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Source of Water

Qualityhouse
Explorer
Explorer
We are new to RVing, having purchased a used TT about a month ago. We were camping this past weekend, when we were leaving the campground, I had to back out of our spot up a slight incline. As I was making the turn onto the road the trailer was not level, tilting to the left as you face the trailer. Gray water started gushing out, I assume from an air hole or over flow valve. Spooked me but quit when I continued to back up and the trailer straighten out. Any thoughts or experience with this concern. Did I mention, we are newbies!?
12 REPLIES 12

Passin_Thru
Explorer
Explorer
And it just get's better!

smokedummy
Explorer
Explorer
I'm thinking that there is a leak where the vent-to-roof pipe connects to the top of the gray tank. So when the nearly-full gray tank was tilted, it started leaking out the top.

I found that I had this type leak when I overfilled the gray tank and sudsy gray water began dripping out of the port side aft corner of the trailer. Nuts. I'm not fixing it, too much trouble. I'm just making sure I don't overfill the tank anymore.
2012 Skyline Mountain View Retro 140, 16'.

CavemanCharlie
Explorer III
Explorer III
Yes, you need to check this out now.

skipnchar
Explorer
Explorer
There SHOULD be only one way to get gray water from your trailer and that is to pull the dump valve. If it gushed out when inclined you probably have a bad connection where shower/tub meets the gray tank.
2011 F-150 HD Ecoboost 3.5 V6. 2550 payload, 17,100 GCVWR -
2004 F-150 HD (Traded after 80,000 towing miles)
2007 Rockwood 8314SS 34' travel trailer

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Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Explorer III
camperdave wrote:
Qualityhouse wrote:
Yes, I'm pretty sure it was gray water as it was sudsy and smelled like soap. The water was coming out from the underneath of the left side of the trailer as one is facing the front of the trailer. It was the opposite side from the gray/black water drain. I was surprised because I didn't think the tank was that full, maybe 1/3-1/2. There was no water inside the trailer so it was coming from someplace underneath. I'll have it inspected when I take it out in the Spring. Keep the thoughts and ideas coming.


I sure wouldn't sit on this until next year! You need to find that leak, fix it, and see if anything else under there got wet


X2, X3, X4

Next spring you will be posting.."How do I get rid of mold/mildew, what kind of insulation is this and is it easy to replace rotted wood"
Is it time for your medication or mine?


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camperdave
Explorer
Explorer
Qualityhouse wrote:
Yes, I'm pretty sure it was gray water as it was sudsy and smelled like soap. The water was coming out from the underneath of the left side of the trailer as one is facing the front of the trailer. It was the opposite side from the gray/black water drain. I was surprised because I didn't think the tank was that full, maybe 1/3-1/2. There was no water inside the trailer so it was coming from someplace underneath. I'll have it inspected when I take it out in the Spring. Keep the thoughts and ideas coming.


I sure wouldn't sit on this until next year! You need to find that leak, fix it, and see if anything else under there got wet
2004 Fleetwood Tioga 29v

obgraham
Explorer
Explorer
Perhaps a previously frozen drain line or connector has a crack in it, or maybe even the gray tank itself. I would drain the tanks, put a few gallons of clean water in the gray, add maybe a bit of food coloring, then get on down underneath and look for the leak. Gotta be somewhere.

Qualityhouse
Explorer
Explorer
Yes, I'm pretty sure it was gray water as it was sudsy and smelled like soap. The water was coming out from the underneath of the left side of the trailer as one is facing the front of the trailer. It was the opposite side from the gray/black water drain. I was surprised because I didn't think the tank was that full, maybe 1/3-1/2. There was no water inside the trailer so it was coming from someplace underneath. I'll have it inspected when I take it out in the Spring. Keep the thoughts and ideas coming.

TucsonJim
Explorer II
Explorer II
Was your gray water valve shut tight? It is possible, that your valve was open a little bit, and if you weren't sitting level, some gray water pooled up in the drain pipe. When you moved, the water in the pipe dumped out. I assume your drain cap was either loose, off, or not completely sealed.

Make sure your gray water valve handle is pushed all the way in. Sometimes you have to use a small amount of force to make sure it is all the way.
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Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Explorer III
Waste tanks do not have 'overflows'
So either it wasn't grey water....maybe fresh water. Those tanks do have overflows.

If grey water then drain line from sink/shower or vent line is cracked or gasket/seal where lines comes in are bad. If problem was drain line it would leak anytime water was in tank.
You need to identify WHERE the leak was coming from and FIX. Also dry out/replace any wet insulation.
Is it time for your medication or mine?


2007 DODGE 3500 QC SRW 5.9L CTD In-Bed 'quiet gen'
2007 HitchHiker II 32.5 UKTG 2000W Xantex Inverter
US NAVY------USS Decatur DDG31

camperdave
Explorer
Explorer
Qualityhouse wrote:
We are new to RVing, having purchased a used TT about a month ago. We were camping this past weekend, when we were leaving the campground, I had to back out of our spot up a slight incline. As I was making the turn onto the road the trailer was not level, tilting to the left as you face the trailer. Gray water started gushing out, I assume from an air hole or over flow valve. Spooked me but quit when I continued to back up and the trailer straighten out. Any thoughts or experience with this concern. Did I mention, we are newbies!?


This should not happen. Are you sure it was grey water? Can you see where it came from? The vent should be on the roof, I assume you didn't tip it THAT far. :B

Possibly the vent tube has become disconnected at the tank?
2004 Fleetwood Tioga 29v

Ka_Ron
Explorer
Explorer
We have always had motor homes, but have never had gray come out anytime, without pulling the lever.

There is a breather tube on the fresh water fill and if the fresh water tank is full you might get water coming out that, but you should not have gray water coming out at all.