Kitchen Sink Hepvo Install

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by Chotch

�� It looks as if you could have mounted the hepvo valve vertically, if you could do that seems like a lot less likely to get a leak. Is there room for that? Can you mount those valves vertically?

Yes, the Hepvo can be mounted vertically but:
- It would have made cutting the hole through the shelf a LOT more difficult. The Hepvo is not round but an irregular shape and I wanted to have a close fit to the piping so nothing could go through the hole. Jim's 5.0TA install has more vertical space than my 21' cabinet - I would have had to put the Hepvo partially through the shelf to get it to fit.

- It would have taken more space in the cabinet to do the tailpiece and piping. If you look at Jim's install, the piping below the sink is several inches lower in the cabinet due to the tailpiece and 90 than my install. Gaining storage room was one of the reasons for the mod. Mounting it horizontally, the Hepvo is attached directly to the sink and is as high as it can go for the install.

- I have never had a leak from a Hepvo. As elongest correctly pointed out, lubing the gaskets will eliminate any point of leakage. I have installed Hepvos that were done over five years ago that haven't leaked a drop.

You can do the install either way - I just prefer horizontal installs.

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by Mary F

Great job, Tom! We don't have any drainage issues in our 2015, but to gain more storage under the sink would be super. Thanks for your post, especially the great pics.

Thanks Mary! I now have no drain traps on my Escape - I installed the shower Hepvo last year. http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f8...21-a-9445.html

I don't have to worry if the shower drain plug is in, or about traps freezing, or smells coming from an empty trap, and my wife has already claimed the extra space in the sink cabinet.

Life is good.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by tdf-texas

I was never too happy with the ABS piping for the kitchen sink in my 2017 21'. The trap drain fitting was located where it was hard to empty without dumping water behind the paneling in the bottom cabinet. It seemed to take up a lot of space that could be used for storage. But more important than all these, the sink never seemed to drain well - if I turned up the faucet too high, the sink would flood.

After looking at the installation, I found that there should be a vent on the piping and there are a total of six 90 deg bends in the piping impeding the water flow. So I decided to fix it. As a Hepvo valve doesn't need a vent and only uses two 90's, that seemed the way to go.

I cut out the old piping (pic 1), then cut out a new hole in the shelf for the Hepvo pipe routing, glued a ABS to SJ transition to the pipe going to the grey tank, and installed the plumbing. I used rubber seals (like green one shown in pic 1) on all the connections - the plastic seals that some of the fittings come with seem to have leakage problems that the rubber ones don't.

The finished product is shown in pic 2 and 3.

The wife is happy with the increased area under the sink and the water properly drains. The only thing left is fill that hole in the shelf that the old piping went through.

Very nice clean install ! Hmmmm! Pat

[Tonny LR]

I completed the Hepvo Valve for kitchen sink today. I must thank Tom, tdf-Texas and Jim Bennett for sharing the mod. I discovered by accident that I could access the black drain pipe through the side panel in lower shelf.

[Greg A]

Very nice job, Tonny. I have a 19 as well and was waiting to see the room that would be gained by doing this. Your pic demonstrates that well, think this will go on the project list.

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by Tonny LR

I completed the Hepvo Valve for kitchen sink today. I must thank Tom, tdf-Texas and Jim Bennett for sharing the mod. I discovered by accident that I could access the black drain pipe through the side panel in lower shelf.

Great job! What did you use to cut the black pipe? That area where the black pipe comes up looks tighter than the one on 21'.

[Tonny LR]

Tom,
Cable saw did not work very well. I ended up using a hacksaw blade to cut the pipe without any problem.
Tonny LR

[Tonny LR]

Completed mod. Pic showing available space.
Tonny LR

[cpaharley2008]

Tonny,
I like that cantilevered tray set up, source please?

[Steve Clark]

Nice job, Tonny! I like your cookware choice also

[Tonny LR]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Tonny,
I like that cantilevered tray set up, source please?

The tray set up if from The Container Store:
https://www.containerstore.com/s/iri...lbe%20shelving
I attached to the walls using a cable tie so they do not move.
Tonny LR

[cpaharley2008]

Thanks, may get me one.....

[AllanEdie]

Thanks for the nice photos of your installation Tonny. That mod is on my list once I find out exactly what ETI intends for our delivery later this summer.

[ATHiker]

Thanks for the detailed information on your installation. On our classic 21, we have had an issue with the sink draining exceedingly slow. I felt that the distance between the sink and the p-trap was too close and needed to be increased. Your installation was motivation to me to address the slow drain, plus increase the available storage under the sink. On our classic 21, the cabinet is different, so I had to add a couple of 90 deg elbows, but I feel this will configuration will work well.

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by ATHiker

On our classic 21, the cabinet is different, so I had to add a couple of 90 deg elbows, but I feel this configuration will work well.

It seems that every trailer has the plumbing run a little different. You did a great job of getting rid of that trap! Your version looks to have more storage room than mine!

Congratulations!!!

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by ATHiker

On our classic 21, we have had an issue with the sink draining exceedingly slow. I felt that the distance between the sink and the p-trap was too close and needed to be increased.

I don't think that was really the problem - after all, traps are normally directly under sinks. The problem is the lack of a vent: where the pipe turns downward after the trap should be tee, with the upward branch connected to a vent pipe (preferably to the outside, but alternatively an air admittance valve). The Hepvo eliminates the trap, fixing the problem; it was the trap which created the need for the vent.

[ATHiker]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

I don't think that was really the problem - after all, traps are normally directly under sinks. The problem is the lack of a vent: where the pipe turns downward after the trap should be tee, with the upward branch connected to a vent pipe (preferably to the outside, but alternatively an air admittance valve). The Hepvo eliminates the trap, fixing the problem; it was the trap which created the need for the vent.

Brian, thanks for the clarification. Glad to hear that the Hepvo will fix the issue.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

I don't think that was really the problem - after all, traps are normally directly under sinks. The problem is the lack of a vent: where the pipe turns downward after the trap should be tee, with the upward branch connected to a vent pipe (preferably to the outside, but alternatively an air admittance valve). The Hepvo eliminates the trap, fixing the problem; it was the trap which created the need for the vent.

Good to know and looks like need to do. Couple times have smell issues with the kitchen sink . Pat

[Red Dog]

Our smell seems to be coming from this area in the closet of our 2017 21’ TT. I am going to start trying to keep a log of when the smell occurs, because it is not consistent.


Fred M.

[Greg A]

Might be the socks......