User Tag List

Page 1 of 5 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 46
  1. #1
    Fireside Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2018
    Posts
    41
    Mentioned
    3 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Sewer Cap Surprise - You are not alone

    So I am one of the many people who have had that surprise of a bunch of water (or other) coming out of my sewer connection after knowing full well I let everything drain the last time I dumped. Now if we knew it is grey water that might be slightly OK but definitely not black water. The amount of water is generally over a pint and definitely not a small cup full. This is an unpleasant surprise I never had in previous campers. I read a lot of people having this issue and the easy solution is putting a gate valve on the sewer connection. I even had the Dealership indicate to me that this happens to a lot with the Grand Designs and they offered the same solution. So with that being said the engineer in me wanted to make sure my waste gates were working correctly. So I did a test.
    • First I cleaned the pipes out using a dryer clean out brush with a rag on it. My goal was to get everything dry. I replaced the sewer cap. After a couple of days the pipe was still dry.
    • The next thing I did was fill up my black tank to ¾ full. I waited 5 days. Still the pipe was dry so I figured my blank tank gate valve was working.
    • The next thing I did was to fill up my grey tank. I had the same result after a few days. The pipe was still dry and no surprises.
    So I am left with the fact that my gate vales are working and the problem is the plumbing after the gate valves. Water is remaining because of the slope of pipes or pockets where the water can not drain. So we could re-engineer the plumbing or just add a gate valve like everyone else. I am opting for the gate valve.

    Bonus- So all of the effort was for not. Since there was clean water along with my normal tank concoction of baking soda, Calgon water softener and tank treatment sitting in the tanks for several days, my tank sensors were fully functional immediately after dumping. The 1/3 full light was on previous to my test for both tanks.

    I hope this helps those who question what is going on.

    Dan

  2. #2
    Seasoned Camper Gimpyknee's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2019
    Location
    Virginia Beach, VA
    Posts
    133
    Mentioned
    3 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Valterra T-58 for the win.
    (And a well-designed test protocol!)
    Scott & Fonda
    2015 F-250 SuperCrew SRW, 6.7L TD
    2020 Imagine 2670MK.........Equal-i-zer 1400#
    Kayaks: Perception Expression 11.5 and Carolina 12
    Bikes: Specialized S-works Amira, Felt Z95, DelSol Lxi 6.1, Electra Townie
    Virginia Beach

  3. #3
    Setting Up Camp
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Posts
    31
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by Gimpyknee View Post
    Valterra T-58 for the win.
    (And a well-designed test protocol!)
    Same here! Great product.

  4. #4
    Big Traveler boyscout's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Toronto, Canada
    Posts
    1,974
    Mentioned
    54 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by manofslip View Post
    So I am left with the fact that my gate vales are working and the problem is the plumbing after the gate valves. Water is remaining because of the slope of pipes or pockets where the water can not drain. So we could re-engineer the plumbing or just add a gate valve like everyone else. I am opting for the gate valve.
    Based on our experience you are correct. I’m not sure why your cleaning and drying with the dryer brush didn’t eliminate a lot of the trapped effluent, but we are convinced that the problem is indeed AFTER the tank valves, probably in a three-way manifold that accepts the effluent from all three tanks and sends it out one pipe to the outlet cap. Stuff trapped in there cannot be drained even by tipping the trailer up and down with its hydraulics, but a short trip down the road with its start-stop and side-to-side motions releases this trapped sewage... we often have as much as 1/2 gallon waiting at our next stop.

    I decided I didn’t want to drop the chloroplast and re-design and rebuild the plumbing system as GD should have done it in the first place, so like many others I’ve added the gate valve at the outlet cap.
    Mark - 2018 Solitude 310GK - 2017 F-350 diesel SRW short box - Pullrite Superglide hitch

  5. #5
    Rolling Along jim1521's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Ft. Myers, FL
    Posts
    794
    Mentioned
    4 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Valterra x3
    2016 Grand Design Reflection 313RLTS
    2020 Riverstone 39FK
    2016 Ford F350 Super Duty 6.7L Powerstroke Lariat 2WD DRW

  6. #6
    Fireside Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    NC
    Posts
    80
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    I've heard of the valterra valves coming off during travel. I added a 4" clamp to help keep things in place.

    I do like that the valve can rotate even when locked down. That way I can point it rearward for travel and forward for camping.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails IMG_1459.jpg  
    ___________________
    '18 F350 CCSB, 6.7PSD
    '20 Grand Design 31MB

  7. #7
    Fireside Member TerryZechman's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Location
    Phoenix, AZ
    Posts
    99
    Mentioned
    1 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Same solution here. I did a set screw into the PVC to keep the gate valve attached and some plumbers tape to keep it from rotating during transport.

    2018 Solitude 310GK
    2017 RAM 3500 Crew Cab, Short Box, 4x4, SRW, Cummins 6.7
    https://photos.smugmug.com/Other/Oth...dStatesMap.gif

  8. #8
    Site Team WhittleBurner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Sitting in the sun! FL for along while
    Posts
    8,061
    Blog Entries
    19
    Mentioned
    90 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    We have had ours for more than 4 years now and never have done anything to keep it from moving which it hasn't done. It mounted fairly tight though. I f your's feel loose then it would be a good idea to give it some help.
    Marcy & Gary
    2014 Grand Design - Reflection 303RLS
    2022 GMC 3500 Denali Duramax Longbed SRW
    2015 GMC Denali 3500 - Retired
    2003 F350 - retired
    Michigan
    We're in trouble now, the dog are bloggin'!
    https://3dogsandatrailer.wordpress.com/


  9. #9
    Site Sponsor GeoffnCheri's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Location
    NW Arkansas -
    Posts
    801
    Mentioned
    2 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by Gimpyknee View Post
    Valterra T-58 for the win.
    (And a well-designed test protocol!)
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    Geoff and Cheri
    2011 F250 CC 6.7L
    Firestone Ride Rite Airbags
    Pull Rite 16k SuperGlide
    2018 Reflection 303RLS, Build date 9/2017
    USMC-Retired
    Thin Blue Line - Retired

  10. #10
    Seasoned Camper
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    Wherever we park it
    Posts
    468
    Mentioned
    2 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Have had the same issue, luckily we have a compost toilet so the errant discharge while not pleasant is not as bad as it could be. Still in all I also solved the issue with the Valterra T-58 gate valve
    Regards, Bruce, Lin An, Kenji & Suki (Our two Akitas)
    2019 Solitude 310GK-R
    2015 Ram 3500 Big Horn CC, TD, Aisin Tranny, DRW

Page 1 of 5 123 ... LastLast

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

DISCLAIMER:This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Grand Design RV, LLC or any of its affiliates. This is an independent site.