot from the drain cap to the gray tank. I like this.

The gray tank drains slowly. As such it doesn't flush the tank well when emptied, even when full. So it tends to get a build up of soap and kitchen scraps. I found this can mess with our see-level tank monitor.

I built, since I couldn't find one to buy, an angled squirty head that fits on the end of a 1/2" PVC pipe. The other end of the 6' pipe had a fitting for a garden hose. I can open the gray tank drain valve and push the pipe/washer through into the gray tank. Turn on the water and move it around awhile. No cap on the drain, since the washer pipe goes though there, so all the water put in comes right back out. It brings with it a lot of the soap scum and crud trapped in the tank. I've done this once and it straightened out he see-level sensor. A mess but solved my problem.

So, I'll leave the gray water piping, with its awkward valve, so I can clean the tank out. If there are elbows in the line a cleaner/pipe can't reach the tank.

One reason to keep the original piping.

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

I junked mine for the front pull. Doesn't speed up draining but getting rid of that awkward side pull was a big deal for me.

Ron

Me too ! And am so glad got rid of that side pull ! Worked like a dream on last trip ! Thanks to you Ron for the idea change and Tom for the strapping solution Pat

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Does anyone else get an error and cannot view? When I tried to upload a video previously it didn't work either and I needed to post it to YouTube and provide the link.

On edit: Never mind. It works on my desktop. Wasn't working on the iPad.

Won’t work on my I-pad either . Pat

[Intravenous Salmon]

Originally Posted by escape artist

Hi: War Eagle... I have a "Dribble" problem too!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

That seems to be a common problem, especially on the older models.