Grey Water Drain Repisitioned

[Mr Chrysalis]

I did not like the position of the grey water drain on our Rapido A Class. It was about 500mm in from the right hand side of the vehicle and about 1500mm forward of the rear. On some sites it was easy enough to line up with the grey water drain point, if that was the trench type that ran the full width of the service bay, as the remote valve is on the right hand side of Moho about 150mm forward of the drain. However, many sites have a 150mm square drain point to aim at, and it is difficult to see from the drivers seat. Also on serviced pitches, the drain point tends to be somewhere near one of the rear corners of the Moho.
I have solved this by fitting a small piece of 40mm domestic push fit drain pipe to bring it out to the right hand side of the Moho, adjacent to the remote valve. I carry 1m sections of solid and flexible drain pipe so that I can route it to most drain point locations on serviced pitches, and it is now easy to line up in service points.

 

[Stealaway]

Where did you fit the on/off valve?

 

[Minxy]

I always thought you were dribblers ....

 

[Louis]

View attachment 209491 View attachment 209492 View attachment 209493 I did not like the position of the grey water drain on our Rapido A Class. It was about 500mm in from the right hand side of the vehicle and about 1500mm forward of the rear. On some sites it was easy enough to line up with the grey water drain point, if that was the trench type that ran the full width of the service bay, as the remote valve is on the right hand side of Moho about 150mm forward of the drain. However, many sites have a 150mm square drain point to aim at, and it is difficult to see from the drivers seat. Also on serviced pitches, the drain point tends to be somewhere near one of the rear corners of the Moho.
I have solved this by fitting a small piece of 40mm domestic push fit drain pipe to bring it out to the right hand side of the Moho, adjacent to the remote valve. I carry 1m sections of solid and flexible drain pipe so that I can route it to most drain point locations on serviced pitches, and it is now easy to line up in service points.

That’s similar to my setup, I keep the extra pipes in the rear chassis’s

 

[Mr Chrysalis]

Where did you fit the on/off valve?

The valve is still inside the Grey Water Tank, and is still actuated by the original valve.

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[Mr Chrysalis]

That’s similar to my setup, I keep the extra pipes in the rear chassis’s

I currently have my spare pipes in the garage, but intend to make a cradle on the chassis, probably using cable ties!

 

[Neckender]

Very similar to my recent mod.

John.

 

[Louis]

Great minds, my swivel one

Very similar to my recent mod.

John.

View attachment 209533 View attachment 209534

 

[Feltwell]

The only problem with running a pipe from a centrally mounted tank to the edge of the van is it makes it much more prone to only being able to partially empty the tank if it's on a side slope the "wrong way" - unless you can still get a good amount of fall on the pipe when fitting it.

I found this out the hard way, having fitted a pipe to the edge of the van myself - even though it had a fall, it doesn't take much for it to only be possible to half empty the tank. It was in fact such a pain that I ended up putting a second drain outlet on the other side of the tank, without a pipe to the side of the van, so I can always empty it if I have to.

I do carry a waste water carrier that can be pushed under either drain outlet if need be - so few UK sites having drive over grey water drains.

 

[Louis]

The only problem with running a pipe from a centrally mounted tank to the edge of the van is it makes it much more prone to only being able to partially empty the tank if it's on a side slope the "wrong way" - unless you can still get a good amount of fall on the pipe when fitting it.

I found this out the hard way, having fitted a pipe to the edge of the van myself - even though it had a fall, it doesn't take much for it to only be possible to half empty the tank. It was in fact such a pain that I ended up putting a second drain outlet on the other side of the tank, without a pipe to the side of the van, so I can always empty it if I have to.

Same if you had the pipe at the back and van pointing downhill!! It would have to be on a hell of a slope to only empty to half, common sense prevails here me thinks

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[Feltwell]

Same if you had the pipe at the back and van pointing downhill!! It would have to be on a hell of a slope to only empty to half, common sense prevails here me thinks

Yep, that's what I thought Louis, until I fitted one (to a McLouis coincidentally) - the effect is in practice more than you'd think, even using your common sense, the van doesn't need to be on too much of a slope - it was enough of a pain for me to go to the bother of fitting a second slide valve to the tank.

