fresh water tank drain valve

[bthorsberg]

I have a 2011 263RLS Kodiak TT. When I put fresh water in the tank, it runs right out the drain hose underneath the trailer like there's a valve open. I've never seen or turned a fresh water drain valve so I have no idea where to find it. It was just winterized by the dealer so I'm figuring that's what happened and I have called them to ask them where the valve is so I can turn it back off and fill with water, but I've not heard back from them. I crawled underneath and I've poked through cabinets and I can't find that stupid valve to save my life anywhere?

The small portion of pvc that protrudes from the insulated underbelly appears to have a small beige cap on it - but turning the cap one way or the other has no result on slowing the water flow out of the tank. There must be a valve somewhere??? AND of course the "Owner's Manual" is written so generically it mentions of course draining fresh water and other tips on winterization but mentions nothing about the potential location of the necessary valves, hoses, etc. that you need to find to do so.

Can anyone speak with any authority on where I might find this mysteriously hidden valve? Any help is greatly appreciated!

[sawpilot]

Don't have the same unit but mine has a cap on the tube your talking about. Cap ON, holds water, Cap OFF, drains the tank. If you could get a picture it would help.

[Wanderer]

I have a slide valve same as my grey and black dump valves.

[ewarnerusa]

Originally Posted by sawpilot

Don't have the same unit but mine has a cap on the tube your talking about. Cap ON, holds water, Cap OFF, drains the tank. If you could get a picture it would help.

Mine is like this. When the dealer winterized it, he left the cap off and put it in the water heater compartment along with the water heater drain plug. Try opening the outside access to your water heater and see if they stashed it there.

[bthorsberg]

There's a plug that screws into a cap on the end of the drain pvc that pokes out of the insulation under the trailer. No valve, just a plug - identical in size and makeup as the drain plug to the hot water heater. What an idiot I am... I couldn't figure out why there was that little fixture on the end of the drain pvc pipe - couldn't see that it was threaded until I crawled under there (after all the water was drained out so I didn't get drenched).

Thanks to everyone for their responses. I guess a labelled valve somewhere would have been too much to hope for.... for now - plug in - water stays in the tank!

[DesertRat]

Originally Posted by bthorsberg

There's a plug that screws into a cap on the end of the drain pvc that pokes out of the insulation under the trailer. No valve, just a plug - identical in size and makeup as the drain plug to the hot water heater. What an idiot I am... I couldn't figure out why there was that little fixture on the end of the drain pvc pipe - couldn't see that it was threaded until I crawled under there (after all the water was drained out so I didn't get drenched).

Thanks to everyone for their responses. I guess a labelled valve somewhere would have been too much to hope for.... for now - plug in - water stays in the tank!

I would install a valve into that fitting & not a cap. You can open a valve slow if you need to drain it while a cap is going to get you drenched.

[ewarnerusa]

On my unit It doesn't flow very fast when you take the cap off, just a slow drain. In fact, it takes FOREVER to drain the fresh water tank this way.

[DesertRat]

Originally Posted by ewarnerusa

On my unit It doesn't flow very fast when you take the cap off, just a slow drain. In fact, it takes FOREVER to drain the fresh water tank this way.

Try taking the fill cap off next time and see if it makes a difference.. My guess is, it's creating a vacuum & that's why its slow.

[ewarnerusa]

That's a good idea, I think I've tried it before though. The fill cap assembly includes a vent, so I don't think it can create a vacuum even when the cap is screwed on. The drain hose is only about 3/8" inside diameter, so no matter what it isn't going to allow that much flow.

[DesertRat]

If it's only 3/8" yea it wouldn't flow much. I know it has a vent but that's very small also. Except for replacing the line with a 1/2 or 3/4" I've run out of ideas.

[bhoppe]

Remove the drain cap or open the valve on the water heater and the Fresh water will drain fast. I had the same slow draining problem and drove 2 hours home to find it still draining at a slow drip, until I asked a few experienced RV'er at work and they suggested that. Sure enough drained before I left the park.

[Occupant5143]

Now that this topic has been resurrected I'd like to show off a small mod I made to my fresh water drain. Since the drain is located right behind the steps and it takes two hands sometimes to get the darn plug out I added the 1/2" drain petcock that Camco sells on Amazon. Now I can reach behind the steps with one hand to open the drain.

[chily3]

I used this valve, can turn one handed. From amazon.

[DentonFender]

Resurrecting this thread to be sure this pipe and valve hanging underneath our recently acquired Four Winds is the fresh water drain valve. It hangs down in the worst possible place to access. Between the axles and behind the tires. Seventy somethings have a hard time crawling underneath trailers to begin with. If it is the drain, its going to get re-plumbed to the outside. (Ignore the wood slat, I'm in the process of re-securing the underbelly pan.)

[ATCguy]

Originally Posted by DentonFender

?..If it is the drain, its going to get re-plumbed to the outside. (Ignore the wood slat, I'm in the process of re-securing the underbelly pan.)

That does appear to be the fresh water drain. Mine is in a similar position… but instead of moving the valve, I simply had an electric valve installed. So now, all I do is push a button in the wet-bay.

[DentonFender]

Electric valve sounds like a brilliant idea! Is it placed underneath or somewhere inside?

[ATCguy]

Originally Posted by DentonFender

Electric valve sounds like a brilliant idea! Is it placed underneath or somewhere inside?

Well, the valve itself replaces your manual valve… and the control switch is placed where it’s easily accessible. In my case, that’s the wet-bay.

I replaced all of my valves with electric (1 black tank, 2 grey tanks, 1 fresh-water tank)… and the switches are seen in the photos below (fresh water switch is on the bottom left):

[DentonFender]

Thanks, ATCguy, that's a pretty nifty setup you have. I'll do some investigation on the electric valve. Appreciate your interest and information.