grey water

[tadpole54]

Hello all,

Have purchased a 2004 Keystone Montana. The sink keeps stopping up. My grey water valve is open. Shouldn't this water go right out? My black tank needs pumped which makes me wonder if this water is going there instead. That would be against normal plumbing setup, right?

[wprice5441]

I had a 2004 keystone Montana 34 foot. The kitchen sink drain is just at the tires on the driver's side under the trailer a few inches or more. It does not stick out, you'll have to bend down or get on your knees the first time to find it, afterwards you'll know where to feel without looking. If it's not way I would still look close underneath where I described, the handle may be broken off. Mine had a hollow 3/8 inch pipe with 1/4 inch threads inside. I had to rethread mine and screw back in.

[Carl_n_Susan]

First the OP wrote:

tadpole54 wrote:
Hello all,

Have purchased a 2004 Keystone Montana.

Today he wrote:

tadpole54 wrote:


This model is a 290EFS....

The RV in question is a Keystone Cougar, not a Montana. Montana has never used that number, not in 2004, not ever. Here is a link to Keystone's Cougar web site specifications for 2004 models including the 290-EFS. http://www.keystonerv.com/previous-years?brand=Cougar&year=2004 Clicky

The 290EFS Cougar model is a similar floor plan to a 2004 2950RK in that both have a rear kitchen. Neither the Montana 2950RK nor the follow-on 3000RK had their galley valve release handle on the curb/passenger side. If the Cougar does, it is very unusual.

[Old-Biscuit]

tadpole54 wrote:
OK. Found the 3rd valve.

It was in the passenger side rear corner about 3 feet from the very end of the unit. No where near the axles and on the opposite side of the unit from the galley sink.....odd. It has a separate holding tank but uses the same discharge pipe as the other gray water tank.

Thanks for the responses.

Glad you found it.
Sometimes it's like a scavenger hunt.

WHY mfg. put things like that on curbside never has made sense.
I've seen fresh water tank foll ports on that 'wrong' side also.

At least it's just the drain valve/handle and the actual draining goes on thru common header on roadside of trailer.

[grampscamper]

tadpole54 wrote:
OK. Found the 3rd valve.

It was in the passenger side rear corner about 3 feet from the very end of the unit. No where near the axles and on the opposite side of the unit from the galley sink.....odd. It has a separate holding tank but uses the same discharge pipe as the other gray water tank.

Thanks for the responses.

Glad it worked out. It's my 4th year at this and I'm still learning.
Lots of helpful people on this site.

[2012Coleman]

tadpole54 wrote:
OK. Found the 3rd valve.

It was in the passenger side rear corner about 3 feet from the very end of the unit. No where near the axles and on the opposite side of the unit from the galley sink.....odd. It has a separate holding tank but uses the same discharge pipe as the other gray water tank.

Thanks for the responses.

Chalk it up to being a newbie Grasshopper... Takes a good man to come back and admit he was wrong.

I had a good chuckle though...

[tadpole54]

OK. Found the 3rd valve.

It was in the passenger side rear corner about 3 feet from the very end of the unit. No where near the axles and on the opposite side of the unit from the galley sink.....odd. It has a separate holding tank but uses the same discharge pipe as the other gray water tank.

Thanks for the responses.

[ckwizard777]

There is no sepperate discharge pipe, it all comes out the same pipe.

[tadpole54]

I'm not being lazy, I'm just not at my camper and discovered this problem just B4 leaving last time at it. I can't read these posts and run outside to look.

So I'm asking these questions trying to get my ducks in a row B4 going back so I have a plan of attack when I get to it.

It seems even if the valve handle is missing, that a separate discharge pipe for the galley would be easy to spot unless its also somewhat hidden B/T the axles, UNLESS it connects to the other grey discharge pipe somehow on the opposite (driver) side of the unit. The galley sink is on the passenger side.

