Please please help with gray water problem

[Quaddinmad40]

Stuck "open" is how I learned about them!

[chboone]

Since all of our suggestion and your hard work have not remedy your problem, you may want to see if you can rent an inspection camera. Ridgid makes a small hand held unit, as well as others. The Ridgid Micro CA-100 can be extended to 10', the Micro CA-300 can extend to 30' with optional cables. However their camera heads are 3/4". With that size head you may not be able to snake through the shower drain. Try Home Depot, some rent tools or a local rental yard to see what they have. If you get one, run it down the roof vent, shower drain, and up through the tank drain into the tank. With the camera you should be able to find the problem.

Chuck Boone

[Dunner]

- Mark Twain - Take a string with a weight on it and see how far down the vent pipe it goes. Hold it along side you MH at the same height as the top of the vent tube and see what the weight it lines up with at or near the dump valves.

[ernieh]

I re-read the OP's original post and I don't understand if the problem is that the shower won't drain or that other things don't drain also. On my previous coach, the shower would drain very slowly even though it was new and there were no apparent obstructions.

A couple of trips to the dealer provided no help. I finally took it to the factory and they changed the drain cover. The holes in the new one were slightly larger than the original. Problem solved.

I would suggest that the OP remove the drain cover if possible and see if that solves the problem.

[Dunner]

I had just the opposite problem. I couldn't get water to stay in the tub/shower. Reversed the rubber gasket and it now works fine. It's one of those where push once closes it and push again opens it.

If I read it right, water comes up into the shower when using the sinks.

[ParryTack]

Its a recent occurrence

[ParryTack]

Okay...
thanks everyone for your help.
Its still not working properly, but Ive a glimmer of hope that what i was able to do yesterday made a little bit of difference.
With the grey valve closed - water still accumulates in the shower pan. It does take a little longer to accumulate. It DOES drain off once I turn the water off. If I let the shower pan get half full (and Ive a pretty big shower (2 person shower)) it takes about 20-30 minutes for it to eventually drain.
I was able to play with it today to a point where I had the grey tank 2/3 full (according to the gauge). I eventually dumped the grey tank and there was perfect flow into the dump pipe.
I will go to the camera thing or hire a real plumber soon.
I think Ill try drano in the shower drain, with the vent closed (after adding 1/3 tank of water) and see how that might work. Maybe the sediments from the washer have accumulated in the tank? Although Im not sure that the drano will help the air flow problem?
tired now, this is kickin my butt!
night mr calabashes everywhere!

[Dunner]

I may have missed it, but have you tried plunging the shower drain? Something like hair may be acting like a one way semi-check valve. A friend had a daughter with long black hair and had a slow draining tub. I plunged it and pulled out a foot long hair ball.

That still doesn't explain why it drains right with the valve open.

[Dunner]

If you can get at it, the drain valve is held together with 4 screws/nuts. Remove the screws and slide the valve out. See if there is anything obvious that is obstructing it. May need a flashlight and mirror. And probe both sides for obstructions.

[chboone]

The tank drain is not the problem. The tank drains fine. There is an obstruction in the drain line before it gets to the tank. Most likely lint or soap residue from the washer has built up causing the problem. Drain O should break it loose. Before you start saying the Drain O will damage something in the system, think about. All of the drain piping and tank is made of plastic, the Drain O is sold in plastic containers. The only thing it may damage is the rubber seal on the dump valve. As long as there is 1/4 to 1/2 tank of water the Drain O will be deluded so much there will be no effect on the seal. Just fill and flush the tank a couple of time when your finished using the Drain O.

Chuck Boone

[Coaster1]

How many vent caps are on your roof?

[Steve Ownby]

Originally Posted by ParryTack

Okay...
thanks everyone for your help.
Its still not working properly, but Ive a glimmer of hope that what i was able to do yesterday made a little bit of difference.
With the grey valve closed - water still accumulates in the shower pan. It does take a little longer to accumulate. It DOES drain off once I turn the water off. If I let the shower pan get half full (and Ive a pretty big shower (2 person shower)) it takes about 20-30 minutes for it to eventually drain.
I was able to play with it today to a point where I had the grey tank 2/3 full (according to the gauge). I eventually dumped the grey tank and there was perfect flow into the dump pipe.
I will go to the camera thing or hire a real plumber soon.
I think Ill try drano in the shower drain, with the vent closed (after adding 1/3 tank of water) and see how that might work. Maybe the sediments from the washer have accumulated in the tank? Although Im not sure that the drano will help the air flow problem?
tired now, this is kickin my butt!
night mr calabashes everywhere!

Sounds like you may have a couple of things going on that when combined kept the water from draining.

Go to one of the big box stores and in the plumbing dept look for a flexible plastic strip with back facing barbs. It s called a "zip" something I believe. Then pry off the shower drain cover if you can and run this devise down the drain several times. If the cover is hard to get off you can just run it down through one of the slots. You may have enough hair & soap scum down in the trap to make it very slow to drain.

[Muddypaws]

It sounds like there may be a clog just past where all of the drains come together and before going into the holding tank. The clog is probably made of hair, lint, and grease from the kitchen sink.

Drano and very hot water....... Hmmmmmm.

[Dunner]

It doesn't sound like the valve itself, but something very close to it as it drains fine with the valve open. Something is getting dislodged when the valve is opened. Try this: With a lot of water in the shower, slowly open the dump valve and see if there is a spot where the the flow increases a lot, then rapidly pump the valve open and closed till your arm is sore. The on/off flow my dislodge whatever could be blocking it.

Here's a picture of mine. I would guess the water from the shower drains into the tank from the top or side. The dump valve is way below the bottom of the tank.

Anita, can we get a picture of yours?