Drain Fresh Water 25B

hrgottlieb · 06-13-2021, 07:15 PM

Just bought a Minnie Winnie 25B. Wanted to drain fresh water tank so I opened the terribly placed valve under the bed but the water just dripped. So I ran the water through the pump to the sinks and emptied most of it that way.

Am I missing something?

ALSO we have not used the toilet other than two flushes to put some water in the black tank. But when I was shutting it all down there was a ton of water in the black tank. Anyone know if anything other than the toilet leads there?

Thanks from a Newbie!!

GaryKowal1 · 06-13-2021, 10:37 PM

It would be very normal for the bathroom sink to be plumbed into black tank. My 26a does that.

**Eagle5** · 06-13-2021, 11:07 PM

Hi Hrgottlieb,
In reviewing page 7-8 of the Operator's Manual, there is an admonition to assure that the bypass handle needs to be in the normal flow position. Could that be the cause of the slow fresh water tank drainage? You might also try leaving the sink taps open, just in case the tank vent is somehow plugged.
Welcome to the Forum.
Eagle5

hrgottlieb · 06-14-2021, 09:23 AM

Granted I've owned the Minnie for less than a week. But the drain valve buried deep in the plumbing box below the mattress in the darkest corner of the RV is a tad challenging.

I will take a better look.

I did open the faucets to help drain the tank but had the pump on. Should I have had the pump off?

Thanks for helping a newbie : )

**Eagle5** · 06-14-2021, 09:52 AM

When I drain my 40 gallon fresh water tank, all I need do is open the drain valve. I don't run the pump or open a faucet, as the tank itself is vented on the top. Another item to see is if any line is kinked. Something must be blocking somewhere.

hrgottlieb · 06-14-2021, 09:59 AM

Thanks ... i'll see if I can find a kink in the line. Again I sure appreciate your help.

Morich · 06-14-2021, 10:38 AM

One of the important things to list with questions is what exact RV you have as things do change from year to year!
Can we assume this is a 2021 model?

Based on that guess, I went to the prats catalog which has a super great system to look at the interior of our RV and see where things like lines and tank set.
https://catalog3d.winnebagoind.com/menu/Parts.htm

I t shows that on the 2021 model the vanity sink drains into the black tank and the rest all goes to grey.
I did snip of the lines into and out of the fresh tank and it looks like the question of kinks, etc should be a small one as it is so short and the way it ties into the lines with the pump, making when the pump can feed good water pressure and flow, the drain should be very close, too.

I've marked the vent as coming from the bottom but if the pump is able to provide water, the blocked drain can't be the cause of not draining well as the air has to come in the same spot.

When water comes out to the pump as marked in blue, it meets a tee to go to the drain, so the odds of kinks there seems remote?

However, it might be easy to see a plastic drain valve turned the wrong way may not be opening now????
But keep in mind that this is guesswork and based on the 2021 model, so if you have different, things may be different!

hrgottlieb · 06-14-2021, 06:08 PM

Thanks so much for the thorough answer.

It is a 2021 Minnie Winnie 25B. I'm going to try to get better lighting down in the compartment under the mattress to get a better look.

Morich · 06-14-2021, 06:20 PM

RV folks should be born with small hands and heads that we could roll into some of these weird spots??

hrgottlieb · 06-14-2021, 07:33 PM

Isn't that the truth.

Morich · 06-14-2021, 07:59 PM

Just as a headsup that I notice on the way this drawing shows the water pump and small filter?
If it is as hard to see as the drain, one might want to use some extra care when you winterize and especially if the filter is turned the way shown in this drawing. If the little plastic filter is hanging down from the line (which actually feels right) it makes water stay in the filter to freeze if we only drain things!
I like to keep my filter plumbed so it has bottom side up so the water doesn't stand in it when draining! Might want to look extra for that small help to head off having to get in there to change out a broken filter housing (cheap thin plastic!)

That pink item in the picture above!

68silverlane · 06-23-2021, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hrgottlieb

Just bought a Minnie Winnie 25B. Wanted to drain fresh water tank so I opened the terribly placed valve under the bed but the water just dripped. So I ran the water through the pump to the sinks and emptied most of it that way.

Am I missing something?

ALSO we have not used the toilet other than two flushes to put some water in the black tank. But when I was shutting it all down there was a ton of water in the black tank. Anyone know if anything other than the toilet leads there?

Thanks from a Newbie!!

I once had a Coachmen class A that the kitchen sink drain was plumbed into the black water tank. And yes the drain valve on my Minnie Winnie is hidden under the bed also.

paof6 · 06-24-2021, 03:09 AM

2019 25B with many make-it-our-own mods here. Yes access to that compartment under the mattress is a pain in the @#$%! There is access to that compartment for fresh water drain & to winterize thru the side basement hatch at the very front of the compartment. The cover with the light on it. Yours should be the same i would think. I don't run my pump while draining, mine it is not fast to drain and only the bathroom sink & toilet drain to the black tank.

gurroz · 06-24-2021, 08:17 AM

I have a 2016 25B. Not much has changed in the coach. I have not used the drain valve under the bed due to location. When we drain the tank we just pump everything into the gray and black tank. We did have a leak at the water heater which is located under the stove. When the RV tech repaired it there was a 3-way valve that opened the flow of water to the water heater, shut the water flow off to the water heater and opened a drain that dumped the water on the ground, essentially draining the freshwater tank. The valve under the bed may be a 3-way valve as well. Just a thought.

paof6 · 06-24-2021, 01:31 PM

That 3 way valve near the water heater is part of the water heater winter bypass system. We do a lot of winter camping so I'm at that valve all the time winterizing our Minnie. That valve also drains the water heater in one of it's 3 positions. The under bed/thru the basement drain valve is strictly for the water tank. It's a 1/4 turn valve btw. Pull the panel at the front of the basement compartment for access. I had to reroute the basement light wiring (W had it wired so that the panel only moved a small distance) so that I could slide the panel all the way inboard to get full access.