# Draining Fresh Water Tank



## emaggio (Apr 9, 2006)

O.K. I'm sticken' my neck out here, and I'm going to feel absolutely foolish for asking this one. But is it normal to have to turn on the pump to drain the fresh water tank??? I've had two pop-ups over the years, a relative has a travel trailer, and all we had to do was take the cap off the drain(s) beneath the trailer. I try the same thing with the Outback and the water doesn't drain unless I turn on the pump. That just doesn't make any sense. Is there a vent or something I'm missing? How do all these other Outbacks out there work with this?

Can anybody fix this for me?? Thanks.

emaggio shy


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## countrygirl (Apr 9, 2006)

Hi...I don't know the answer to your question...maybe one of the braiy guys on here like camperandy will post and help you out.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

By "drain" you mean the plug under the trailer?

You don't need to run the pump to drain the water from the fresh water tank. I'd try removing that plug and seeing if there is something wrong with it. It should drain via gravity.

I flip my fresh water tank plug after empting the black/grey tanks, as I like to fill the black tank 100% prior to empting....i feel it gives it a bigger "whoooosssshhh" effect.


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## Reggie44 (Aug 12, 2005)

Just to make sure you are at the right plug. It is back of the trailer on the drivers side halfway between rear tire and the bumper. The hot and cold water drains are on drivers side in front of the front wheel, they wouls only drain when pump is on after initially draining. JR


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Reggie44 said:


> Just to make sure you are at the right plug. It is back of the trailer on the drivers side halfway between rear tire and the bumper. The hot and cold water drains are on drivers side in front of the front wheel, they wouls only drain when pump is on after initially draining. JR


Excellent point. There are two lines on the passenger side (door side) that are only used for dewinterizing the antifreeze from the lines.


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## emaggio (Apr 9, 2006)

Found it! Thanks for your help. Can you imagine going through a PDI and the guy never told me about the rear drain for the water tank? Unbelievable. He told us the front two (hot and cold drains) were used to drain the tank. I even have it on video!

Thanks again.

emaggio


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Awesome!! Another satisfied customer..


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## skippershe (May 22, 2006)

emaggio said:


> Found it! Thanks for your help. Can you imagine going through a PDI and the guy never told me about the rear drain for the water tank?


Same here, I had to come to my fellow Outbackers to find out how to drain our tank too


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## HootBob (Apr 26, 2004)

emaggio said:


> Found it! Thanks for your help. Can you imagine going through a PDI and the guy never told me about the rear drain for the water tank? Unbelievable. He told us the front two (hot and cold drains) were used to drain the tank. I even have it on video!
> 
> Thanks again.
> 
> emaggio


Glad you found it
And yes I can believe it

Don


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## Doxie-Doglover (Apr 19, 2006)

Oregon_Camper said:


> By "drain" you mean the plug under the trailer?
> 
> You don't need to run the pump to drain the water from the fresh water tank. I'd try removing that plug and seeing if there is something wrong with it. It should drain via gravity.
> 
> I flip my fresh water tank plug after empting the black/grey tanks, as I like to fill the black tank 100% prior to empting....i feel it gives it a bigger "whoooosssshhh" effect.


Hi Jim,
I don't get the line: "I flip my fresh water tank plug after empting the black/grey tanks, as I like to fill the black tank 100% prior to empting....i feel it gives it a bigger "whoooosssshhh" effect."

I know when dry camping we use pump and faucet(or toilet) to get all the fresh water into the grey tank or black tank when we are ready to empty. But, I don't get what you mean by flip? I have flipped out, flipped a switch, flipped someone off, watched Flipper and Flip Wilson but don't understand your "flipping" line! ha!ha!







(that last line wasn't planned) . Anyway, Jim, I know you'll explain! 
Also, wouldn't it be nice if if you had full grey and black and after emptying the black, the grey water could fill the black tank and thus provide a little more cleaning of the black tank with all the soap that's in the grey tank? and one last question: you know how you can put the wand thingy in the toilet to clean out the black tank after emptying, is there a way to do same to grey tank?


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## Ghosty (Jan 17, 2005)

skippershe said:


> Found it! Thanks for your help. Can you imagine going through a PDI and the guy never told me about the rear drain for the water tank?


Same here, I had to come to my fellow Outbackers to find out how to drain our tank too








[/quote]

and just imagine the other things the dealer never told you about --

muhahahaha


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## jlb (Nov 5, 2005)

emaggio said:


> O.K. I'm sticken' my neck out here, and I'm going to feel absolutely foolish for asking this one. But is it normal to have to turn on the pump to drain the fresh water tank??? I've had two pop-ups over the years, a relative has a travel trailer, and all we had to do was take the cap off the drain(s) beneath the trailer. I try the same thing with the Outback and the water doesn't drain unless I turn on the pump. That just doesn't make any sense. Is there a vent or something I'm missing? How do all these other Outbacks out there work with this?
> 
> Can anybody fix this for me?? Thanks.
> 
> emaggio shy


Another hint is to open the fresh water inlet cap when you open the cap to drain your fresh water - it increases the flow rate. I also, as others have done, added a short length of tubing with a valve on the end so I (actually the DW shy ) doesn't have to climb under the camper every time we drain.


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## Reggie44 (Aug 12, 2005)

Yippee







I have finally been able to actual provide some advice instead of asking. JR


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

Doxie-Doglover said:


> one last question: you know how you can put the wand thingy in the toilet to clean out the black tank after emptying, is there a way to do same to grey tank?


Sorry, not really. But there is also not really any reason that you should need to. You should not have any solids in the gray tank to flush out.









Happy Trails,
Doug


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## emaggio (Apr 9, 2006)

"Customer" implies a charge (?), Oregon. Just for that I made my contribution to the site.









emaggio

Well now, Skipper, that makes me feel a lot better and not quite so dumb!! Thanks.

emaggio


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## emaggio (Apr 9, 2006)

Yep, Reggie, you are the one! I told my wife I'd have an answer within 15 minutes on the website. As I walked back into the house last night after the discovery, I yelled upstairs to my wife, "Eureka, I found it." She answered, We're not going to Eureka, you idiot. We're going to Glacier!!" I answered, "O.K., but now I can empty the water tank." Makes it short and sweet if you handle it that way.

emaggio


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## Doxie-Doglover (Apr 19, 2006)

PDX_Doug said:


> one last question: you know how you can put the wand thingy in the toilet to clean out the black tank after emptying, is there a way to do same to grey tank?


Sorry, not really. But there is also not really any reason that you should need to. You should not have any solids in the gray tank to flush out.









I thought maybe we needed to rinse soapy residue stuff from grey tank maybe. We always fill black to rim with fresh water after emptying and empty again, but haven't done that with the grey tank, but I guess we should, huh?
Happy Trails,
Doug
[/quote]

I don't have this quote and reply thing down pat, maybe when you are here you can show me! we could use this post as example!


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## skippershe (May 22, 2006)

emaggio said:


> "Customer" implies a charge (?), Oregon. Just for that I made my contribution to the site.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Anytime


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Doxie-Doglover said:


> and one last question: you know how you can put the wand thingy in the toilet to clean out the black tank after emptying, is there a way to do same to grey tank?


Don't see a need, as the grey tank only has dirty/soapy water. If you're concerned about the grey tank, you could always install a quickie flush to that tank as well.

Hope this answered your questions....


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## Doxie-Doglover (Apr 19, 2006)

thanks!


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