RE: Gray tank empty and not filling?
Well we did a number if things, snake the vents and drains, cleaned all the little "hats" throughout the bus. One of which when removed, the pipe sucked air and the water left the shower pan immediately. We also took the washer out, and cleaned all vents behind it.
We also removed the floor in the cupboard in the kitchen and cleaned the "clean out" hat there.
It's been more days since then -
At lease 10 showers - with grey valve closed - and STILL working perfectly - all drains work wih no back up. And I haven't opened the vent for a week. It's not like I'm dumping daily. I filled grey, before dumping about 5 days ago. Anyway, whatever they did, it's all working fine. Maybe it was a combination of multiple things, including driving around.
How this helps.
Anita
RE: Gray tank empty and not filling?
Hope Im doing the right thing .. I love my bus ... change in life happens, right? I need to make changes to make my life easier... I love to travel but don't enjoy it alone, maybe Ill be more comfortable in something smaller. Selling the bus is scary - wont do Craigs list, Im more comfortable with Ebay. There are just so many things I haven't done by myself - like sell a house or motor coach. Maybe I need to start a new thread on how to go about this.....
yep - thats what Ill do.
RE: Gray tank empty and not filling?
OK HERE'S THE LATEST UPDATE!
1. I've moved fro the beach to a beautiful horse ranch near the horse shows Im working. (with help from Chuck his beautiful wife, Terry - big hugs)
2. I am not hooked up to sewer yet ( 20 feet further away - need to reposition next weekend) - so using the blue boy to dump.
3. So for a week now I have had the GREY VALVE CLOSED, taking showers daily and guess what - What Chuck and Tom did worked!
8 showers - NO WATER BACKING UP IN SHOWER PAN!!!!!
4. I've decided to sell my beautiful motor home. I've listed it on Ebay:
2008 MONACO Dynasty, Yorkshire IV, Ralph Lauren Package, Rock Star Bus, Must See | eBay
So if you know of anyone interested... please pass this along.
I just don't want to do this by myself anymore. Loosing my Captain, Ive stepped up, but Im exhausted! I'll probably look for something smaller.
Thanks again to all you FANTASTIC people who've been so kind to help with suggestions and ideas. Keep 'em coming!
Anita
__________________
Anita Parry
Monaco Dynasty, Featherlite Enclosed trailer and Jeep Commander.
RE: Gray tank empty and not filling?
Kitchen sink is on passenger side. I've te Yorkshire model. My clean out is near fridge and we cleaned it.
Thanks for trying!
RE: Gray tank empty and not filling?
Enjoyed your blog... Looks like fun! You guys are lucky to be able to travel together.
Come to mule days in bishop!
RE: Gray tank empty and not filling?
Well Hell Yeah YakFIsh! *laughing.... you're too kind. But please know that these wonderful people here on RVNet and IRV2 have been AWESOME!! In fact, Chuck was here this morning, in overalls and inspection camera in hand! (He and Terry came down with colds - and he felt well enough to come by this morning)
Heres what we did:
1. Spoke with Monaco, they said that they are now on "the line" installing an additional vent in the grey tank through the roof.
2. Followed the specs that Monaco sent of all the plumbing. Per instructions from them tracked down #24 - a clean out place (please excuse my terminology). We found this next to the fridge, under the floor of a cabinet in the kitchen. Nothing there, sent the camera down, didnt see anything - camera went in 3 feet.
3. I then called 4-5 places to buy a camera with a longer reach - no go. Cannot be rented or bought on the fly.
4. We then tracked down all the little hat air vents under all the sinks. The one in the forward bathroom sucked air big time when CHuck took it off and all the water ran out of the shower before I could get back there to check.
5. we pulled the face of the shower access again, nothing there.
6. We took drawers out of the bathroom... found some clothes that were missing.
7. We had some of the best darn chili in the world.
8. we emptied the cabinets under the kitchen sink and checked all those fixtures/junctures/vents.
9. We then started to clean up and Chuck hooked up my work trailer and drove it to my next stop (near his home 75 miles away) YEAH!! (Im having to move inthe middle of this nightmare. Thanks God for Chuck and Terry!!! Big Hugs!
