# First two nights in the new to us motorhome



## Mike8193 (Feb 23, 2022)

Afternoon,

picked the Imala 732 (2017 Plate) was assured all necessary checks MOT etc done.

both mornings we woke up to this in the shower tray. The first morning the Van was level in both directions, 2nd picture, van was down couple of inches on the right hand side, plug hole is left side of van.

where is this coming from, we used the on site showers while we learn how our van works.

thanks


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## Boris7 (Feb 23, 2022)

So the showers not been used and the van hasn't moved overnight, is that correct?


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## saxonborg (Feb 23, 2022)

If it’s not coming from above then it might have come out of the drain itself, see if there is any draught out of the plughole.


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## Canalsman (Feb 23, 2022)

I have experienced the same.

It is dirty water and sediment that accumulates in the pipes from the shower tray and wash basin that lead to the grey waste tank.

I suggest you treat the shower drain with Mr Muscle Drain Gel or similar. Ensure that the van is sloping gently in the direction of the grey waste tank. Flush through with plenty of hot water after waiting at least 5 minutes.

I suggest you leave the grey waste valve open whilst you do this, and dispose of the grey waste safely.

You may find you need to repeat this treatment from time to time. Use of a sink plunger on the shower drain may be helpful too.


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## Mike8193 (Feb 23, 2022)

Boris7 said:


> So the showers not been used and the van hasn't moved overnight, is that correct?


That’s correct, all we have done is, use the tap brushing teeth and washing, and the sink for washing up after dinner.


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## Compo (Feb 23, 2022)

seconded


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## Mike8193 (Feb 23, 2022)

Canalsman said:


> I have experienced the same.
> 
> It is dirty water and sediment that accumulates in the pipes from the shower tray and wash basin that lead to the grey waste tank.
> 
> ...


I’m taking it back the the dealer who clearly hasn’t done a proper job prior to picking it up on Monday, they had three weeks to do MOT, Service and Habitation check and clean. They can sort it.

thanks for the reply.


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## Compo (Feb 23, 2022)

maybe mr muscle down kitchen sink drain drain exit to waste tank could be blocked so kitchen water is manifesting itself in shower tray


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## RichardHelen262 (Feb 23, 2022)

Is your wast tank empty ?


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## Mike8193 (Feb 23, 2022)

Compo said:


> maybe mr muscle down kitchen sink drain drain exit to waste tank could be blocked so kitchen water is manifesting itself in shower tray


But just picked it up from the dealer who says they have done a complete service and habitation check. 2nd time I drove it was Monday. It a poor show on the dealer I think.

waste tank was not showing as full on the display, they told me all tanks empty on pickup Monday 21st Feb.


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## Mike8193 (Feb 23, 2022)

saxonborg said:


> If it’s not coming from above then it might have come out of the drain itself, see if there is any draught out of the plughole.


What would a draught indicate please?


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## Mike8193 (Feb 23, 2022)

RichardHelen262 said:


> Is your wast tank empty ?


It is now, after we left 2nd night camping.


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## Boris7 (Feb 23, 2022)

Ensure grey waste is empty, then clean / flush the waste system.

Mr Muscle may be OTT tbh get The van parked so the drain point is as low as you can and drain the tank, then fill the sink, basin and put a plug in the shower tray.

Take the plug out of the kitchen sink and use a plunger, then the same with the wash basin, then onto the shower, it should then drain faster, if the drain isn’t running free then Mr Muscle all three.

I don’t  know the vans layout but it sounds as if the grey waste tank or shower trap are blocked.


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## Mike8193 (Feb 23, 2022)

Boris7 said:


> Ensure grey waste is empty, then clean / flush the waste system.
> 
> Mr Muscle may be OTT tbh get The van parked so the drain point is as low as you can and drain the tank, then fill the sink, basin and put a plug in the shower tray.
> 
> ...


The waste tank was showing 25% full on end of 2nd day, and we emptied it on the site. Will get the dealer to sort it. Cost me enough to buy it and don’t expect problems on day one.

suspect you’re correct about a blockage, thank you


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## jacquigem (Feb 23, 2022)

Our waste meters have never worked. I think they get covered in gunge so I just empty every day.


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## saxonborg (Feb 23, 2022)

Mike8193 said:


> What would a draught indicate please?


My thought was that the detritus was being forced up out of the plughole by the high winds that we have had through a break in a drain pipe.


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## Herman (Feb 23, 2022)

We have the Tribute version of the Impala and if it has the same display unit it can be confusing which is waste and fresh tank indicators, but worth noting is that whilst you have 120ltr fresh tank you only have 80ltr of grey so it is possible to overfill your grey, I have a collapsible bucket and water the hedgerow occasionally.


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## Boris7 (Feb 23, 2022)

My advise on waste tanks is NEVER believe the gauge, it’s grey water so just open the drain valve every chance you get, laybys, car parks, on the road etc it’s just a weight you don’t need to carry.

