no fuss flush system

[riverrat]

By mistake, I energized the water hose into the black water flush connection without opening the black water termination valve (dump valve) and it flooded the bathroom big time in my Outback 298RE. Could I have blown out a check valve and if so, would it be located under the sink somewhere or will I need to access underneath the trailer? Could not locate a burst pipe or check valve from the bathroom side.

[chuckster57]

Welcome to the forum :wlcm:

Sorry it had to be under these circumstances. There isn't any "check valve" other than the one for the line from the rinser inlet at the side of the trailer and the tank. Common place is under the bathroom sink and behind the shower wall.
Odds are you just blew water past the toilet seal. Clean the mess and then empty the black tank. Hook the sprayer back up and run it just long enough to verify no water leaks.

[ChuckS]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170319/0165fee83694f02c9e5acc2a4f42c5e2.jpg

It will be a check valve underneath bathroom sink and will look something like one in pic

Otherwise as stated above you overfilled black tank and it blew out if toilet. But take a few and look really good at plumbing under sink.


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[canesfan]

You could have blown out the anti-siphon valve, but it wouldn't take that to flood your trailer. Did you use a regulator? The water will just fill the black tank until it overflows out the toilet. As for the anti-siphon valve, it's probably under the sink or behind a "door" in the shower wall. If you can access behind your water panel you can usually trace the PEX from the black tank flush up to where the "valve' is.

Edit - others type faster than I do.

[PARAPTOR]

Welcome to the forum :wlcm:

Sorry it had to be under these circumstances. There isn't any "check valve" other than the one for the line from the rinser inlet at the side of the trailer and the tank. Common place is under the bathroom sink and behind the shower wall.
Odds are you just blew water past the toilet seal. Clean the mess and then empty the black tank. Hook the sprayer back up and run it just long enough to verify no water leaks.

:wlcm: to the Forum From Western PA

x2 On Chuckster 57 comments. Again sorry to hear about you accident. By any chance were you in the process of dewinterizing?, we have seen issues with cracked check valves due to water freezing in them during the winter. Good Luck

[riverrat]

No, didn't come out the toilet, it was like a pipe burst under the sink/shower area and flooded the floor. when I opened up the dump valve and tried to flush again, I had a flood again so I have not used it since. Access to pipe is very limited-only under shower floor area and under sink.

[chuckster57]

If the Anti siphon valve isn't under the sink then it's behind the shower faucet. Remove the square head screws and the faucet assembly will come out. Then just look for the piece shown in the picture. I've seen black and white ones.

[ChuckS]

If I may, and some will disagree don't use the built in back flush system.. instead purchase an exterior gate valve with the clear connection and water hose hookup. I've used this setup on two toy haulers and my current fifth wheel. You can see what's coming out, know that your tanks are clean, and not have worried of future floods

https://www.etrailer.com/RV-Plumbing/Flush-King/F02-4350.html




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[ChuckS]

I don't use the built in black tank flush for that very reason plus I can't see if the tank is clean... been using this on two toy haulers and our fifth wheel for years

https://www.etrailer.com/RV-Plumbing/Flush-King/F02-4350.html




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[JRTJH]

By mistake, ... and it flooded the bathroom big time in my Outback 298RE. Could I have,,.

First welcome to the forum, glad to have you join us and sorry to hear about your problem....

To answer your question, first we'd all need to know whether the "flooded bathroom" is fill with clean water (likely to be a bad anti-siphon valve) or dirty water (likely to be an overfilled toilet that backed up "poo water" into the bathroom.

So, let us know just how "unlucky you were" (clean water is just "unlucky", dirty water is "really unlucky" !!!) and we can go from there......

ADDED: I see while I was typing, you answered my question. So, my guess is that you have a bad/leaking anti-siphon valve. You can remove it and replace it with a brass anti-siphon valve from Lowe's or Home Depot. You'll need to take your old one that looks like this picture with you to get the right fittings to connect it under your sink. Otherwise, you can buy a replacement for about $35 at any RV parts store, or alternatively, you can just not use it any more. If you do that, you might consider making sure it isn't physically cracked, if it is, you may get some unpleasant odor under the sink.

[riverrat]

Thanks to all, I will start with the anti-siphon valve first.

[PARAPTOR]

If I may, and some will disagree don't use the built in back flush system.. instead purchase an exterior gate valve with the clear connection and water hose hookup. I've used this setup on two toy haulers and my current fifth wheel. You can see what's coming out, know that your tanks are clean, and not have worried of future floods

https://www.etrailer.com/RV-Plumbing/Flush-King/F02-4350.html




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Just my thoughts, If you have a clean shot into the tank I can see where this will work, However I think most of the 5ers have at least one 45 or 90 from where you would put this device and the actual tank.

[ChuckS]

Just my thoughts, If you have a clean shot into the tank I can see where this will work, However I think most of the 5ers have at least one 45 or 90 from where you would put this device and the actual tank.



My current fifth wheel Alpine has a 45 degree and a 90 degree turn into black tank as well as same for both grey tanks. Trust me... the water pressure will and does flow up into those tanks. I can clearly see toilet paper and other goodies flow out when I apply water , run for about 5 minutes with black tank valve opened, turn water off and a ton of goodies will flow out. It works for me... perhaps some systems not.


