Shower slow to drain

JVess · 07-12-2014, 06:34 PM

A few weeks back our shower was not draining. I removed the grate and fished out a glob of hair. Ran water into the shower and it still did not drain properly. I used a toilet plunger and sucked up a mass of material that resembles the rubber roof. Shower drains great now but I'm concerned that I damaged the drain pipes. After inspecting the drain pipe running from bottom of shower to gray tank I noticed it does not have a p trap. Could the material I removed from drain be part of an inline trap?

**hankpage** · 07-12-2014, 07:52 PM

I have heard of waterless traps like this being used in outside kitchens where there was no room for a standard P trap but not in 5th wheel showers. Are you the original owner???? If you did not see a trap you should see THIS. and yes, it does have a rubber disk inside. They work well in places where evaporation of water in the trap is a problem. JM2¢, Hank

**chuckster57** · 07-12-2014, 08:04 PM

Tiffen is using them In kitchen sinks. I have taken one apart, and it's not so much a disc but rather a rubber tube that tapers at one end. At the downstream end the "liner" is like a ducks bill that stays closed until water flows through it.

When I saw this post, I was thinking maybe that was a possibility, but I can't say I've seen it in any "internal" plumbing in a trailer.

JVess · 07-13-2014, 04:30 AM

We are the original owners...
I think I will request a plumbing schematic from Keystone. Thank you for your thoughts.

**hankpage** · 07-13-2014, 04:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JVess

We are the original owners...
I think I will request a plumbing schematic from Keystone. Thank you for your thoughts.

I think you will find that Keystone does not supply schematics for any systems in their trailers. If you have a HepvO valve in place of a trap you should be able to see it in the drain line under the shower.

bsmith0404 · 07-13-2014, 05:05 AM

If it's draining good I wouldn't worry about it unless you start getting a smell from the sewer or stale water. Even then you can shut the valve until the gray tank needs to be drained, (I do this a lot anyway as it works well for flushing the end of the sewer pipe after they T) and put some deodorizer in the tank.

mwhit · 07-13-2014, 07:02 PM

I have that type of trap in my 2013 Fuzion 300 for the tub/shower drain. Found out the hard way trying to winterize it. It is not necessary with this type of trap. I had used a plunger and got it inverted and nothing would flow. Pushed the vinyl back down with a wire into the proper configuration and all is well. So a plunger I do know will turn them around. Hope you did not remover the "roof material" it was the trap!!!!!

WaltBennett · 07-14-2014, 03:46 AM

Yes, you probably pulled the 'trap' diaphragm material out. The inline traps aren't that expensive and shouldn't be that difficult to replace. Our shower one is at the ceiling of the basement compartment where it runs over to behind the back wall & then down to the holding tank. I'll probably just remove ours if it clogs and put a p-trap in the vertical part behind the wall.

JVess · 07-14-2014, 03:59 AM

Unfortunately I pulled the "roofing material" out of the drain. BUMMER!!
I was convinced a worker at Keystone intentionally dropped it in the drain. Live and learn!!
Thank you for all the help!!

fred1609 · 07-14-2014, 08:35 PM

Just when I thought I new most of the systems. This is good to know.

JVess · 07-15-2014, 06:15 AM

I opened up the compartment yesterday and there was the Hepvo valve just below the shower drain. The lesson learned was don't use a plunger on the shower if it has a Hepvo valve! The good news is it's an easy repair and the valve only cost about $23.00. Bad news $17.00 in freight. Thanks again for all the helpful suggestions.

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