Gray Water Leak

[Mike and Carol]

We spent most of October in the Ozarks and Tennessee.  Great trip, except for the last few days!  Besides hitting a big deer in rural Louisiana and not being able to use our black tank flush, we also had a significant gray water leak.

While stopped at a rest stop just inside Texas to check and fix all the inside chaos after driving I-20 through Shreveport, I noticed a steady trickle of water coming out of the rear bumper.  We were parked facing uphill.  Further inspection showed water coming out of the area where the black/gray drain pipe exits the trailer.  It was pooling on the ground and was easy to see that it was gray.

I started inside by checking under the dinette seat near the bathroom.  There was standing gray water in the area where the drain pipe exits the back and goes to the gray tank.  At that point we decided to cancel the rest of our trip and head straight home.  After the deer strike my ability to turn right was cut in half without significant rubbing and I knew that black tank was an issue until I got the part.

By the time we got home the area under the dinette seat was dry.  I decided to tackle the issue in the morning so we just unloaded and called it a day.

The next morning I checked again under the dinette seat, still dry.  I checked as far under the shower pan that I could reach, it was dry.  I check the gate and the connections there and it was dry.  I moved to where the drain pipe enters the gray tank and BINGO, there it was.

The drain pipe makes a 90 degree turn down into the tank after the gate.  What I saw was the drain pipe half over the entry hole and half on top of the gray tank.  So, showers and teeth brushing sent drain water half into the tank and half on top of the tank and then down to the floor.

I disconnected the section that included the gate to get a better look at it.  There is a rubber ring that fits inside the hole on top of the tank.  The end of the drain pipe is somewhat tapered and it looks like it is meant to be held in place by friction - just jam the pipe into the rubber ring and call it a day.

I cleaned the area on top of the tank, the rubber ring and the drain pipe end then mixed some epoxy and…, well it won’t be popping out anymore.

I neglected to take pictures, I was still on my first cup of coffee and was intent on getting it fixed.  I took one after I was done.

So, my truck is in the body shop - should be done next week, the black tank flush is fixed and the gray water drain pipe is fixed.  Ready for a January trip to Arizona!

I’m going to open a service ticket to see how that drain pipe is supposed to be connected to the gray tank. 

 

Here is the drain pipe epoxied to the rubber ring which is epoxied to the top of the gray tank.

[topgun2]

BUMMER!

I'm guessing that you would have mentioned if anything besides the truck was injured.  Therefore I assume that other than nerves and, maybe, ear drums (from the screaming) all is OK.

Bill

[Mike and Carol]

6 minutes ago, topgun2 said:

I'm guessing that you would have mentioned if anything besides the truck was injured.  Therefore I assume that other than nerves and, maybe, ear drums (from the screaming) all is OK.

We’re fine, the deer not so much.  It came out of nowhere and ran into the corner of the bumper on the drivers side.  It happened about a half hour before I found the gray water leak.  Mike

[Katjo]

Oh boy, how daunting that must of been between the leak and hitting the deer! Not exactly the kind of adventure you were looking for! Glad you got home safely and found where the leak was coming from. Hopefully you will have smooth travels going forward. 

[Rivernerd]

1 hour ago, Mike and Carol said:

Besides hitting a big deer in rural Louisiana and not being able to use our black tank flush, we also had a significant gray water leak.

Where we live in central Idaho, the saying is:  "There are two kinds of people here.  Those who have hit a deer, and those who are going to hit a deer."  I am in a third category:  those who have hit at least 2 deer!

[Mike and Carol]

45 minutes ago, Rivernerd said:

Where we live in central Idaho, the saying is:  "There are two kinds of people here.  Those who have hit a deer, and those who are going to hit a deer."  I am in a third category:  those who have hit at least 2 deer!

This was my third deer strike, the first not in our local area.  We normally have a half dozen or so deer in our front yard most days.  Saw this guy 15 feet from my front door the other day as I was going out to check mail.

[Mike and Carol]

UPDATE:  I opened a ticket with service and was told that the drain pipe is just inserted into the rubber grommet with no adhesive.  I asked if there were any issues with my repair (epoxy both the grommet and pipe to the tank) and was told there were no issues that they were aware of.

It might be a good periodic check to look under the dinette seat and ensure that the drain pipe is seated tightly into the rubber grommet on top of the gray tank.  Or, it looks like you could make a more permanent seal like I ended up doing.

I will say that it took about 90,000 miles and just under 7 years for my drain pipe to dislocate itself.  Mike

[ScubaRx]

Mike, as you've evidently discovered, the drain pipe is indeed only a friction attachment. I agree that no harm was done with adding a little epoxy. My guess that in all the excitement of hitting the deer and probably then slamming on the brakes, the weight of the gray water inside the tank was enough to cause a slight shifting of the gray tank forward thereby dislodging the drain pipe from the top of the tank. The tanks are not strapped down. If they were it would be incredibly difficult to remove one out the rear bumper.

Sorry this all happened, buddy. But, as Mighty Mouse used to say, it seems you've "...got the situation well in hand..."

[Steph and Dud B]

Wow! Too much excitement for one day! Glad everything is fixed, or getting fixed, and there were no casualties besides Bambi. Interesting info about the tank and pipe fitment.