 

[Mr Chrysalis]

The only problem with running a pipe from a centrally mounted tank to the edge of the van is it makes it much more prone to only being able to partially empty the tank if it's on a side slope the "wrong way" - unless you can still get a good amount of fall on the pipe when fitting it.

I found this out the hard way, having fitted a pipe to the edge of the van myself - even though it had a fall, it doesn't take much for it to only be possible to half empty the tank. It was in fact such a pain that I ended up putting a second drain outlet on the other side of the tank, without a pipe to the side of the van, so I can always empty it if I have to.

I do carry a waste water carrier that can be pushed under either drain outlet if need be - so few UK sites having drive over grey water drains.

Good point, and this is why I selected push-on fittings, so it can pull-off if I want to completely empty it. Having the outlet at the side of the van also means I can get a bucket under it ( or toilet cassette if I choose to flush it with grey water) without crawling under the van. I could also change the elbow for a tee with a second valve, but I think that would be overkill.

I also thought about fitting a second outlet at the back with a solenoid valve operated from the driver’s seat, so I could spray the vehicle behind if it got too close, but I think that might upset our motorcycling friends

 

[Neckender]

The only problem with running a pipe from a centrally mounted tank to the edge of the van is it makes it much more prone to only being able to partially empty the tank if it's on a side slope the "wrong way" - unless you can still get a good amount of fall on the pipe when fitting it.

I found this out the hard way, having fitted a pipe to the edge of the van myself - even though it had a fall, it doesn't take much for it to only be possible to half empty the tank. It was in fact such a pain that I ended up putting a second drain outlet on the other side of the tank, without a pipe to the side of the van, so I can always empty it if I have to.

I do carry a waste water carrier that can be pushed under either drain outlet if need be - so few UK sites having drive over grey water drains.

Not when you have EP levelling system fitted.

John.

 

[Feltwell]

Not when you have EP levelling system fitted.

John.

Do I detect a tinge of smugness there John?

Looks like a great system - who knows, when I retire in (too many) years time and it's just me & my better half in the van, 3 kids by then away having their own holidays, we may have enough money and payload to fit one! In the meantime it's plastic ramps for my old van.....

 

[Louis]

Yep, that's what I thought Louis, until I fitted one (to a McLouis coincidentally) - the effect is in practice more than you'd think, even using your common sense, the van doesn't need to be on too much of a slope - it was enough of a pain for me to go to the bother of fitting a second slide valve to the tank.

I don’t doubt there might be instances where you had problems, but from my perspective I’ve never been anywhere where there was such an incline that I could not empty the waste. Mind you if I did- id just boot it for the main road without waving goodbye

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[Reallyretired]

The pipe from the tank to the side of the MH is what is on my Rapido as standard, are you sure your original one didn't fall off they are just a push fit in the outlet on the tank so could quite easily.

I do carry a short length (about 6ft) of large bore corrugated pipe which fits the outlet in case the drain hole is in a awkward position, like right in a corner.

 

[Louis]

The pipe from the tank to the side of the MH is what is on my Rapido as standard, are you sure your original one didn't fall off they are just a push fit in the outlet on the tank so could quite easily.

I do carry a short length (about 6ft) of large bore corrugated pipe which fits the outlet in case the drain hole is in a awkward position, like right in a corner.

Yes mine is standard, the end swivel I fitted so that I screw on extensions to reach the drain on serviced pitches, makes no difference to which side, I have two lengths of straight pipe and then a flexy pipe to plumb in if needed

 

[Mr Chrysalis]

The pipe from the tank to the side of the MH is what is on my Rapido as standard, are you sure your original one didn't fall off they are just a push fit in the outlet on the tank so could quite easily.

I do carry a short length (about 6ft) of large bore corrugated pipe which fits the outlet in case the drain hole is in a awkward position, like right in a corner.[/Q

e pipe from the tank to the side of the MH is what is on my Rapido as standard, are you sure your original one didn't fall off they are just a push fit in the outlet on the tank so could quite easily.

I do carry a short length (about 6ft) of large bore corrugated pipe which fits the outlet in case the drain hole is in a awkward position, like right in a corner.

good question but I did visit a dealer recently and looked at several similar recent Rapidos which had the same outlet as mine

good question but I did visit a dealer recently and looked at several similar recent Rapidos which had the same outlet as mine