 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
||||
|
 |
|||||
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
||
F.A.Q.'s
Plumbing
|
|
A: No. Not exactly, but lets straighten out
all those colors first:
Clear - This is drinking water, also called
potable water.
Gray water - This is bath water or sink drain
water. You wouldn't drink this, yet it isn't exactly poisonous
either. Certain states, Wisconsin for example, require that it
be put into a sewer. You can catch this water in a portable tank
and dump it in a sewer later. This is legal and not a big hassle.
The trick is to get a small tank and dump it daily. In many situations
it is acceptable to drain it on the ground.
Black water, also called waste water - It's
pretty obvious that this water comes from the toilet. You must
collect it carefully in a holding tank and dispose of it in a
sanitary
sewer. There are strict federal laws about this. Don't use a
dump station which is sluggish or overflowing. A portable tank
is legal for black water also.
Gray Water
A: 1973 on Excella 500's, all models in 1974.
A: The drain lines from the shower and sinks
are routed to just below the Black Water tank dump valve but
before the sewer hose fitting. This allows you many options to
handle both Gray and Black Water:
When traveling down the road, you have usually have the cap on the dump fitting outlet. You cannot run any water in the trailer in this condition, because the only Gray Water storage you have is the 1 1/2" drain piping from the dump fitting to the shower. The first indication that you've done wrong will be water in the shower, bubbling up through the drain.
In camp with sewer hookups, your dump valve is closed, trapping waste in the black tank, and the outside dump fitting has a hose going to the sewer connection in place of the cap. Gray water drains down into the sewer as you use water in the trailer. When the black tank is almost full, you add some more water and open the dump valve. After it's all drained, add a couple or 3 more gallons of water down the toilet to finish the job.
In camp with no sewer connection, you usually can't let the Gray Water run on the ground. Use your Blue Tank connected to the dump fitting with a short piece of garden hose with a female connection on each end. They sell these hoses, they're sometimes included with a new Blue Bomber, or you can one. If your dump fitting is low to the ground you can drain directly into the opening of the Blue Tank. You'll need to dump the Blue tank every few days, depending on its size and your water usage habits. Black Water is kept in the closed Black Water tank until you break camp and empty it at a Dump Station.
If you don't have a Blue Tank, but can't drain into the ground, install a cap on your dump fitting and open the dump valve. The Gray Water will 'back up' into the Black Tank, which will now serve dual purpose (and fill MUCH faster!). You must close the dump valve before removing the cap to attach the sewer hose to drain the contents. You'll get a quart or 2 of (mostly) Gray water as the end of the lines drain out. If you forget to close the dump valve, you're gonna have a helluva mess (brown trout, too) all over the place.
Lastly, in camp in a rustic setting where it is allowed, the dump valve is closed and the Gray Water runs onto the ground. The usual connection is a piece of garden hose that's several feet long, connected to an adapter on your dump fitting; this makes it clear to anyone walking by that you're not dumping black water. Some folks use a bucket under the outlet, usually with a hole in the bottom (Leaky Bucket". You must go to a dump station to empty the Black Tank, or use a Blue Tank to transport the contents to the dump station periodically.
Potable Water
A: Once each year, fill the water
tank half-way, then add a premix of 1-cup of household bleach & 1
gallon of water. Finish filing the tank. Run water at all faucets until
you can smell the chlorine,
don't forget to allow the water heater to fill completely. Let it sit
for a few hours or overnight, then drain everything. You can help eliminate
the chlorine smell/taste by mixing 1/2-cup of baking soda with a gallon
of water, dumping it into the tank, then filling the tank completely.
Again, run water at all the faucets until you're sure that the new solution
has circulated through the system. Drain again and fill with fresh water.
There are some commercial products that work in the same manner, 3R Purogene
(800-773-7116) being one of them, and since it doesn't affect taste,
can also be used in between sterilizing treatments. Also, keep your tank
filled in between trips to prevent exposed walls in your tank.
A: Inca
Plastics Molding Co., Inc. in Ontario, CA. (909) 923-3235
still makes these tanks first introduced in the early 1960's
right after use of the pressurized galvanized tanks was stopped.
The 53x24x6 has the correct molded in fittings. Inca is the OEM
maker of the tanks on the Airstream.