It may be the gauge is wrong and simply moving around in the van with a full grey tank will do exactly what you’ve photographed, or it may be a blockage.

Check the capacity of the fresh water tank and the grey waste tank, if fresh is bigger than grey waste, that’s the issue.

your simple solution is to fill the fresh water tank, then empty the grey waste, close the grey waste outlet and turn all the taps on, assuming the fresh tank is bigger than the grey waste as Herman says then just wait and see what happens in the shower tray.

I suspect Herman’s on the money, if not back to the plunger and maybe Mr Muscle.


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## witzend (Feb 23, 2022)

You'll need a plug to put in the shower tray outlet to stop the smell from the waste tank that they all develop with use


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## mistericeman (Feb 23, 2022)

witzend said:


> You'll need a plug to put in the shower tray outlet to stop the smell from the waste tank that they all develop with use


Stick a 'fanny trap' on it.... 

Waterless none return valve
Can be mounted on their side as well as vertical (heigh differences can be minimal on vans.


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## st3v3 (Feb 23, 2022)

Another vote for never trusting the tank meters, they are rubbish.


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## Canalsman (Feb 23, 2022)

Mike8193 said:


> I’m taking it back the the dealer who clearly hasn’t done a proper job prior to picking it up on Monday, they had three weeks to do MOT, Service and Habitation check and clean. They can sort it.
> 
> thanks for the reply.


It's highly unlikely that the dealer will have cleaned the pipework and drains. In my experience they do as little work as possible and certainly won't tackle things you can't see!

Take it back.


Boris7 said:


> My advise on waste tanks is NEVER believe the gauge, it’s grey water so just open the drain valve every chance you get, laybys, car parks, on the road etc it’s just a weight you don’t need to carry.
> tray.


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## Canalsman (Feb 23, 2022)

Boris7 said:


> My advise on waste tanks is NEVER believe the gauge, it’s grey water so just open the drain valve every chance you get, laybys, car parks, on the road etc it’s just a weight you don’t need to carry.


A good way to get rid of grey waste is by using roadside gullies.

Park with the grey waste valve directly over the grid and empty.

Job done, no mess, no smell and suitably discrete.


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## Compo (Feb 23, 2022)

thats what i do


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## Wooie1958 (Feb 24, 2022)

Boris7 said:


> My advise on waste tanks is NEVER believe the gauge, it’s grey water so just open the drain valve every chance you get, laybys, car parks, on the road etc it’s just a weight you don’t need to carry.



That sort of action is a unaceptable, filthy and disgusting habit which is certainly not condoned by the majority of members on this site.

We have a hard enough time in this contry as it is which had got harder since the staycation / renter mob started doing foul actions like that.


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## GMJ (Feb 24, 2022)

We never close the grey drain valve and all decant grey waste into a bucket and dispose of it correctly. It also helps to stop nasty niffs from the grey tank as well.


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## trevskoda (Feb 24, 2022)

Sure its only washing water and ok to put down rd drains, where do you think the house sink goes.


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## Wooie1958 (Feb 24, 2022)

trevskoda said:


> Sure its only washing water and ok to put down rd drains, where do you think the house sink goes.



That`s ok Trev but it`s not ok to just let it go in / on laybys, car parks or roads.


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## yorkslass (Feb 24, 2022)

Wooie1958 said:


> That`s ok Trev but it`s not ok to just let it go in / on laybys, car parks or roads.


To be fair,  while I agree about not letting it out in car parks and laybys, Canalsman suggested a road drain and being discreet


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## mistericeman (Feb 24, 2022)

trevskoda said:


> Sure its only washing water and ok to put down rd drains, where do you think the house sink goes.


Unless it's an older house it SHOULD go into the foul drain... 

Or at least it should over here


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## Wooie1958 (Feb 24, 2022)

yorkslass said:


> To be fair,  while I agree about not letting it out in car parks and laybys, Canalsman suggested a road drain and being discreet



Yes, but there is a big difference between letting it go discreetly in a road drain to just letting it go in laybys, car parks and roads.


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## mariesnowgoose (Feb 24, 2022)

mistericeman said:


> Unless it's an older house it SHOULD go into the foul drain...
> 
> Or at least it should over here



Agree, grey waste from households should *definitely* go directly into the sewerage system, not a road or surface water drain.

Unless you live off-grid with a septic tank etc. - but then if you live in that type of setup you're careful enough to not be pouring all sorts of chemical crap down your sinks or into your loo! Grey water waste in that situation usually just means rain water run off from roofs etc.

Only the person who owns the motorhome knows what they're tipping down their onboard sinks and showers, and I don't believe for one moment that everybody is as careful about polluting the environment as they should be 

Mind you, I reckon as a collective group we have a long way to go to catch up with the amount of cr*p that's dumped in the rivers and seas by the water companies!


