# 9048DF waste slow to empty



## Devonboy (Nov 19, 2009)

Any other 9048DF owners had this problem? Have owned the van now for 6 months & have flushed the tank a number of times but although the waste empty pipe seems reasonably large, about 1" diameter, it still take a long time to empty, no real flow just a fast trickle. Any suggestions?


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## TheNomad (Aug 12, 2013)

Do you have at least one sink plug open so that air can get into the tank as you allow water out?

Can you fit bigger bore pipe?

Is there space under the grey waste tank to instead fit one the 'American style' slider waste valves direct to the tank? (we have one fitted to the bottom of our waste tank, with a long wire pull handle, and it's utterly fantastic.


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## HarryTheHymer (May 1, 2005)

Suggest you back-flush it with a hose (with the waste valve open).

There is possibly something clogging up the flow of water at the internal outlet from the tank.


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## philoaks (Sep 2, 2008)

We had a similar problem with our Autotrail when new. Turned out the tank had a lot of black plastic swarf in it from where the various holes had been drilled out. 

I removed the inspection cover and back flushed the tank (as suggested by HarryTheHymer) and that sorted it out.

Phil


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

it could be a very shallow tank, like in my Hymer; it takes ages to drain. Best when on a slight slope towards the drain outlet!


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## Devonboy (Nov 19, 2009)

TheNomad said:


> Do you have at least one sink plug open so that air can get into the tank as you allow water out?
> 
> Can you fit bigger bore pipe?
> 
> Is there space under the grey waste tank to instead fit one the 'American style' slider waste valves direct to the tank? (we have one fitted to the bottom of our waste tank, with a long wire pull handle, and it's utterly fantastic.


Thanks Nomad: Yes all sink plugs are open; Cannot fit a larger pipe as the tank is between the double floor & pretty much inaccessible, similarly for changing to a slider valve. We did have the slider arrangement on our last van which was brilliant, would empty the whole tank in seconds, which is probably why I find this issue so annoying.


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## Devonboy (Nov 19, 2009)

philoaks said:


> We had a similar problem with our Autotrail when new. Turned out the tank had a lot of black plastic swarf in it from where the various holes had been drilled out.
> 
> I removed the inspection cover and back flushed the tank (as suggested by HarryTheHymer) and that sorted it out.
> 
> Phil


Thanks Phil: There is no inspection cover AFAIK for the waste tank only the fresh water tank.


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## Devonboy (Nov 19, 2009)

HarryTheHymer said:


> Suggest you back-flush it with a hose (with the waste valve open).
> 
> There is possibly something clogging up the flow of water at the internal outlet from the tank.


Thanks HarryTheHymer will give that a try.

Thanks bognormike, you may be correct about the shallow tank.


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

It's almost certainly plastic swarf caused when the holes were cut in the tank and not cleared properly. You should be able to pull the sections of waste pipe that run through the garage apart to clear it, the blockage will be at one of the elbows in the pipe run.

There is an access hatch in the bottom of your tank, not obvious where it is though.
It's behind a black plastic panel that you can slide aside, under the van off centre to the drivers side I think. If you slide the panel aside there is a large bung behind it which you'll find very difficult to turn and even more difficult to get your arm into.


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## Devonboy (Nov 19, 2009)

gaspode said:


> It's almost certainly plastic swarf caused when the holes were cut in the tank and not cleared properly. You should be able to pull the sections of waste pipe that run through the garage apart to clear it, the blockage will be at one of the elbows in the pipe run.
> 
> There is an access hatch in the bottom of your tank, not obvious where it is though.
> It's behind a black plastic panel that you can slide aside, under the van off centre to the drivers side I think. If you slide the panel aside there is a large bung behind it which you'll find very difficult to turn and even more difficult to get your arm into.


Thanks gaspode, have found the access hatch under the van but on the 9048DF there are 2, they both give access to the fresh water tank, it has 2 bungs as it is a wide flat tank. The waste tank seems to be behind the fresh water tank. No garage but a lift up hatch in the floor to gain access to the dump valve & pipework. Not a lot of room but looks to be the only way of removing the dump valve & pipework. Will try the back-flush method first.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

It could also be grease and food particles also hair from the shower, I'd try a full bowl of hot water with plenty of washing up liquid in it maybe two or three times, I dare say your drain hos is corrugated so dead easy to block, all is takes is a rough bit and stuff will accumulate, better to sort it sooner than later.


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

Devonboy said:


> Thanks gaspode, have found the access hatch under the van but on the 9048DF there are 2, they both give access to the fresh water tank, it has 2 bungs as it is a wide flat tank. The waste tank seems to be behind the fresh water tank. No garage but a lift up hatch in the floor to gain access to the dump valve & pipework. Not a lot of room but looks to be the only way of removing the dump valve & pipework. Will try the back-flush method first.


OK, your tank layout must be different to mine because of the different bed layout. My waste tank is also behind the fresh tank- no way can you see it from anywhere.
Are you sure there isn't a bung for the waste tank under the van, it's not easy to find on mine?
As for back-flushing, it will probably clear it but the debris will still be in the tank so the same problem will come back after a couple of empties, only way to clear it is to dismantle the discharge pipe.


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## Devonboy (Nov 19, 2009)

gaspode said:


> OK, your tank layout must be different to mine because of the different bed layout. My waste tank is also behind the fresh tank- no way can you see it from anywhere.
> Are you sure there isn't a bung for the waste tank under the van, it's not easy to find on mine?
> As for back-flushing, it will probably clear it but the debris will still be in the tank so the same problem will come back after a couple of empties, only way to clear it is to dismantle the discharge pipe.


Good point, will need to have a good search & look at dismantling the discharge pipe.


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## Devonboy (Nov 19, 2009)

Kev_n_Liz said:


> It could also be grease and food particles also hair from the shower, I'd try a full bowl of hot water with plenty of washing up liquid in it maybe two or three times, I dare say your drain hos is corrugated so dead easy to block, all is takes is a rough bit and stuff will accumulate, better to sort it sooner than later.


Thanks Kev_n_Liz tried the hot water/washing up liquid, also biological washing liquid a number of times. One good thing about Rapido, they only use smooth flexible or rigid on all drain pipes, so not so prone to blockages, they also fit traps to all sinks & shower, another good idea.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Ah well back to the stripping it down then if you can get at it, surely they left some sort of access.


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## Topefisher (Apr 20, 2011)

Had exactly the same problem on our 7099+
Tried for quite a while to sort it, then managed to see a plastic swarf/flap that was sort of intermittantly moving over and then clearing from the exit point from the tank. Once this was eventually removed all became much better.


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