Draining Fresh Water Tank

[Bob Bulot]

OK, Here's the next newbee question:

I want to drain my fresh water tank so that I can sanitize it (the water in it now is three years old and is making my Jack Daniels kind of chewy and funny tasting). 

The manual doesn't have anything to say about how to do this.  There is a switch on the outside service panel that says "Fresh Water".  The manual proudly ID's this as the "Fresh Water Drain Switch" but declines further comment.  The switch toggles up or down, but doesn't actually do anything that I can detect.

I found a drain valve next to the water pump in the bay access, and when I open it, it will drain the water, but only if I start the water pump.  This doesn't feel like the right way to go about this.

Any clues?

[Joel Ashley]

Oh, Bob, you left yourself wide open on this one...
"I want to drain my fresh water tank so that I can sanitize it (the water in it now is three years old and is making my Jack Daniels kind of chewy and funny tasting). 

The manual doesn't have anything to say about how to do this."

I usually ignore my Jack Daniels Manual on this one, and add no water whatsoever.

That issue aside, it sounds like the switch you are messing with in the water bay, assuming that's where your looking, is the one that toggles between adding water to the tank and the direct connection between plumbing devices and park water.  You should have another switch in the water bay that's labeled "Fresh Water Dump" or some such thing, with Open and Close labels top and bottom.  Though entirely optional, I highly recommend postponing the Jack Daniels lubrication until after this difficulty is resolved, despite any freezing weather you may be enduring.

That advice taken care of, the drains in the pump area are not likely to fully empty your tank.  However, while you're in there you might want to unscrew the screen filter holder on the pump inlet and clean it before proceeding.  As to sanitizing the tank, there is the method of hooking a hose to the "City Water" fill hookup and putting a cup of bleach in the hose, than connecting it to a spigot and flushing the bleach in while filling the tank, letting it set some hours, than dumping and refilling, yada, yada.  Optionally, you may prefer putting the Jack Daniels in the hose, however it may not be quite as effective at sanitizing the tank as it does you. 

A search of the Forum may provide a description of my tank sanitizing methodology that I find less messy and problematic.  If I can find it, I'll come back with a link to it.  Hopefully before this evening's happy hour. 

-Joel

[Rick Mayer]

Bob,  If your water storage tank is up front, check forward of the left front tire for a "T-Handle", which opens the dump valve for your not so fresh water.  Good choice of beverage.

[Joel Ashley]

I would think Bob's '06 Marquis would have an electric water tank dump valve switch in the water bay, since our '06 Monterey does, but one never knows.

Here's the link to my sanitation method I mentioned in my previous post:
http://beaveramb.org/forum/index.php/topic,5053.msg37841.html#msg37841

The one thing I'd add to my technique is pre-dissolving the follow-up soda in hot water, because otherwise powdery soda relentlessly clings to the inside of the dispenser and it can be difficult to get it to disperse out into the tank.  Undissolved, regardless of how you put soda in, it probably adheres to the tank surfaces anyway rather than going into solution where it can absorb latent bleach residues.  Rotating the black dispenser upside down encourages gravity to aid in dissolving and emptying it.

-Joel

[Keith Moffett]

Bob
your system should be just like ours.  If you go to the Aqua Hot bay on the passenger side the Aqua Hot area should be covered with a black rigid plastic board.   Just left you should be able to see the freshwater tank in the same bay.  Just at the bottom of the tank is a 'T' valve.  Trun the T  so it lines up with the plastic pipe it is part of.  Your fresh water should drain in a few minutes.  Remember to close this for filling. 
I believe the rocker switch you refer to is for filling the tank.  It electricaly opens a valve so that the garden hose (city water) connectionwill automaticaly fill the fresh tank.

Just FYI Jack is good but try Old Granddad.  It growels at you when you open the cap.

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

Bob,
If your 06 is similar to my 07 Contessa the tank drain switch isn't a toggle but a 3 position momentary. To open or close the tank drain valve the switch needs to be held in the appropriate position while a motor opens or closes the drain valve.
Steve

[Joel Ashley]

Thanks for clarifying that, Steve;  I should've  been more clear.  It may be why Bob hadn't noticed any response if he just tapped the rocker instead of holding it a few seconds.