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## Fisherman (Feb 24, 2022)

To my way of thinking when I wash my car or my moho in my drive dirty soapy water finds it’s way to a drain at the bottom of my drive. I don’t see that there is much difference. Also on some small CLS they ask you to dump it into a hedge. One CL asked us to dump it on his vedgepatch as it helped his vegetables grow.
What really matters is not what damage is done, but how it looks. That’s why it should never be done where it will be noticed by a member of the miss informed public. One guys grey water dump leading to accusations of chemical waste being dumped, giving ammo to the equally il informed councillors to ban us. Bottom line unless you are desperate only dump in the appropriate place, but if you have to dump elsewhere, do it discreetly.


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## mariesnowgoose (Feb 24, 2022)

Talk of using products like Mr Muscle, bleach and other cleaning products containing harsh chemicals doesn't inspire me with confidence when talk turns to disposing of 'grey waste'.

Like I said in my last post above, only you know what you're putting down your sinks, showers and drains. For surface water drains, do you actually know where that grey waste ends up?

And how many of us actually bother to read the contents on the labels of the everyday products we use?
A lot of the specialist shampoo/cleaning products for vehicles etc. contain stuff that is not all that good for the environment.

Just sayin'


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## Fisherman (Feb 24, 2022)

mariesnowgoose said:


> Talk of using products like Mr Muscle, bleach and other cleaning products containing harsh chemicals doesn't inspire me with confidence when talk turns to disposing of 'grey waste'.
> 
> Like I said in my last post above, only you know what you're putting down your sinks, showers and drains. For surface water drains, do you actually know where that grey waste ends up?
> 
> ...


I love it when you say “just sayin” Marie.
Just don’t stop “just sayin”

Just sayin


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## alcam (Feb 24, 2022)

Fisherman said:


> To my way of thinking when I wash my car or my moho in my drive dirty soapy water finds it’s way to a drain at the bottom of my drive. I don’t see that there is much difference. Also on some small CLS they ask you to dump it into a hedge. One CL asked us to dump it on his vedgepatch as it helped his vegetables grow.
> What really matters is not what damage is done, but how it looks. That’s why it should never be done where it will be noticed by a member of the miss informed public. One guys grey water dump leading to accusations of chemical waste being dumped, giving ammo to the equally il informed councillors to ban us. Bottom line unless you are desperate only dump in the appropriate place, but if you have to dump elsewhere, do it discreetly.


This


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## trevskoda (Feb 24, 2022)

mistericeman said:


> Unless it's an older house it SHOULD go into the foul drain...
> 
> Or at least it should over here


Every house here and the rd drains are connected, all go to the poo pumping house and tanks before entering Belfast lough on many homes, my rd drain goes into the back river ond of to lough neigh.


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## MF2002 (Feb 24, 2022)

Had a similar problem with our Tracker it was waste from the kitchen sink.  On our van the wastes from the kitchen sink, shower and washbasin all join together and then a single pipe runs to the grey waste tank.

First time it happened the van was slightly tail down so the water backed up along the waste pipe and popped up in the shower.  The second time the waste pipe was partially blocked where a convoluted rubber flexi pipe joined the waste pipe to the grey tank, third time was a repeat of the first.

Ran a separate pipe from the shower waste to the grey tank and haven’t had any problems since.


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## campervanannie (Feb 24, 2022)

I use one of these I send it up the outside waste release pipe and it pulled out a hair all the size of a dead rat and all was well with my van drains since £2.99p ebay


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## REC (Feb 25, 2022)

I have no problem with emptying our grey waste onto the ground, although we rarely do it anywhere except at home, we know exactly what goes into the system and don't use any chemicals. Easier when one has no bathroom or  shower, as shampoos, body wash and  cleaning products are probably more pollutants and harder to monitor. Our ground in Portugal is about 20m above the water source and the waste drains through sandy rock. No cesspit, or mains drainage here so always aware of what goes into the ground g


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## trevskoda (Feb 25, 2022)

campervanannie said:


> I use one of these I send it up the outside waste release pipe and it pulled out a hair all the size of a dead rat and all was well with my van drains since £2.99p ebay
> View attachment 106406


No need to see the doctor for constipation then, LOL.


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## Mike8193 (Feb 26, 2022)

campervanannie said:


> I use one of these I send it up the outside waste release pipe and it pulled out a hair all the size of a dead rat and all was well with my van drains since £2.99p ebay
> View attachment 106406


I’ve got one of those for the bathroom shower.


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## Mike8193 (Feb 26, 2022)

mariesnowgoose said:


> Talk of using products like Mr Muscle, bleach and other cleaning products containing harsh chemicals doesn't inspire me with confidence when talk turns to disposing of 'grey waste'.
> 
> Like I said in my last post above, only you know what you're putting down your sinks, showers and drains. For surface water drains, do you actually know where that grey waste ends up?
> 
> ...


