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Old 08-15-2013, 09:41 PM   #1
Gr8white
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New to forum have 2011 alpine - leaking RV after unhooking

We have a used 2011 alpine 3250 after emptying all three tanks and flushing system thoroughly. We closed all valves and hooked up and drove out a few yards later a gush of smelly water started leaking out of underneath soon as we got on road. It lasted a few miles then stopped.

Where did we go wrong? Or do you think we have a leak.
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Old 08-16-2013, 04:04 AM   #2
JRTJH
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If it wasn't leaking before you dumped, then you most likely don't have a leak. Chances are you probably dumped the black tank last and had "smelly water" in the lines when you finished. Most people prefer to dump the black tank first, then use the gray water to "clean" and flush out the drain lines. If you dumped the black tank last, that's what happened, but if you dumped the black tank last, then you may have either damaged plumbing on the trailer from the dump valves to the hose outlet or you've got a valve that didn't close properly when you finished dumping.

If you did dump in the proper sequence, since you say it was "smelly water" I'd think your black tank valve didn't close properly. It could be because something solid was moving through the tank when you pushed the valve closed and that solid object is caught in the rubber slide valve gasket or the cable/rod attached to the slide valve wasn't pushed completely closed.

Normally, when dumping the black tank, people will wait until the tank is full, then pull the valve while waiting long enough for the tank to completely empty, then rinse the tank either by attaching a hose to the black tank flush device or by pouring clean water down the toilet. Once that's done and the contents are "relatively clear" coming out of the tank, it's safe to close the valve. Some people close the valve before rinsing the tank. They run a risk of catching a piece of toilet paper or other solid material and pushing it into the groove in the slide valve gasket. Once that happens, the only way to clean it is to disassemble the valve and remove the "squeezed in" debris. It's best to rinse the tank with the valve open rather than close the valve and then rinse the tank. After all the solids have been dumped, then it's safe to close the slide valve and refill to flush again if desired.

After the black tank is finished and clean, then close the valve and dump the gray tanks. This will wash all the black tank effluent out of the drain lines and hopefully remove that "smelly water" dripping that you encountered.
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Old 08-25-2013, 08:01 PM   #3
Pmedic4
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Stinky water running out

To me it doesn't sound like a tank flushing issue, but more like the black tank drain line has broken and is leaking past the valve, so black water leaked into the underneath the coroplast and sat there until they started moving.

Actually had this happen on our RV, but fortunately it was the gray water valve line. Gray water ran out for a few miles after dumping.
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Old 08-26-2013, 08:59 AM   #4
Chipsahoy
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Unforunately, this happened to us a few years ago, turned out a crack had developed in the side wall of the galley grey tank. With the valve closed the tank filled to a point the crack started to leak. The stinky galley water accumulated in the underbelley until I started to drive away. After a few miles of sloshing around, the underbelly had deposited all of the accumulated water out through the various open spaces. I didn't even realize I had an issue until I saw the water coming from the rig while driving. For the rest of the trip I kept the galley tank open and did not have any issues. The fix was to cut a hole in the underbelley and patch the crack. Good Luck and lets hope it is not the black tank leaking!!
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