10. THEN ANOTHER PLUMBER CAME OVER - whom the owner of Ace hardware introduced me too. He said, "you need someone who finds this a challenge and this is your guy" Tom Metzger - Master Plumber in San CLemente - Awesome guy. He and I worked on the bus for at least 3 hours. Up and down the roof, snaking, airing, evening gassing?? bursts of *energy down the shower. More doors off, back closet emtied, HUGE MOUND OF CLOTHES ON THE BED. Pulled out the washing machine, checked THAT vent, still nothing. Back on the roof, gurgle gurgle gurgle.... tried to get to the grey tank - not possible. He thinks it might be a *dip in a pipe? maybe the engine got it warm somehow and there is water in a dip? He felt so bad being unable to find the problem. I tried to pay him and HE WOULDNT LET ME! Holy Cow! I told him that every now and then, even a Blind Squirril finds a nut! HE said that if I was going to be around hed start tearing th floor apart under the bed to try to get to the tank. He is perplexed. So, I guess I should make my way to Oregon.
I asked Monaco, after his description of the new procedure to install an additional vent in the grey tank - So is this a recall? NOPE. Customer pays.
So thats that. The water still pools in the shower when vent is closed.
I guess I get myself a blue boy and make my way to Coburg, Oregon.
I was hoping that if I print this thread out and take it with me and say - Ive already done these things that were suggested... they should at least not charge me to redo all that stuff. What do ya think?
Anyone want to take a ride to Oregon?
Thank you guys! Thank you Chuck! Thank you Tom! and Yakfish!
Anita
RE: Gray tank empty and not filling?
Shower and washer on same side.
Yesterday I did bleach and the dawn several times. The last time I drove the bus around the park several times. Dumped (thru the new see thru valve) and clear water came out.
Ran the shower - and he pan fills up again. No change. Sheet. I think that loosing my captain ....
I think I've decided to sell the bus. I just can't keep up. It's kicking my butt.
So, does anyone have suggestions how I'd go about selling, marketing an 08. 45 foot dynasty ,
In mint condition, but a slow shower???
RE: Gray tank empty and not filling?
I tried the plunger today.
Had the grey valve closed.
Ran the Washing machine, water kept filling the shower pan, never overflowing, draining slowly till empty.
Did three loads of wash, grey tank 2/3 full.
All during this time I used the plunger at the shower drain.
I suppose it helped it drain, I didn't really notice a big difference.
I also bought his snaky thing with barbs on it to clean the drains.
I'll tackle that tonight.
And that's the latest. Friday 3/8/13 5:22
Anita
Ps I also bought more drano.
RE: Gray tank empty and not filling?
Well, unfortunately, this mornings shower led to water backing up on shower pan. *sigh
Not a lot. Not right away. And it drained out within 2 minutes.
And yesterday I ran the washing machine, and the water a led up into the shower.
These things bob happened with grey valve closed and tank level reading empty.
Sheeseeeesh!
RE: Honda EU3000is Generator set up
Hi Tditty,
I also have that generator. Its impossible for me to lift it on my own. Easy with two people. Getting it into that front bay of your trailer will be akward. We had one in the front of our 5th wheel but could run it from there. Did not need to take it in and out. Is that possible for you? It was vented with holes in the floor also.
Anita
I thought about getting the pair and hooking them together for space and weight. Taking a closer look, they are not all that small... take up more space then the single bigger generator. But maybe theyd fit in the bay of your trailer?
good luck... great generators, Ive owned 4 of them.
RE: Gray tank empty and not filling?
Oh and I forgot one of the most important lessons I've learned thru this puzzle....
Yesterday one of the members here - lets call him Chuck, and is beautiful wife, lets call her Terry, jumped in their truck and drove down here to see if he could help me. WOW WOW WOW!!!!
We started with a short visit here at the bus, out to lunch at the harbor for the best bowl of chili, a little window shopping in out little town, tour of another State Park and then back to my bus where
I got a lesson in how to check, clean and protect the 4 big marine type batteries.
This was followed by more visiting, tales of travel and his recent retirement and plans to camp together over Memorial Day at Mule Days in Bisho, CA.
