dgm88keys Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 New user, recently upgraded to VW T4 Clubman GL. Wondering where my waste water is going - gone through about three or four tanks of fresh water on first trip, and can't see any waste water sign at all! Admittedly the drain pipe sits slightly higher than the bottom of the waste tank, but the waste tank holds less than the fresh water tank, the drain tap is set to open, and there has to have been at least 500 litres gone done there - no sign of it coming out anywhere. I can hear it going into the tank - any ideas? Thank-you - and great site, by the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ips Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Its a mystery :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliveH Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 On a dry day I suggest parking on a dry bit of drive/concrete and pouring water down the sink then looking under the vehicle to see where it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubberrat Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Are you driving it wearing a snorkel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 500L in..and nowt's come out!?... 8-) Just how much tea do you drink?...... (lol) Joking aside, does the waste tank sound full(give it a thump with the side of your hand)? Is it possible that you've got a blocked drain tap?...be even then, with the quantities you're talking of, I would've thought that it would overflow through a breather on the tank ?(..and I would assume that failing that, any "back-log" would've been noticed in the van, in the shower tray, sinks etc).. I'd check the whole run of the waste pipe(remove backs/bases of cupboards if need be), to make sure there are no leaks..But again, unless it's just pouring straight out underneath, one would assume that there'd be signs of water seeping through, into cupboards or across the floor somewhere..? I don't suppose the previous owner has by passed the waste tank and has just fitted an outlet pipe, so he could just feed it into a bucket/waste hog..? (clutching at straws a bit, I know...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docted Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 I would think that it is probably holy water and its hiding in the holes :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 I think you could make a lot of bucks selling a tank like this. I should keep quiet about it and then patent it. If you send me £500 (in used £20's) I'll file the patent for you? :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliffy Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 You may need to get your payload upraded as you are potentialy carrying a half a metric tonne of water around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyishuk Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Hope its not slopping around the bilges ! Oops wrong forum. Rgds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antony1969 Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Come summer and were running out of water after 4 hours of continuous sun and drought rules apply your guna make a sodding fortune draining that baby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 dgm88keys - 2014-05-29 1:55 PM New user, recently upgraded to VW T4 Clubman GL. Wondering where my waste water is going - gone through about three or four tanks of fresh water on first trip, and can't see any waste water sign at all! Admittedly the drain pipe sits slightly higher than the bottom of the waste tank, but the waste tank holds less than the fresh water tank, the drain tap is set to open, and there has to have been at least 500 litres gone done there - no sign of it coming out anywhere. I can hear it going into the tank - any ideas? Thank-you - and great site, by the way. According to the Autosleeper website: http://autosleeper.vwt4camper.info/html/vw_t4_autosleeper_clubman_gl.html The tanks hold: 84.6 litre of fresh water 54.8 litres of waste water So 3 or 4 refils of the fresh water tank, allowing for there still being some left in it, would equate to around 75 litres a go, therefore between 225 litres (3 refills) and 300 litres (4 refills), not 500 litres. Take off this an allowance for what you drink etc that doesn't go down the drain and what s actually going into your waste tank could be a fair bit less, but it still should be more than your tank would hold so it's got to be going somewhere - is there a leak in the tank/pipes/joints where it could be draining out slowly? Does your drain tap itself leak? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Collings Posted May 31, 2014 Share Posted May 31, 2014 Unless I have misunderstood what you wrote: , the drain tap is set to open, and there has to have been at least 500 litres gone done there - no sign of it coming out anywhere. I can hear it going into the tank - any ideas? Thank-you - and great site, by the way. Its running out as fast as it goes in and vanishing into the ground. The Clubman grey tank drain is only 3/4 inch and it probably comes out too slowly to make a puddle. Try shutting the drain tap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgm88keys Posted June 2, 2014 Author Share Posted June 2, 2014 I'm liking this site - you guys are funny! I suspect you're all just jealous that I have a VW Clubman with a commonwealth-size swimming pool. Seriously - I suspect that as the tank sump is lower than the drain tap, it's never been full enough for me to notice any drainage. Leaving the drain tap open as I drive, I guess the water's sloshed around enough to empty significantly, leaving me back at square one on the next stop. Good answers, though - thanks for your help and interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Collings Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Driving with the grey tank drain open. Not very PC. Watch your back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 Even if the position of a motorhome's waste-water tank's outlet prevents the tank from becoming absolutely empty, if sufficient water goes into it the tank will become full provided that there is no leakage and the tank's drain-tap remains closed. If the drain-tap is left open, wherever the tank's outlet is the tank will eventually begin to drain when the water-level in the tank reaches the drain-outlet. (I would have thought this was so obvious and unarguable that it should not need to be said.) Leaving the tank's drain-tap open is not that uncommon a practice but, when the motorhome is parked up, a container of some sort would normally be used to collect the water emerging from the tap, with the container being emptied (and the drain-tap closed) before the motorhome is driven. Allowing the water to drain on to the ground beneath the vehicle when the motorhome is parked, or on to the road when it is driven, is generally considered a Deadly Sin and, in the latter case, potentially dangerous. These earlier forum-threads refer: https://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Do-you-drain-your-waste-tank-as-you-go-along-/28922/ http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Dumping-grey-waste/27718/? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 Having seen many a MH leave sites with the waste open its just a dribble and only lasts a few yards so this needs to be viewed with a bit of perspective as to the extreme dangers to be encountered :-D Ever followed a cattle float or a lorry carrying wet gravel with waster flowing out all the time. If you do, you drive accordingly and an observant driver should be paying attention to the road surface just as much as there vehicle in front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 True...but I think it's as much about people being bone ideal and self-centric, as it is about "safety"... As I've said before(possibly in Derek's links, I haven't read 'em), folk don't empty their washing up bowls down their own driveways or across the pavements/roads outside their own houses do they... Why do we think that is...? ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 I agree that those who allow a complete empty of the tank as they leave are dispicable. I normally drain into a bucket and empty as and when. Unfortunatey if I forget to close and move off yes there may be some liquid coming out but certainly no great amount and even then it will soon evaporate, so a bit perspective needed as to the extreme dangers. :-| Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Had Enough Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 It's about perception and giving the right impression. Anyone following a motorhome with fluid dribbling from it will not form a good opinion about us. They may well believe that it's coming from the lavatory tank. I'm not precious about grey water and see no problem with distributing it along hedgerows for example when it's appropriate and necessary, but letting it out on public roads is anti-social and gives the public the wrong impression of the typical motorhomer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerC Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 Allowing your water to 'drain' whist on the move is a very bad practice in my opinion. Imagine you are a motorcyclist and you come around a corner to be met with a trail of 'liquid' in front of you. As a motorcyclist for many years I know from experience you suffer an immediate 'sphincter' reaction because your brain tells you it's 'diesel'......it's one of those 'oh sh1t' moments that are quite disconcerting. Diesel and motorcycles don't mix very well. The diesel usually wins and the motorcyclist loses control because the diesel makes the road surface akin to riding on ice..................so please think of others and don't do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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