Gray Water Leak in the Underbelly

**Barbara & Dave** · 03-19-2019, 05:34 PM

The Rig: 2015 Reflection 337RLS, purchased new January 2015.

Backstory: Most of our RVing is done while volunteering at National and State Parks, Refuges, etc. So while we've camped about 25 months in the last four years, we have only about 8000 miles total, to our assignment for the year and then back home. Last November we hitched up and started to leave. Our campsite was somewhat lower than the access road so the trailer, which had been level since June, would be at about a 5-10^o angle, nose down, as we backed out of the site.

As soon as we started up the grade, a significant flow of medium brown water started to spill out of the underside of the trailer. Luckily, the distinctive odor was of coffee, and not the other brown stuff. Looking underneath, the underbelly covering was visibly sagging. It took several minutes for the flow to stop. Its hard to estimate uncontrolled flow, but we guess it was 10-15 gallons, maybe more. I should note that all summer and fall, when I periodically dump the tanks, all three tanks had fluid to drain.

Upon returning to Tampa, we put the 337 away for the winter, then took it to LazyDays for service last Monday (3/11), prior to heading north again to this year's assignment. Today our "Service Consultant" called, and said the tech could find nothing wrong! We tried to convince them that five of us, including a Park Ranger, would not be suffering from mass hysteria. She said she'd have the tech look again, but I'm not optimistic.

Questions for the Forum:Any ideas what we should look for? How/where do I get access to the top side of the kitchen holding tank? On the 337, the sink is in the island, and I'm assuming the kitchen gray tank is directly below. It's a good six (horizontal) feet to the beginning of the nose, so I don't think I can get to it by removing the back wall of the pass-through. Does the floor under the sink come out? Will I have to remove the entire island?

Somewhere I saw a similar problem, and the cause was the vent pipe was about 2" short of the top of the tank. But solving that problem still requires access to the top of the holding tank.

Any thoughts, speculation, or just commiserating will be appreciated.

Dave

**Cate&Rob** · 03-19-2019, 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by Barbara & Dave

The Rig: 2015 Reflection 337RLS, purchased new January 2015.

Any ideas what we should look for? How/where do I get access to the top side of the kitchen holding tank? On the 337, the sink is in the island, and I'm assuming the kitchen gray tank is directly below. It's a good six (horizontal) feet to the beginning of the nose, so I don't think I can get to it by removing the back wall of the pass-through. Does the floor under the sink come out? Will I have to remove the entire island?

Somewhere I saw a similar problem, and the cause was the vent pipe was about 2" short of the top of the tank. But solving that problem still requires access to the top of the holding tank.

Any thoughts, speculation, or just commiserating will be appreciated.

Dave

Hi Dave,

The kitchen sink drain goes down a hole in the back corner of the island. Removing the island floor or the entire island would not get you much more access than camera pictures down that boxed opening. The vent line gets to the vent stack in the "plumbing basement". You can see some of it.

The first thing that I would do is "confirm there is a leak". I would fill the kitchen grey tank until there is standing water in the kitchen sink. If the water level drops, it is coming out somewhere and you can start your search. This assumes that your kitchen grey gate valve is sealing properly . . . which is a bit of a stretch in the first place. Leave the drain connection open to make sure that this is not where the water is going.

Rob

**Barbara & Dave** · 03-20-2019, 08:20 AM

We're thinking of putting food coloring in the drain water, so we can tell for sure at least what the source of the leak is. I have a clear extension at the main discharge point, along with a gate valve.

I guess is the leak is the kitchen gate valve it's relatively easy to get to. I'm still wondering what to do if the problem is on the topside of the tank.

Dave

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**Country Campers** · 03-20-2019, 08:41 AM

Dave

With out putting fear into you , I think to find any leak in a tank you will need to drop the coroplast underneath to see what is going on. You may find it leaking at the discharge point of the tank or even on top somewhere. How or where you find the leak the tank is probably going to have to come down for repairs. You could just remove some screws on one side closest to the tank in question and try to get a look at the tank and maybe see the problem. If you go into the bottom of the island and can see where the drain goes into the tank you may get lucky and see something there.

