Fresh Water Drain Location ?? Why There

[Superslif]

In the middle of the picture is the fresh water tank drain location. My last Aerolite the lever to drain the fresh water tank was near the frame rail. It was a easy reach to flip the valve lever and let the water out. My new one which I pick up Friday, is what looks like a "low point drain" fitting. Even reaching my hand between the wheels, I can't reach it to unscrew it to let the water drain. Take a look at these 2 pictures to get a better idea what I'm going to be dealing with.

Pix 1 pix 2

Any ideas here to make it easier to drain my fresh water tank. We don't travel with any water in the fresh tank. So after we dump, I will let the rest of the water out of the fresh water tank...

["007"]

I guess it is what it is, not much help to be easy.
Looks like its coming out bottom of tank and you probably can not see in compartment or under bed.
If you can see the sidewall of fresh water tank you could tap into it and run through floor with drain valve off tank.
If this is new RV maybe you could insist dealer place a better drain off tank so you do not have to crawl under the RV.
Enjoyed your pictures of Alaska was all over the roads in the 50's.

[1ciderdog]

As a thought if they don't make it right for you perhaps you can add an elbow or two and more pipe and run it to edge of the RV with a valve there. If so wrap the pipe with insulation.

[Superslif]

As a thought if they don't make it right for you perhaps you can add an elbow or two and more pipe and run it to edge of the RV with a valve there

I was thinking along those lines with a nice valve at the end. But where it now comes out of the RV it is already 3-4" below the bottom of the frame rail. Do you think a elbow and extension hose with valve which would be running uphill slightly, will still let the water drain? I wouldn't want to attach the valve much lower than the bottom of the frame rail. Is my physics right, meaning will water run uphill (3") if there is the force of the weight of the remaining water in the fresh tank?

[1ciderdog]

Jim, You would still have some water in the line and if freezing is a concern I'd suggest using flexible tubing so it could be lowered if/when a need to drain.
Bob

[jimbooth25]

if you have enough pipe befor the shut off cut it there and go to home depo or lows and buy a shark bite fitting with an elbo the size of your pipe and then ad another piece of pipe closer to or at the side of your unit, the fittings just push on i use them almost ever ehere for my plumbing need here at home since its too hard to get into where they ran the pipe to sweat or glue things togeather and havent had any issues with them at all they have elbows, and tees, and shut off valves and hose connections etc just need to get the right size and after alittle work underneath you will be good to go and dont forget to support the extra length of pipe and i would also put son pipe insulation around it not only for insulation perpous but protection fron stones, debrie

[Superslif]

But I just wonder if the pressure or weight from the water in the tank, will be enough to let the water drain out at its new location...closer to the frame rail. This evening I unscrewed the drain plug and let the water out. I think what I'm going to do is dig in my basket of plumbing supplies and do a test run. I'll just stop at Home Depot tomorrow for a section of tubing...

I happened to call Aerolite today about something else and asked them why a fresh water drain was so un-user friendly. The lady said I should just after, pump all my remaining water after dumping down the drain in my sink till the pump runs dry and let it pass thru the gray tank. Well let me tell the people waiting in line behind me that Aerolite didn't have the forethought to make it easy to drain un-needed fresh water.

** while under the RV today I also noticed where the other low point drains are they attached a strap / bracket right smack over the plugs...This strap (1" wide) helps to support the outside skirting / trim. I mean the strap is touching the plug...they couldn't have attached the strap an inch or two to one side or the other. I'll move the strap over myself....Just have to re-drill holes in the aluminum skirting and move the strap over 2".

[SUMDALUS]

It's design "stuff" like this that convinces me more and more that there are no professional engineers working in the RV manufacturing industry and haven't been for some time now!!

My two cents worth.

[Arch Hoagland]

Thanks for the pictures.

I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it.

Makes you wonder what else they did while they designed that model.

I think I'd Email those pictures to the president of the company.

[Superslif]

Here's another example of thoughtful engineering...Low point drain location I know in my walk-thru inspection I saw the low point drains, but tonight we are expecting temp's in the 20's so I thought for safety I'll blow out the water lines. What do I find is the bracket that holds the exterior lower sidewall trim is blocking the drain plug....I had to unscrew the bracket...I'll drill another hole and remount it tomorrow....I call this BOZO...engineering

[wa8yxm]

Took a while to spot the Low Point drain.

On the fresh tank drain, the best place for the drain is the bottom center of the tank.

On my coach the drain is about 2 inches up on the side.

Makes it impossible to drain the tank fully.