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08-30-2019, 06:35 AM #1
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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
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08-30-2019, 07:29 AM #2
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- Jul 2019
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- Virginia Beach, VA
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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
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08-30-2019, 09:01 AM #3
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- Jul 2017
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08-30-2019, 12:00 PM #4
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- Nov 2017
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- Toronto, Canada
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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
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08-30-2019, 02:29 PM #5
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- Jul 2017
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- Ft. Myers, FL
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Valterra x3
2016 Grand Design Reflection 313RLTS
2020 Riverstone 39FK
2016 Ford F350 Super Duty 6.7L Powerstroke Lariat 2WD DRW
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09-01-2019, 07:24 AM #6
- Join Date
- Sep 2015
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- NC
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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.___________________
'18 F350 CCSB, 6.7PSD
'20 Grand Design 31MB
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09-01-2019, 10:51 AM #7
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- May 2017
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- Phoenix, AZ
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2018 Solitude 310GK
2017 RAM 3500 Crew Cab, Short Box, 4x4, SRW, Cummins 6.7
https://photos.smugmug.com/Other/Oth...dStatesMap.gif
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09-01-2019, 05:39 PM #8
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- Nov 2013
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- Sitting in the sun! FL for along while
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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/
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09-02-2019, 09:06 PM #9
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09-02-2019, 09:22 PM #10
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- Feb 2019
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- Wherever we park it
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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
Industry Looking for Lithium...
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