Brian

**Canyonlight** · 03-20-2019, 09:04 AM

Dave - Rob and Brian shared good feedback. I would do exactly as Rob suggested as the first step to test the kitchen sink possible leakage. I would do the same for the shower/BR sink tank and possibly the toilet if necessary as well.

My question is what did the dealer actually do ? I would like to talk with the tech(s) to see what they specifically did or did not do. That listening and question session could be quite revealing (and possibly not in a good way.) If they did their job well, it may help to decide next steps to be taken by you, them, or another entity.

Second item, if the smell was in fact coffee, and you dump excess coffee into the kitchen sink, you may be targeting the correct tank/dump valve/etc. However, if the smell is masked where it is really not coffee then the diagnosis becomes a little more involved.

Dropping the coroplast front the front of your 337 to the kitchen tank (while a pain) is not that bad as reported by several folks over the years. An extra set of hands is of great benefit. After the years, it may be a blessing in disguise to identify other items you may find and correct them as well.

Dan

**Barbara & Dave** · 03-20-2019, 06:00 PM

Originally Posted by Toes in the water

Dave - Rob and Brian shared good feedback. I would do exactly as Rob suggested as the first step to test the kitchen sink possible leakage. I would do the same for the shower/BR sink tank and possibly the toilet if necessary as well.

My question is what did the dealer actually do ? I would like to talk with the tech(s) to see what they specifically did or did not do. That listening and question session could be quite revealing (and possibly not in a good way.) If they did their job well, it may help to decide next steps to be taken by you, them, or another entity.

Second item, if the smell was in fact coffee, and you dump excess coffee into the kitchen sink, you may be targeting the correct tank/dump valve/etc. However, if the smell is masked where it is really not coffee then the diagnosis becomes a little more involved.

Dropping the coroplast front the front of your 337 to the kitchen tank (while a pain) is not that bad as reported by several folks over the years. An extra set of hands is of great benefit. After the years, it may be a blessing in disguise to identify other items you may find and correct them as well.

Dan

Thanks everyone!

We hope to quiz the tech when we pick the unit up (hopefully next week). So far, everything has been relayed thru the service consultant.

We're fortunate that the 'Volunteer Village" at Prince William is nearly an acre, with only two sites. And we'll be there thru October, so there is plenty of time and space to fix the problem.

There's a nice 12' by 40' concrete pad to work on... I don't know how I'd stand working on my back if the pad were gravel.

Dave

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**Cate&Rob** · 03-20-2019, 06:11 PM

Originally Posted by Barbara & Dave

I guess is the leak is the kitchen gate valve it's relatively easy to get to. I'm still wondering what to do if the problem is on the topside of the tank.

Dave

Hi Dave,

How to get at the top of the kitchen grey tank is a good question. This tank goes "crosswise" between the frame rails. The fill connection is under the island. The vent connections is barely visible from the "plumbing basement" behind the aft wall of the pass through. I really don't know how you would get at either of these connections if they were leaking.

This question intrigues me because we have way less kitchen grey volume than the capacity of the tank. This is likely because the vent pipe is pushed too far through the grommet and into the tank. I fixed this same problem on the bathroom grey tank, but that vent pipe connection to the tank was easy to get to. I have no idea how to get to the vent pipe connection to the kitchen grey tank.

I will be interested in what you learn on this . . .

Rob

**Tallen22259** · 06-03-2019, 04:24 PM

Did you find the answer? After 3 days on city water we went to hook up and tow and water came pouring out! Gallons! The whole under belly was bowed up front on 320mks. Husband is pulling off bottom but curious if we should look for something specific

**Rolorv** · 06-05-2021, 06:20 PM

Update anyone? I have a 2018 26rb with this "issue"

**Scocciante** · 06-06-2021, 04:18 AM

This is the type of crap you will find factory install plastic pipe pulled out before dry held on by luck. Check the pitch mine was way off pitched backwards .