[tadpole54]

Also, does the valve allow the water to flow to the same discharge as the vanity & shower?
Or is there a separate discharge for the galley water?

[Old-Biscuit]

Carl n Susan wrote:

tadpole54 wrote:
The kitchen sink is the one that won't drain and is above/behind the axle. I don't see another valve handle besides the black and grey valves at the opposite end of the camper. I do have 3 water gauges to monitor. Grey, black, and galley readings. But only 2 valve handles that I can find.

tadpole54 wrote:
I TT Keystone this morning.
There is not a 3rd valve on this model. They say I simply have a clogged sink and proceed accordingly. Again, just bought and set up the unit so there may have been a problem prior to my discovery. Taking off trap next.

Whoever you talked to at Keystone doesn't know what they are talking about!!! *ALL* Montanas since 2000 have *THREE* holding tank gauges in the display panel which correspond to the *THREE* holding tanks. Two valve handles are inside the driver's side pass-thru storage compartment. The third handle for the galley tank comes through the frame somewhere before, between or behind, the driver's side wheels. The exact location varies depending on your model. If you would tell us the model, I could tell you *EXACTLY* where the handle is located.

It is not uncommon for the handle to come off. The handle is connected to a rod which screws onto the valve. The assembly has been known to unscrew itself and fall off. But the hole through the frame will remain and is the key to locating the valve. If the assembly is gone, you will have to drop the underbelly (simply remove the screws on the driver's side to peer in) and look for the valve.

There absolutely is a third tank and valve in your Montana. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

For everything you ever wanted to know about Montana RVs, join montanaowners.com (no charge to join) and talk with 17,000 other owners.

tadpole54 wrote:
This model is a 290EFS. If there is a 3rd valve then the handle has come off as some say. If so, then there must be a slot or some kind of opening where it had once came thru.
I assume the underbelly is held up with screws of some kind?

Re-read 'Carl n Susan' post....especially the BOLD part

And I take it you have NOT really looked under your rig.

[tadpole54]

This model is a 290EFS. If there is a 3rd valve then the handle has come off as some say. If so, then there must be a slot or some kind of opening where it had once came thru.
I assume the underbelly is held up with screws of some kind?

[Old-Biscuit]

NOPE..........Keystone says NO

Just a clogged kitchen sink drain.

And OP is going to remove trap to clean...........

I see bucket, towels and wet cabinet


:S :S :S :S :S

[ckwizard777]

Yep,
Listen to carl n Susan
You have 3-valves.

[Carl_n_Susan]

tadpole54 wrote:
The kitchen sink is the one that won't drain and is above/behind the axle. I don't see another valve handle besides the black and grey valves at the opposite end of the camper. I do have 3 water gauges to monitor. Grey, black, and galley readings. But only 2 valve handles that I can find.

tadpole54 wrote:
I TT Keystone this morning.
There is not a 3rd valve on this model. They say I simply have a clogged sink and proceed accordingly. Again, just bought and set up the unit so there may have been a problem prior to my discovery. Taking off trap next.

Whoever you talked to at Keystone doesn't know what they are talking about!!! *ALL* Montanas since 2000 have *THREE* holding tank gauges in the display panel which correspond to the *THREE* holding tanks. Two valve handles are inside the driver's side pass-thru storage compartment. The third handle for the galley tank comes through the frame somewhere before, between or behind, the driver's side wheels. The exact location varies depending on your model. If you would tell us the model, I could tell you *EXACTLY* where the handle is located.

It is not uncommon for the handle to come off. The handle is connected to a rod which screws onto the valve. The assembly has been known to unscrew itself and fall off. But the hole through the frame will remain and is the key to locating the valve. If the assembly is gone, you will have to drop the underbelly (simply remove the screws on the driver's side to peer in) and look for the valve.

There absolutely is a third tank and valve in your Montana. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

For everything you ever wanted to know about Montana RVs, join montanaowners.com (no charge to join) and talk with 17,000 other owners.