Advice please, New Motorhome sink draining issues. Right to return!

is your sink draining speed fit for purpose?

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Waynesmith

Waynesmith

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Jun 24, 2019
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Elddis 196
Exp
2019
Hi all,

Im after some advice and feedback please.
I will try and keep this as short as possible.

Brand new Elddis 196
The sink from new didn't drain at all
sent back for repair
now drained at a rate of about 100ml per 5 minutes and was told by the dealer this is a design floor with the Elddis 196 as the sink is too close to the fridge and will not get much if any better.
send back for repair again
now drains a fraction better

So this is making the van smell as its never draining the last part.

Ive emailed and returned the van under my right to reject within 30 days.
Dealers response was.......
See you in court.
 
Did you own it outright or is it on finance?
 
TCG said:
you are going to reject the van because the sink drain slow... Good luck with that one!!

Surely you can apply a fix by re-routing the waste to perform better
Click to expand...

The second time they attempted a repair they did reroute the pipe work.
This isn't a just a slow drain its unusable.

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Just done a quick search on 'motorhome eldis sink drain'. Owners have been reporting this problem way back to 2006.

waste not draining in new eddis

hi just got the Elddis 150 (rear l shape lounge) and no waste will drain from sink or shower, phoned supplier they say elddis/compass have big problem with this paticular lay out as air traps stop water waste leaving, has any one heard of this problem, or advise on remidy, supplier says elddis lo...
forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk
 
Figaro said:
I doubt you have grounds to reject.
I think your best course of action is communication with the dealer and reach a solution
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Out of interest why do you feel its not grounds for a reject.
I believe a sink should be able to drain as fast as the tap flows the water.
in this case no plug is needed and I could wash up multiple times before its drained and the last amount of water in the sink simply will not leave. in my mind this is not what a sink is designed for.
Elddis and the dealer know they have an issue yet continue to sell this design.

Shocking in my mind.
 
The smell is normally because there is no u bend in the pipe. This stops the smells coming back up. If it’s part of the design it maybe difficult to reject it. Perhaps it’s a case of DIY. Yes I know it’s a new van but at least it gets fixed. The Dealer evidently thinks you don’t have much of a chance. You have 30 days to reject it but I don’t think the sink draining slowly would be a convincing argument. One alternative is to get it fixed by someone who knows what they are doing like a plumber and then send the bill to the Dealer. If he doesn’t pay use the Small Claims Court to get your money back. It does work I have tried it.
 
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I would say it’s normal build quality of a motorhome, it’s just the way it is . Annoying but normal.

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maybe, silly question... but the waste is not blocked in anyway is it?
 
I had the same problem with a 2014 Bailey Autograph 745. I found the problem was aggravated if the motorhome was slightly down at the nose - as soon as I levelled it properly it drained better, though even then not great. I bought one of those suction sink plungers and found that once I got the drainage going it was ok. So I concluded there was a tendency to get an airlock. Something we learned to live with. Much better with our Elddis Encore 285, though that's no help to you, I know.
 
Waynesmith said:
Out of interest why do you feel its not grounds for a reject.
Click to expand...
I think a court would decide it was a trivial fault that could easily be rectified by the supplying dealer.
Or if they can't / won't then a third party at the dealers expense.
 
You could always fit a scavenge type pump in the drain line near the tank to force it in?
 
Figaro said:
I think a court would decide it was a trivial fault that could easily be rectified by the supplying dealer.
Or if they can't / won't then a third party at the dealers expense.
Click to expand...
Consumer rights act 2015 says even a minor fault within 30 days is grounds for a reject without giving them the chance of repair.
Ive worked with them to get this resolved but simply can't use the sink in even a remotely normal way.
I lost all faith in them when the owner of the dealership told me this is an ongoing design fault with this motorhome and will never drain any better. so why is he still selling them!
Manufacturers and dealers should be building better motorhomes than this.

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Have you physically parked your vehicle at the dealers? If you have you might find that your insurance won’t cover you as in effect you’ve parked it and left it. The dealers won’t be responsible for it as you are the owner.