A: That is an Ogden Model A filter system. Replacement
filters can be purchased from General Ecology as pn RS-50G, current
price is $44 + shipping, and can only be ordered by phone, 1-800-441-8166.
The ordinal Ogden designer/owner later went to work for General
Ecology when the they bought out his Los Angeles company.
A: Most likely a leak in the plumbing or pump. During
the first pressurization of the system per the year, you'll want to check
for system leaks. Let the pump run until it has the system pressurized
and shuts itself off. It should STAY off, if it cycles periodically or
refuses to shut off at all, you probably have a leak. Some trailers have
a bypass valve/line that's mainly used for filling the on-board tank
from the city water connection. If this is left open, the pump will never
build up any pressure, nor will you have any pressure when the water
hose is connected to the city water hookup - everything's going back
to the tank. Look for this and close it if your trailer has one. A cycling
pump can also indicate worn seals inside the pump.
A: On the front mounted
water tanks pre "Control
Center", there is usually a clear vinyl tube (sight glass)
in the forward curbside corner to the side of the sofa or under
the dinette seat. It runs between the overflow fitting on the
top and a drain fitting on the bottom of tank. There are all
sorts of owner added level marks, from Felt Tip marker to Dymo-Labels
to computer made decals. If for some reason yours is missing,
it's a good weekend project, as all parts are hardware store
items. 2 brass 1/2” IPT to 1/2” slip elbows and a
piece of acrylic tube are all you need.
A: They are standard tubing
sizes, it's just that some time in the past your pipes have
frozen and expanded the pipe, but not to the point of splitting.
A solution is to use a flaring tool and clamp down on the ends,
reforming the copper pipe back to a size where the fittings will
slide over.
A: These marine water pumps
were the first water pumps used by Airstream after the compressed
air water systems of the late 1950's - early 1960's. They
are still being made by Jabsco, and are called PAR Classic pumps.
Marine (boat) stores and many RV stores carry repair parts and seal
kits. One such company is DEPCO
Pump. You can even get the whole pump for new installations. On
these demand type systems it is recommended that you use an accumulator
to prevent the pump from coming on every time you open the tap.
Waste Water
A: Not successfully. Epoxy and adhesive repairs may
appear to work initially, but the flexing will soon pop them off. Solvent
and welding may work better, but often the tank will crack again where
the tank was made thinner by the repair.
A: There are many companies that make custom plastic
tanks. They are able to put fittings and cutouts per your measurements
and instructions. Three such companies that are Airstream friendly are:
Ronco Plastics, Tustin. CA
Inca Plastics Molding, Ontario, CA
A: There are no overhaul kits,
but you can try and replace the 3 gaskets in the valve. One is a
standard O-Ring, and the other two round and rectangular flat gaskets
can be cut from a sheet of gasket material. If you need
to replace the valve itself, here is a restoration
topic on how to do it.
A: Parts are still available for these from
RV dealers. #09872 is a kit with all the seals needed for rebuilding
the valves, and the handle and shaft are available separately.
A:1964 and older trailers
have an older style of Thetford fittings than the later trailers.
In 1965, Thetford
changed the design, increasing the diameter of the lugs and sealing
surface by an additional 3/8" in diameter. These more modern
fittings were still Thetford. Modern cheap plastic sewer
hose fittings will not fit any of these older fittings without
an adapter (1965 and newer only). The older brass valves with
"Frying Pan" covers need
to be replaced completely if you do not
have the matching sewer hose fittings.
A: Only recourse is the
adapt the existing “Y” tailpiece
that comes out of the bottom of the trailer. Get a new type
CAMCO lug ring adapter and epoxy it onto the old Thetford valve "Y" tail
piece. That "Y" tail piece is no longer available either,
so proceed carefully, other wise you are going to have to re-plumb
your entire waste water system.
Saw or grind off the lugs of the old tail piece (the “Y” tail
piece with the undersized lugs). Then epoxy the new lugged ring onto
the old tail piece. Do not shorten the old tail piece, just saw the lugs
off the outside so the ring slips over them. You do not have to cut them
down to the surface of the tail piece, the inside of the lug ring adapter
will be about 1/8" larger than the outside diameter of the old tail
piece.
