Sinks Backed Up

[Joe-FL]

Woke up this morning and sinks refused to drain. Of course gray valve was open so right away I knew this was going to be a problem.

Even though the gate valve for the gray felt like it was opening and closing, I went ahead and took it apart. Sure enough it was functioning properly. Put that back together, went inside and put all the sink stoppers in.

Hooked hose to my Flush King and began a few seconds of back flushing gray tank. I only had to leave the back flush on for about 10 seconds before it let go. When the tank drained there was a little discolored water at first but then all just clear soapy water. Since I have clear elbows at discharge I tried to watch for an obstruction coming by but didn't see anything.

Only one of two things could have caused the gray tank to plug up when the gate valve was open. Either the previous owner had dumped a lot of cooking grease and other junk down there and let it built up, or when they drilled the hole at the factory the hole plug stayed inside the tank and just happen to settle just right down over the outlet.

Anyway, glad I had a Flush King installed and it was nothing major. Guess I will be looking for some type of good gray tank cleaner.

[Travelin' Texans]

Dawn dishwashing soap works as well as the much higher price cleaners. Fill your tank about 1/2 full add a generous squirt of Dawn before your next travel then drain & flush.

[vkb]

Agree...Dawn works on about everything ! Even birds covered with oil spill !!

[SuperD]

Feel your pain except for me it was the black water tank that wouldn't drain on the Tuscany we used to own!

I had the Tuscany for several months and had drained the black water tank several times, tank was full, and time nothing drained. I cycled the valve several times and the tank started to drain very slowly. I waited a couple of hours for the tank to drain, cycled the valve several more times, and prayed the tank was empty. I disassembled the valve and found the plug from where the tank was drilled blocking the pipe. I think I cussed Damon for several minutes straight!

Fortunately the tank had drained and the mess was minimal, but I was still mad. Just one of those things I guess you just have to cuss and go on. Could have been a lot worse!

[Joe-FL]

The Dawn dish soap in the tank is a good suggestion and I will be do that when we move to another CG Sunday....thanks!


SuperD, I had heard from a couple others on another forum about that stupid plug still being in these tanks from the hole getting drilled at the factory, just never thought it would happen to me, actually I am still not sure it did. I do know the next time it happens I will back flush first and if that doesn't work I will take the gate valve apart second.