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[riverrat]

JRTJH,

The water that came out of the sink area onto the floor was clean, no black. I will investigate when I can get in the trailer, currently closed, winterized and buried in snow! Think I may go with the "tornado flush system" and abandon the connection on the rv, but would like to find the root cause of the water leakage. Thanks!

[JRTJH]

Riverrat,

Not sure if you saw my post after I edited it or not. I added pictures and a few more comments after I realized that you answered my "clean/dirty water" question while I was typing.... If you need any help, just let me know, I'll try to explain and post pictures that'll hopefully give you the answers you need.

Again, welcome and good luck.

[chuckster57]

John's second picture is the most common one, and yeah they fail with the valve allowing water to go everywhere except the black tank.

[riverrat]

John, great pix, hoping this solves my flood, thanks again!

[sourdough]

This topic, and looking at the pics brought something to mind.

When I first bought this trailer in 2014 the black tank flush would not work; it just blew water right back at me outside. I took it in under warranty and they repaired it; said it was a bad valve. Later I looked under the sink and what I have now is just the U shaped water lines; no valves, no fixtures of any kind. I assume they just removed it. I have had no problems with it for going on the 4th summer so I'm wondering if I'm just averting a disaster down the road or if it's OK as it is??

[JRTJH]

sourdough,

The factory is notorious for installing the anti-siphon valve "backwards". I'd guess they do that almost as much as they put the black/gray tank decals on the wrong handles....

That said, your valve may have just been installed backwards, it'd build up pressure and when you removed the hose, it would "spit back at you".... The dealership probably just removed it, installed a "open loop" and called it a day... You're good to go, it won't cause a leak and probably is more "leak proof" than any anti-siphon valve would be. The only problem is that there's no "valve to stop leaking" if the black tank should start to "siphon" through that fitting and out the hose. Most who have removed their anti-siphon valve have started using a "garden hose anti-siphon valve" on the trailer wall hose fitting. You can find them at Lowe's in the lawn irrigation section.

Thinking about it, your dealer may have installed a new "wall fitting" on your trailer with an anti-siphon valve built in. It would be essentially the same thing as your city water connection. Who knows, with any certainty, what they may have done, but if it's worked for 4 years, I wouldn't worry about it now LOL

[PARAPTOR]

My current fifth wheel Alpine has a 45 degree and a 90 degree turn into black tank as well as same for both grey tanks. Trust me... the water pressure will and does flow up into those tanks. I can clearly see toilet paper and other goodies flow out when I apply water , run for about 5 minutes with black tank valve opened, turn water off and a ton of goodies will flow out. It works for me... perhaps some systems not.


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My comments were not based on personal experiences but a couple of youtube videos. Tests were run on a straight shot route into the tank and then repeated with a 45 or 90 in between. Hugh difference in the test results, of course when I just went back to find that specific one, did not see it. I will keep looking and if I find it I will add it. Found a few others , if you are interested they are on you tube searching back flush tank

[sourdough]

sourdough,

The factory is notorious for installing the anti-siphon valve "backwards". I'd guess they do that almost as much as they put the black/gray tank decals on the wrong handles....

That said, your valve may have just been installed backwards, it'd build up pressure and when you removed the hose, it would "spit back at you".... The dealership probably just removed it, installed a "open loop" and called it a day... You're good to go, it won't cause a leak and probably is more "leak proof" than any anti-siphon valve would be. The only problem is that there's no "valve to stop leaking" if the black tank should start to "siphon" through that fitting and out the hose. Most who have removed their anti-siphon valve have started using a "garden hose anti-siphon valve" on the trailer wall hose fitting. You can find them at Lowe's in the lawn irrigation section.

Thinking about it, your dealer may have installed a new "wall fitting" on your trailer with an anti-siphon valve built in. It would be essentially the same thing as your city water connection. Who knows, with any certainty, what they may have done, but if it's worked for 4 years, I wouldn't worry about it now LOL

Thanks John. I carry a couple of anti siphon valves with me and I've used one on the black tank flush just to be sure. I suspected just having an open loop would be OK but didn't know if others may have had some kind of issue with them that I was unaware of. Guess I'll just keep on keeping on. It's worked well since it was repaired so guess I won't look for trouble where there is none:)

[xrated]

OK guys......be kind to me, I own my first ever camping type trailer (Impact 303 Toy Hauler) and have no clue what the anti-siphon valve is or what it is there for. Can someone please let me know what it is (obviously to prevent siphoning) and what it's for and so on. Thanks in advance.

[BuxCamper]

It's a check valve that won't let you accidently start a siphon and suck water you don't want in a direction you don't want. You don't want to suck black tank contents into your feed hose or the system supplying water to the camper.

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[riverrat]

Update-I found the anti-siphon valve under the bathroom sink. My question is can I remove and pipe through and add a backflow preventer (home depot $5.82) on the exterior black water hose connection? I believe it would serve the same purpose.

[Javi]

Update-I found the anti-siphon valve under the bathroom sink. My question is can I remove and pipe through and add a backflow preventer (home depot $5.82) on the exterior black water hose connection? I believe it would serve the same purpose.

Works for me...