I reckon Keith proved my point also, that one never knows about these rigs' setups.  But does the Grandad growl on every opening or just the first one?

Joel

[Bob Bulot]

Thanks to all for the helpful responses. 

The momentary toggle marked "Fresh Tank" is a three position, but doesn't do anything.  I suspect the valve it controls is frozen, or electrically challenged.  This may be why, when I open the gravity drain, nothing comes out until I turn on the water pump and pump water to it.  I can't find the electric valve the switch operates.

As to the Old Granddad suggestions, I would caution my fellow Jack Daniels Tennessee Squires to forgive our friends on the forum, for like the good book says:  "They know not what they do".

[Joel Ashley]

Yes, I concede I often know not what the **** I do, as my Beam affliction too often dictates.  When that's not affecting me I might look first under the curbside below the water tank for the valve.  But though I know where it is, having watched it dump water countless times, I've never got underneath to look.  Thus, whether access directly to the electrical connections can be had there I can't say. 

Your Marquis may be configured quite differently, but our tank is set perpendicular to the coach length, curbside next to and in the hydronics (forwardmost) bay where proximity to the HydroHot helps keep it from freezing.  The dump valve underneath is not far in from the coach edge.  Wherever your tank is, hopefully you can get at the valve motor wires to check and test them for 12v when the switch is "off its rocker" (centered).  If there's no juice, it could be the switch itself, although others here may tell us if there's a relay involved that could be the culprit.

Regardless, I can advise not to have your face under the valve while fiddling with the wires... unless you happen to require a sobering experience at the time    .

Joel

[Keith Moffett]

We are on our 3rd Beaver.  Pat, Marquis and then Thunder.  I hear you folks talk about that switch and it is yet another version I have never seen.  An electronic switch to 'dump' the fresh water?  Black tank yes, grey tank yes on the Marquis.  Never the fresh water dump.  Goes to show what I know.
So Bob, the  bay just ahead of the rear tire on the passanger side.  That is your Aqua Hot bay right?  But no manual T valve in there? 
That settles it, I am going back to my comparison testing Jim, Jack or OGD.

[Bob Bulot]

I'm starting to think that no two of these coaches were built the same.

There is definitely no drain valve behind the Aqua Hot cover curbside.  There is a drain hose that comes out there, but it is connected to the Aqua Hot.  The only other drain house under  the coach is the one connected to the T valve next to the water pump in the bay.  The switch in the photo is clearly ID'd in the manual as "Fresh Water Dump Switch".

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

Bob,
The water tank switch sure looks like a 3 position momentary. Push and hold down the switch on the lower side and see if the tank doesn't start to drain. It may take 5 seconds or so for the valve to open. If no joy, the switch is bad, the wire has a break in it (probably at one of the terminations), the motor is bad, or the valve is stuck. I'd suspect a stuck valve. Since the drain is gravity fed, the drain will be at the fresh water tank. When you locate the valve, try rapping it a few times to loosen it. Then check for voltage at the motor when the switch is pressed.
Good luck! Steve

[Lee Welbanks]

Bob,

Your switch panel looks almost like the one on my 06 PT, your switch labeled Fresh Tank is your drain switch, the valve should be a Asco Red Hat Solenoid valve 1/2", mine dumps straight out the bottom of the tank under the coach. Look under your coach and you should find where the valve dumps out.
Things to check: 12V to switch, 12V through the switch, when you find the valve check that the mag coil. It should be magnetic with the switch in the on position. These valves have a rubber diaphragm, its rare but it could be stuck. Easy to rebuild these.

[Joel Ashley]

I can't go get under and take a picture of the valve outlet, Bob, as there's a lot of mushy snow around our coach's perimeter at the moment, with ice storm warnings and freezing rain, etc. 

But it must be a pretty good sized port since when the switch is flipped, it does take a few moments for the motor to open the valve, and then the flow rate is far more substantial than what comes out of a mere hose.  It should be easy to spot under probably one end of the translucent plastic tank.

Joel

[Jerry Carr]

The fresh drain on the 06 PT is about 2" diameter its a good idea to add some lube to the valve as it may have some road build up on it. The tank will drain in just a few minutes.