Use a slow curing semi-thick epoxy to fill the void to fill the space
between the old tail piece and the new ring, such as Scotchweld 2216BA
epoxy (gray). Let it setup for 24 hrs preferably in a warm (between 60
and 105 deg F) location.
With the new CAMCO lug ring installed, you can use the newer
fittings.
A: Yes, they control the smell and help break down the
solids. The best are those that chlorine dioxide based (i.e. 3R
OdorCon), and don't require smelly perfumes to mask odors. Follow
the manufacturers instructions. It usually requires a small amount of
the chemical after each dumping.
Another tip to prolong the dump interval when using your tank is to use
the spray nozzle for flushing. A few short bursts suffice. The tank flush
is only for use with hookups. Also, minimize TP usage! Even the RV stuff
will swell with moisture.
A: Thetford has a seal repair package. This
kit contains all the seals used in most model toilets. The seal
package cost about $35 and is available from RV Dealers.
A: Best bet is to repair the existing toilet, but if someone else has thrown it out already, here is what is you can do. You lose the china bowl, but it beats using a tree.
Use a Thetford Aqua Magic IV low profile
with foot flush (part#24810 or 20810) and a riser (part#24967).
Remove the seat from the toilet and it will fit perfectly below the fiberglass
shelf.
If the original bench toilet seat is damaged, attach a regular household
toilet seat to the shelf (before you install the toilet). You also have
to first modify the front of the fiberglass surround so you can access
the recessed Thetford foot pedal. Use fiberglass resin and gel-coat to
get a finished look (http://www.fgci.com)
Misc.
A: The Almond and White
Porcelain repair liquid can be worked into the cracks and wiped
flush with toluene or
lacquer thinner. For large area damage, or for all over repairs,
the area can be repaired using fiberglass resin and mat, and
then sprayed with colored gelcoats.
One source of these materials is Fiberglass Coatings, Inc. (http://www.fgci.com/),
or have it done commercially (yellow-pages) by a a fiberglass shower
stall shop.
Another alternative is the use of colored epoxy paints designed
for this purpose. West
System has a nice set of instructions on
fiberglass tub and bathroom repair:
You
can also use tw0-part epoxy or Acrylic Urethane paints and plastic primer
(DPX801) designed for automotive use (PPG), available at automotive
paint
stores.
A: A spray can product called "Gel-Gloss",
available in the cleaning sections of stores, will give the
surfaces a clean looking luster and a smooth feel. Available
at
most Hardware, Wal-Mart's and Home Centers.
A: Airstream used standard
brand-name utility fixtures over the years - Moen, Harcraft,
etc. Parts are still
available at hardware & plumbing stores. Many appropriate
era replacements can be found in a manufacturers all-chrome
utility line of products or used cast-offs at garage sales
and house demolition salvage yards.
A: Sealand
Marine makes an almost exact duplicate of the original porcelain
toilets called the "Traveler 500".
A:
1) Drain your potable water tank and lines using the small valves or plugs found in and under your trailer, depending on the configuration and model year. Open the tank and faucets to allow the air to enter the lines. Make sure the water drains from the hot water tank and lines too.
2) Run the pump to purge it of water, look for low points, and tilt the trailer as high and low as possible using the tongue jack.
3) Close all drain valves but one and close all faucets but one. Using compressed air and a "Hansen Valve" (air-gun), blow air back through one of the drain valves, and have someone open and close all the faucets one by one. Try this from multiple valves on the longer trailers. Open the toilet valve and shower heads too. Make sure at least one faucet is open at all times to prevent damage to system.
4) Actuate the toilet flush valve and drain the water from the toilet supply tank.
5) Leave the faucets open to allow evaporation of any remaining moisture. RV anti-freezes are not recommended, as they can leave a funny taste in the water that takes a long time to dissipate, plus some can encourage algae growth by providing nutrients (glycol). Many newer tanks don't draw from the bottom of the tank, requiring many flushes to clear the remaining residue the next spring.
6) Make sure your Black and Gray Water tanks are empty. Tilting with the tongue jack will help insure this.
7) The RV anti-freezes are recommended though, for use in sink and shower traps that don't have drain plugs. Pour a little in each. This will protect the drain until the water evaporates.
A: They are still made by Alsons,
both the 1950's/1960's version with the chrome body (406K Classic), and
the 1970's molded plastic style (462). Any plumbing supply can
get them, including online sources.
