Have you drained your van?

[jann]

Still using it!

 

[maingate]

Don't forget the water traps on the drains - screen wash additive will prevent freezing and potential damage.

If I knew there was little chance of using the van again, I used to drain down before we left our park up place and let the van drain down fully on the way home. It cleared the system, including the drains. If we were stopping for a cuppa, I filled a bottle before we left.

 

[TJBi]

If I knew there was little chance of using the van again, I used to drain down before we left our park up place and let the van drain down fully on the way home. It cleared the system, including the drains. If we were stopping for a cuppa, I filled a bottle before we left.

Would that clear water from water traps? I know that they're not as deep as U-bends, but I'm not aware of mine emptying when I drive - if they did, the smell of the grey would come up through the waste pipes.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

they are quite small so it's possible the bouncing on our velvety smooth roads might tip enough out to allow air flow too.

 

[r4dent]

Had to de-ice the windscreen this morning

 

[maingate]

Would that clear water from water traps? I know that they're not as deep as U-bends, but I'm not aware of mine emptying when I drive - if they did, the smell of the grey would come up through the waste pipes.

However you drained down, the smell from the grey tank would rise eventually. Although I never noticed that but I did clean the tank regularly. The first tag axle van I bought had stood a long time and the grey tank was minging inside. I used a scraper to remove an average of 1/8th" gunk from the inside surfaces.

That van smelled for a while but mostly of bleach. It also had the habit of drawing up bad smells into the interior if I drove with the Cab windows open in Summer. That was due to the coachbuilt body being wider than the Cab and reducing air pressure in the Cab (and the interior if I was driving fast enough). Luckily we had A/C in the Cab, so that was used instead of opening windows.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I can't remember any of the vans we had smelling from the waste tank, but plenty of smell bathrooms some with unemployed cassettes.

 

[RSD7a]

Solid pipes like copper etc wont freeze and split if there's an open end reasonably close, say within 6 feet. I've never seen a flexible plastic pipe such as the push fit pipes we see in houses or the blue and red stuff used in MHs split, there's enough give in the pipe wall to take up the expansion.

I've had two blue/red push-fits pop though.

 

[barryd]

I can't remember any of the vans we had smelling from the waste tank, but plenty of smell bathrooms some with unemployed cassettes.

Our new one never smells and the old one wasn't that bad either. I got into the habit of never putting any food stuff down it years ago. Give all plates a good wipe but if possible chuck the washing up water out the door anyway preferably over someones head or on their pitch. If Im on some of our regular CL's with long scraggy grass Ill park near the hedge and just leave the tap open Its only shower and washing water then really anyway. I couldn't get away with that on the posh shite in Devon though. Had to put it into a bucket and down the drain on our pitch or just wait until its raining at night and let it go.

 

[Robmac]

Our new one never smells and the old one wasn't that bad either. I got into the habit of never putting any food stuff down it years ago. Give all plates a good wipe but if possible chuck the washing up water out the door anyway preferably over someones head or on their pitch. If Im on some of our regular CL's with long scraggy grass Ill park near the hedge and just leave the tap open Its only shower and washing water then really anyway.

Some sites encourage to do exactly that Barry.

 

[TJBi]

However you drained down, the smell from the grey tank would rise eventually. <snip>

Screen wash additive in water trap to prevent water in there freezing; plug in sink/basin/shower tray to prevent evaporation. Smell can't rise.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Our new one never smells and the old one wasn't that bad either. I got into the habit of never putting any food stuff down it years ago. Give all plates a good wipe but if possible chuck the washing up water out the door anyway preferably over someones head or on their pitch. If Im on some of our regular CL's with long scraggy grass Ill park near the hedge and just leave the tap open Its only shower and washing water then really anyway. I couldn't get away with that on the posh shite in Devon though. Had to put it into a bucket and down the drain on our pitch or just wait until its raining at night and let it go.

I agree, compared with animals doing what they do, a bit of dish or shower water won't do much, some folk are a bit too precious about it TBH.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Some sites encourage to do exactly that Barry.

it would make a big difference to their drainage costs perhaps.

 

[barryd]

I agree, compared with animals doing what they do, a bit of dish or shower water won't do much, some folk are a bit too precious about it TBH.

I'm not even going to bother to fix my grey waste valve pipe when I drove over it and destroyed it in the summer. It only leaks out now once its very full and now it empties tons faster and all I have to do is kick it to the ground.

The only issue is I have to make sure its empty before I set off otherwise it spews out all over the road on corners which is definitely not good. I might see If I Can find a spare Cava Cork for that one. I have loads.

 

[barryd]

it would make a big difference to their drainage costs perhaps.

I've seen people taking waste master thingies to Septic tank Elsan points on farm CLs to empty them. WTF!

 

[Pudsey Bear]

The only issue is I have to make sure its empty before I set off otherwise it spews out all over the road on corners which is definitely not good. I might see If I Can find a spare Cava Cork for that one. I have loads.

I agree, it isn't good, and possibly illegal, but again, it is only soapy water, so realistically, how bad is it?

 

[Nabsim]

I agree, it isn't good, and possibly illegal, but again, it is only soapy water, so realistically, how bad is it?

Depends if you are following on.a bike

 

[bartman]

I've seen people taking waste master thingies to Septic tank Elsan points on farm CLs to empty them. WTF!

At one of our go to places in the summer, Lyndon Top, they tell you to throw the grey water into the hedge/long grass.
No site that has to pay for a septic tank to be emptied is going to be happy about it being filled with grey water.

On the subject of cleaning out the waste tank, nobody has mentioned the option of a few bottles of cheap supermarket coke down the sink and going for a drive to shake it up. Is that still considered a remedy that works or was it just bo%%ocks?

 

[barryd]

Just to be absolutely clear I wouldn't knowingly slew grey water on a road. As a biker I know the danger it causes. I did do it accidently once on this trip when I forgot I had knackered the valve and had failed to empty it before we moved off.

 

[trevskoda]

Reminds me i have not emptied my gray water tank, job for tmo.