It’s obviously an annoyance to have something go wrong so quickly after purchase but I feel sure it can be easily rectified.

I hope you get things sorted quickly :)
 
We also had a similar problem in our 2016 Rapido van conversion when it was new.

However, it only took a glance underneath the sink (needed to remove a drawer to view) and could see the waste pipe going uphill! :unsure: :(

I probably could have sorted myself, but because it was brand new let the supplying dealer do the job - just required a length of downpipe removing, cutting shorter and refitting. :)

Hope you can get yours sorted.
 
if space is limited behind the fridge for a larger pipe, fit a second parallel pipe joined to the original with a Y shaped fitting. and fit a vent pipe at the top of the tank
 
I think I'd be annoyed with the history of the marque, the dealer not being able to fix it and a slow draining sink. There may be a 'fix' by suction sticks, levelling the van etc but I'm with the OP - unless the dealer sorts it try rejecting it.
 
Southdowners said:
Have you physically parked your vehicle at the dealers? If you have you might find that your insurance won’t cover you as in effect you’ve parked it and left it. The dealers won’t be responsible for it as you are the owner.

It’s obviously an annoyance to have something go wrong so quickly after purchase but I feel sure it can be easily rectified.

I hope you get things sorted quickly :)
Click to expand...

Yes I have left it with them, they wouldn't let me but as I rejected it I needed them to know I'm very serious with my decision.
Lets hope it doesn't get stolen then.

Ive had caravans in the past and never had any draining issues, this isn't me being picky the sink really doesn't work as it should. they have had the van twice and rerouted the whole pipe from the sink, the first bend is the problem as there isn't room for it, nothing can be done.
 
Waynesmith said:
Yes I have left it with them, they wouldn't let me but as I rejected it I needed them to know I'm very serious with my decision.
Lets hope it doesn't get stolen then.

Ive had caravans in the past and never had any draining issues, this isn't me being picky the sink really doesn't work as it should. they have had the van twice and rerouted the whole pipe from the sink, the first bend is the problem as there isn't room for it, nothing can be done.
Click to expand...

I’d get it back ASAP if I were you.

Rejecting the vehicle isn’t just a case of leaving it with the dealer and walking away. You need to liaise with them and get them to agree to take it back or, more likely, get the fault rectified.

Have you contacted the manufacturer about the problem?

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TheBig1 said:
having rectified similar faults on other vans, it is often too small bore pipe and no air vent on the waste tank
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I did ask the question if the tank need a vent and they said it wasn't that.
 
Southdowners said:
I’d get it back ASAP if I were you.

Rejecting the vehicle isn’t just a case of leaving it with the dealer and walking away. You need to liaise with them and get them to agree to take it back or, more likely, get the fault rectified.

Have you contacted the manufacturer about the problem?
Click to expand...
Yes ive called them and yes they spoke with me but said my contract is with the dealer not them so they can't help me.
 
Bring it to a meet and Wildbill will have it sorted in 20 minutes (y)
Seriously I'd get it looked at by someone competant in the world of motorhomes and caravans and invoice the dealer
 
Waynesmith said:
Yes I have left it with them, they wouldn't let me but as I rejected it I needed them to know I'm very serious with my decision.
Lets hope it doesn't get stolen then.

Ive had caravans in the past and never had any draining issues, this isn't me being picky the sink really doesn't work as it should. they have had the van twice and rerouted the whole pipe from the sink, the first bend is the problem as there isn't room for it, nothing can be done.
Click to expand...
I have a similar problem we simply raise that side of the van slightly. Alternatives: shallower sink lower fridge. raise worktop or the excellent advice of The Big 1.
Till then get a washing up bowl and enjoy the summer!
 
Ivory55 said:
I wish they used a smooth bore pipe not the corrugated type that they do use. Food etc would not stick in it so easily reducing smells etc.
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I always assumed that the corrugated outside of the waste pipe meant a corrugated inside. However on a recent visit to an aquatics cente, I picked up one of the coils of pipe and was about to say to hubby, look this is why we get smelly drains, when I found that the inside is smooth!

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