We like to avoid harsh chemicals, use white vinegar, bicarbonate for some jobs around the house, and for last year use a eco product called Koh, and it does a good job.

thanks for input.


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## Mike8193 (Feb 26, 2022)

Canalsman said:


> It's highly unlikely that the dealer will have cleaned the pipework and drains. In my experience they do as little work as possible and certainly won't tackle things you can't see!
> 
> Take it back.


Dealer is collecting week Monday.


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## Boris7 (Feb 26, 2022)

Mike8193 said:


> Dealer is collecting week Monday.


Honestly good luck with that, but I’d fix it myself tbh


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## r4dent (Feb 26, 2022)

It could be water from the kitchen sink that is taking the line of least resistance to the shower tray because of gunk it the pipe to the grey tank.

Before your next trip..
a) Buy four litres the cheapest supermarket own brand cola.
b) Drain the grey tank and close the drain valve.
c)  Pour 2 litres down the kitchen sink; 1 litre doen the wash basin and 1 litre down the shower drain

Drive to your destination and when you get there. The drive will agitate the cola and in an important part of the procedure. 

d) Drain the grey tank
e) Boil a Kettle of water and pour down the kitchen sink; repeat for the wash basin; repeat for the shower.

Good luck.


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## Wooie1958 (Feb 27, 2022)

As previouslty stated use cheapest of the cheap nasty gut wrenching stomach churning cola and it works a treat in the waste water tank and pipes.

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					groceries.asda.com


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## Mike8193 (Feb 28, 2022)

Boris7 said:


> Honestly good luck with that, but I’d fix it myself tbh


First time I’ve owned a motorhome and I live in terraced house with no where to park it to fix it. And I picked it up in this state, so dealer can sort it. And I will be testing their fix.

thanks for your input.


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## Geek (Mar 1, 2022)

I suggest that you use the shower. That will help clear the drain and rinse the myck into the tank and thence out of it.
Failing that, simply run lots of water down the shower drain.  By lots, I mean several gallons.
If you then want to clean the pipes and the tank out, empty the waste tank, then pour two or three 2-litre bottles of cheap diet coke (Aldi or Lidl, not the real thing) and then drive about to slosh it about a bit.


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## Jo001 (Mar 1, 2022)

Geek said:


> cheap diet coke


I thought it had to be non diet. Have I got that wrong?


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## Canalsman (Mar 1, 2022)

Provided it contains phosphoric acid it will do the job.


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## Boris7 (Mar 1, 2022)

Mike8193 said:


> First time I’ve owned a motorhome and I live in terraced house with no where to park it to fix it. And I picked it up in this state, so dealer can sort it. And I will be testing their fix.
> 
> thanks for your input.


Hi Mike,

My thoughts are taking it back will mean leaving it with them and they don’t generally give great after market service, it’s not unknown for vans to go back with a minor issue and not be seen again for months, so if it’s a short fix you may be better off doing it yourself (I know this isnt how it should be, but it’s often the best way)

Where abouts in the country are you?

Could be someone could help out.


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## Mike8193 (Mar 1, 2022)

Boris7 said:


> Hi Mike,
> 
> My thoughts are taking it back will mean leaving it with them and they don’t generally give great after market service, it’s not unknown for vans to go back with a minor issue and not be seen again for months, so if it’s a short fix you may be better off doing it yourself (I know this isnt how it should be, but it’s often the best way)
> 
> ...


About 70 miles from you. I’m going to be under the van when they have it, but if they fail me, a night away if fine in my world.


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## Stanski (Mar 2, 2022)

A mix if views. 
Bit of a nonsense in some, educated in others.
People can wash cars on their drive but not drop grey waste on the road?
What are road drains for?
What chemicals are frequently wasted on roads, then washed away by rain, or by water hoses.

Should the conversation not be about how to promote washing of the roads to rid them of dirt and grime to make them safer for cyclists.

Just saying.


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## TJBi (Mar 2, 2022)

Stanski said:


> A mix if views.
> Bit of a nonsense in some, educated in others.
> People can wash cars on their drive but not drop grey waste on the road?
> What are road drains for?
> ...


Road drains are essentially for removal of rainwater.
Apart from any actual pollution, a major issue is other people's perception.


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## trevskoda (Mar 2, 2022)

TJBi said:


> Road drains are essentially for removal of rainwater.
> Apart from any actual pollution, a major issue is other people's perception.


All or some linked to the sewage here on older homes, anyway its only soapy water same as car washing or power cleaning drivways.


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## Geek (Mar 8, 2022)

Jo001 said:


> I thought it had to be non diet. Have I got that wrong?


Non diet has loads of nasty sticky sugar. Diet hasn't, and it is more foamy as well.


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