Sink & Shower Drainage Problem (1 Viewer)

[val-h]

We seem to have a problem with the kitchen sink and Shower draining away.

The van is a 1993 Hymer 534.

The Kitchen sink is not draining away as we would expect it to. The 'U' bend / water trap is not blocked.

The plughole for in the shower tray is full of water and not draining at all.

The Bathroom basin drains away fine.

The gage for the waste water tank usually reads 'half' when the sink stops draining.

I'm thinking that the breather pipe in the tank (if there is one) might be blocked and/or the sink drain is partially blocked too.

Has any one had this sort of problem and how did you sort it out? Also, how do I get at the water trap / 'U' bend in the shower tray?


Val.

 

[Douglas]

Try making sure that the van is sloping from your sink to your gray tank. on some vans its surprising how sensitive they are to this...

Doug...

 

[pappajohn]

have a look at the pipework under the van.
there may be a stench trap in each pipe...looks like a kiwi shoe polish tin with the pipes going in and out at each side.
the bottom of them unscrews and it may be clogged with debris.

DONT lay under it when its unscrewed unless you want a wash in stinking water.

but as Doug said, it could just be the van isnt level being front down/tail up.

ps...there wont be a U bend.....its the kiwi tin that does the same job.

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[val-h]

Thanks guys.

We used the van last weekend on a CL in Dorset, which was on a bit of a slope. I parked with the nose up and the rear wheels on double chocks. So it wasn't far off leval, but the waste tank is under the back and therefore at the lowest point.

I'll have to have a look under the bathroom to see if I can find the water trap there. The one's for the sink and basin are both just under the bowels in the normal houshold place. I've had a look at them and they're both clear, so I'm happy there.

What about something to clear the pipework? I was thinking of using a drain pump to try to shift the blockage. Is there any reason why I shouldn't give this a go?


Val.

 

[Douglas]

Thanks guys.

We used the van last weekend on a CL in Dorset, which was on a bit of a slope. I parked with the nose up and the rear wheels on double chocks. So it wasn't far off leval, but the waste tank is under the back and therefore at the lowest point.

I'll have to have a look under the bathroom to see if I can find the water trap there. The one's for the sink and basin are both just under the bowels in the normal houshold place. I've had a look at them and they're both clear, so I'm happy there.

What about something to clear the pipework? I was thinking of using a drain pump to try to shift the blockage. Is there any reason why I shouldn't give this a go?


Val.

OK Val, can you give us a little more information...

Is the slow drain from all 3 sites IE kitchen sink, shower tray and bathroom wash basin? or just 1 of them?

Be careful with things that suck or blow to clear blockages, its easy to blow a pipe off from its joint.

Doug...

 

[roger buckley]

water drainaway

Hi Val,
We had a similar problem with our Hymer when we last used it on an uneven pitch . We remedied by using a plunger on site ,but since returning home to a level parking spot the problem has gone.
Regards Roger

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[Ralph-n-Bev]

We had the same problem with our sink being very slow to drain away.
We use a washing up bowl , so once you'd tipped the water out , you'd put the bowl on top and then it just went down ,ever so slow ,
like a barge in a lock.
We tried various unblocking techniques to no avail. As it wasn't much of a problem , it just annoyed me, being the general washer upper.
Then Ralph took the MH to Widrington for a month whilst doing a job up there. Low and behold after his first week away , we went up to visit for the weekend , and the water went straight down , whoosh.
He'd fixed it cos it bugged him:shout:
He'd looked at the bendy pipe underneath and saw it went over the back of the cupboards , quite a long way , before dropping down to the tank.
Dont know exactly how he did it though he didn't take the cupboards off, just removed the metal pull out storage drawers
( its like an island unit, with the sink fixed into the top , like a curved L shape unit )
but he made the flow go on a drop down , diagonally .:thumb:
Bev

 

[DESCO]

I think a lot of the drainage problems are down to the narrow flexible pipework used.

We have had problems in the past but our present van has ridged pipework of a larger diameter and we have had no problems, it drains just like home.


Dave :thumb::thumb:

 

[pappajohn]

He'd looked at the bendy pipe underneath and saw it went over the back of the cupboards , quite a long way , before dropping down to the tank.
Bev

very similar to our kontiki.....

the flexy waste pipe went up OVER the hot and cold water pipes so the water had to flow uphill, through an airlock, before going down the plumbing to the tank.

a simple matter of untangling the flexy and ensuring it went downhill from the plughole.

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[movan]

Sorry if this is daft but if there is a blockage in the u bend, is it ok to put the stuff in that you put in the toilet container (diluted of course). If it disintegrates waste would it not work on the waste stuck in the u bend?

 

[pappajohn]

Sorry if this is daft but if there is a blockage in the u bend, is it ok to put the stuff in that you put in the toilet container (diluted of course). If it disintegrates waste would it not work on the waste stuck in the u bend?

that should work if it is a blockage but more times than not its poor design or shoddy/friday workmanship at fault.

if it it blocked at the bend (if it has a bend !) then a simple wire hook down the plughole will clear it quicker and more thoroughly

 

[val-h]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. Our van has rigid drain piping like at home, except that it's only about 1 1/2 inches. The drop is also quite good. The 'U' bend is clear. So I think I'll have to get a flexible rod thing-ie down there.

The shower is a confusion though. I guess I'll need to get underneath in order to get at the pipework.


Val.

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