# Help - Grey Water Won't Empty



## brian11373 (Jul 13, 2011)

We purchased a 2003 Outback (26ft) late last year and we just got it out of storage after having it winterized. We used it once last year and emptied out the grey water with no issue. Now we are trying to de-winterize and we can't the grey water to empty. So either we plain forgot how to do it (the manual just says turn the valve) or they did something during winterization that we didn't know about.

Are there any valves that they may turn when they winterize that could prevent the grey water from emptying? We have filled the fresh water tank (it says empty inside, but I think that is a bad sensor as we put a lot of water in). We have the pump turned on and have "fiddled" with the valve, but to be honest we don't know if it's a pull or twist type of motion to empty.

Thanks so much for helping a newbie.

Brian


----------



## BlueWedge (Sep 11, 2005)

brian11373 said:


> We purchased a 2003 Outback (26ft) late last year and we just got it out of storage after having it winterized. We used it once last year and emptied out the grey water with no issue. Now we are trying to de-winterize and we can't the grey water to empty. So either we plain forgot how to do it (the manual just says turn the valve) or they did something during winterization that we didn't know about.
> 
> Are there any valves that they may turn when they winterize that could prevent the grey water from emptying? We have filled the fresh water tank (it says empty inside, but I think that is a bad sensor as we put a lot of water in). We have the pump turned on and have "fiddled" with the valve, but to be honest we don't know if it's a pull or twist type of motion to empty.
> 
> ...


The tanks I have seen on Outbacks are all "pull" to empty valves. Turning could potentially unscrew the handles and or rods from the valve assemblies. Hope this helps.


----------



## hautevue (Mar 8, 2009)

I don't mean this to seem silly, but is there any water in the gray tank? When I winterize, I empty the grey and pour just enough antifreeze down the sinks and shower to get the traps full of antifreeze and that's it. Maybe you have so little grey water that nothing comes out?


----------



## Chuggs (Jun 8, 2010)

I would suggest having a Vaterra Hydroflush...

You can see thru the clear elbow for one.... Hookup go inside and turn on the shower...come back out...PULL the grey dump valve handle...visually observe if liquid is coming out.

It it is NOT... then go back inside and turn the shower OFF.

Hook up a hose to the hydroflush...replace the slinky with the dump pipe cover (this will force the water to go into the grey tank from outside) Turn the hose on and open the vavle. Water pressure will hopefully force any blockage out of the drain pipe. Turn the hose off....close the dump handle... place a bucket under the cap, and remove the cap...letting the trapped fluid drain into the bucket... reattach the slinky... Now, hopefully when you pull the grey handle everything will come out.

I use a Valterra Hydroflush AND a Vaterra T-59 twist-on gate valve. That way I can backflush the grey tank without having to disconnect the slinky and use a bucket.

Oh...and don't trust gauges...


----------



## GlenninTexas (Aug 11, 2004)

If you haven't used it since winterizing, there should be no water in the tank to empty. If there was, whomever winterized it for you needs their butt kicked.

Regards, Glenn


----------



## RDS (Jul 20, 2011)

GlenninTexas said:


> If you haven't used it since winterizing, there should be no water in the tank to empty. If there was, whomever winterized it for you needs their butt kicked.
> 
> Regards, Glenn


X2


----------



## brian11373 (Jul 13, 2011)

Thanks everyone for the replies. Two really dumb things happened. First, I did try screwing and wound up screwing the black water arm off, now I have to get that fixed somehow. Second, it appears I just didn't put enough elbow grease into the grey water as when I pulled again, just more forcifully, it opened. We did have grey water in there because we were de-winterizing the unit and trying to flush out the water.

Any ideas on getting the black water arm back on without having a shop removing the insulation layer from under the trailer?


----------



## Ridgway-Rangers (Apr 18, 2008)

Surgically cut the black liner with a box cutter wherethe dump valves are, about mid tank. You can loosen one or two side screws forthe liner to peek in. help the rod into the treads at the dump valve , a little black gorilla tape and voilà!


----------



## thefulminator (Aug 8, 2007)

This may help with where to cut. I installed a vortex rinser to my 2008 21RS a couple years ago. Here are the pics of how I did the cut in the underbelly and how I put it back together again. My hatch is on the black tank side. I'm not saying yours will be exactly the same. When cutting the underbelly, use razor knife but only expose about 1/4" of blade. I would rather have to run my knife over the same line a couple times rather than nicking something unintentionally.


----------