So, this dilemma, clogged vents, grey tanks, although frustrating, was the avenue I got to travel to make 2 new friends, whom I know I'll be seeing more of in the future.
Thank you Chuck and Terry! A sweet, beautiful couple just starting their retirement journey with an abundance of enthusiasm and kindness - I know they'll go far. Lets do an Rv adventure in Africa!!!!
Sincerely, Anita
RE: Gray tank empty and not filling?
Here's my take....
2008 45' Monaco Dynasty. Full time live in and Full hook up water/50 amp power and/sewer.
Normal setting for months at a time:
Black tank valve closed until time to dump.
Grey tank valve open always, EXCEPT for a few moments a week to dump the black tank.
Getting ready to go on a trip... closed grey tank valve, took shower, shower pan immediately fills with water to almost overflowing onto floor. Stop shower, run outside, open grey tank valve, water immediately drains out of shower pan to sewer.
Tried again the next day with the same results..shower pan filling, running outside with shampoo in hair to open grey tank valve and resume shower.
Sign onto RV net to ask questions, get great suggestions and next day go onto roof with hose. Shoot water at highest pressure down roof vent, water goes INTO shower pan. While up there shoot water down the other vent to black tank - no issues there.
Same day used electric snake down the roof vent as far as it would go (10-12 feet? Then used same snake down the shower drain - as far as it would go, about 2 feet?
This seemed to make a little bit of a difference. Instead of the shower pan filling up immediately, a bit of water would go down the drain.... maybe 2-3 minutes, before filling shower pan. I ran the shower 8 or 10 times for 3-4 minutes until pan was full, turned water off, let it drain and then filled it up again. I started to fill the grey tank.
ALL THIS TIME ALL GAUGES READ GREY TANK EMPTY.
I got the grey tank to 2/3 full, went outside, pulled grey valve open and water went freely (not slowly) down the sewer. I did this 4-5 times. Trying to fill grey tank and then dumping.
Yesterday I filled tank with very hot water to 1/3 full. I added 1/2 bottle of extra strength Drano gel. After 30 minutes I added the rest of the bottle of drano and more hot water. I let this soak for an hour and then dumped tank.
Back in the bathroom, used shower to fill grey tank. THen dumped grey tank, it got easier and easier to fill with the shower head. I filled the tank at least 6 times with hottest water available, and then dumped to get drano out.
The shower seems to be working perfectly now. I can let the shower run until the grey tank indicates full with no backup into the shower pan.
I think the tank had a bunch of gunk from the washer, dish sink, shower along the bottom because I hadn't been "using it". I think filling the tank with hot water, drano, and snaking the air vents all made this problem go away.
Thank you thank you thank you for all your help and ideas and encouragement.
I hope this answers some of your questions and gives you a clearer picture of what went down.
Anita
RE: Gray tank empty and not filling?
ZIPPITY DOODA UPDATE!
We did it! The lines are clear! Water and air both
I suppose.
The last fee days ive been fillin the grey tank as much as possible and then dumping it, to attempt to get te soap and years of downey fabric softner out of te bottom of the tank. Yesterday I filled the grey tank 1/3 hen added a whole bottle of extra strength Drano and let it soak for an hour.
I then flushed the tank with Hot Hot water about 5 times. In fact I'm flushing it again this morning.
And this morning I'm using te shower to full the tank! There is NO water in the shower pan with the grey valve closed!!! Yeah!
Thanks you guys at RV.net and IRV2 Forums! I could not have done this without your suggestions, instructions and help. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!
I'd bet you saved me at least $1500, not counting fuel and time and agrivation at the repair place.
I'm sorry I get a lite snippy there for a moment in one of my posts - I was exhausted.
So happy now! If you ever find yourself in southern CA look me up, I'll buy you a beer or lemonade.
I'll be in the area until middle of May, then to Bishop CA for Mule Days and then I think I'll head north to Oregon for the summer.
Big Hugs to you all!
Anita, in a clear running shower with all valves
Closed!
RE: Gray tank empty and not filling?
To the OP..in one of your posts, you indicated you used fabric softener in your washer. Downy or similar is the worst thing you can use in your machine. Splendide recommends only use a softener that is white in color and mostly liquid. We've learned Bounce sheets work much better. I found out just how nasty Downy is when I did my maintenance on the macerator the first year. Never again. Since you've tried many of the solutions presented so far with no good results, I am guessing your next call should be to a plumber. I think you're going to find the culprit to be a build up of Downy and soap in the drain lines. Along that same line of thought, have you ever cleaned out the dryer vent for your W/D? That should be done yearly if you use your W/D frequently as we do. If you need instructions on how to do that, please ask...Dennis
Hi Dennis,
I use purple Downey softener almost daily!
I'm filling, dumping and refilling grey tank over and over
Please let me know how to clean dryer vent.
Thanks so much!
Anita
RE: Gray tank empty and not filling?
Ivylog:
I deleted my post as you saw. However, I stand by my statements. I will just keep them to myself.
What did I miss? Was it something helpful and constructive?
Or was it mean and hurtful?
It's true, I first logged on here many years ago when I was traveling with
my very capable, industrious and oh so handsome husband - who passed away
almost 3 years ago. Since that time I'm doing the best job I can in keeping this huge
And very complicated rig maintained and functioning well.
It's a struggle and I truley wouldn't be able to do it without the help of he kind and thoughtful people here. As much as I hate to admit it - I concede to the fact that there are "guy" things and "girl" things that we each have some experience with.
For instance - I just learned two days ago that I should be checking the levels
In my giant batteries WEEKLY -if connected to shore power. I've just no experience with something like this - did you guys know we were supposed to check them weekly?
Anyway - please excuse my ignorance on some of these subjects like,
P traps, I know what hey are now - thanks to you guys.
Again, I just want to say Thank You for your time, help, suggestions and encouragement. As a member of rv.net, but more importantly, as a
widow, full time rv-er, please know that I thank you for your patience and compassion.
Ill add an apology to those that found my questions annoying. But along with that apology is a big "Bite Me" and l hope you never find yourself in this situation.
And that's all. *grin. I've got my big girl panties on today and I'm off to have a chocolate martini! Yeah!
RE: Gray tank empty and not filling?
The gauges read empty.
I rarely use the grey tank as I'm a host and hooked up
To w/e/s all the time - so I leave black closed till full, then dump it.
I do have a system on the bus that allows me to flush either tank which I do every time I dump the black.
The excersizes I went they two days ago helped a little. WHEN THE GREY VALVE IS CLOSED, the shower pan still fills when the shower is on, but at a slower rate. And it eventually drains with the valve still closed. This takes about 30 minutes and I hear gurgling in the walls of the bathroom. Like its struggling to "breathe".
Today I have been adding water via shower, and flush system to the grey tank. I'm thinking that there is a lot of soap/ fabric softener in the tank and that I I leave water in it for awhile, it might loosen it up. Although I think the blockage is on the top of the tank for air to escape. I just hesitate to use the drano - even though Monaco suggested I use it and then backed out saying it would corrode the seals in my system. I don't want to cause more problems.
Thanks again everyone for all your help.
Anita
Anyone near San Clemente?
RE: Gray tank empty and not filling?
Is the gray tank full and clogged. Maybe with drain open there is enough pressure to allow small amount to drain and not back up in the shower ( low point first place you will see water) with the gray tank closed does the BR sink back up in the showe also?
Ya know... maybe the grey tank has debris from the washer flowing through?
I dont ever open both the valves (grey and black) at the same time.
I usually have the grey open, and maybe because I dont normally let it fill, the fibers and stuff from washer have accumulated.
Im thinking of doing a drano blast.
RE: Gray tank empty and not filling?
IF you open the grey valve and then try the shower, does it drain???? Doug
CALL THE ESC NOW. THERE IS NO GRACE PERIOD IF THE ESC EXPIRES BEFORE YOU CALL THEM. THEY WILL NOT CARE THAT YOU SAY THAT THE PROBLEM HAPPENED BEFORE IT EXPIRED. CALL AND GET A CALL RECORD NUMBER AND WHO YOU TALKED TOO.
Hi Doug,
Thanks for your help.
If the grey valve is open, the shower drains normally.
I did speak to the extended warrantee people and they said that only parts that at BROKEN are covered. If I find a blockage due to critters, or a pinched line - that would not be covered.
