2014 Navion iQ 24V Gray Water Drain Pump Location

[MrHarryBay-WO]

Anybody have a diagram or photo of the gray tank drain pump location? We're checking our way through the systems of the new-to-us Navion, and after dewinterizing I tried to dump the holding tanks of the flush water in case it turns sub-freezing again. The blank tank emptied OK but as far as I can tell the gray tank did not: no sound of water coming through the hose and the drain pump did not kick in when I depressed the switch in the water bay. The pump breaker was on so my next step is to inspect the pump itself. I know the general area it's in but can't find it-- (the original operating manual has a photo but no location).

I've seen various forum threads about how the drain pump doesn't activate below a certain water level in the gray tank. The onboard monitor indicates that it's 1/3 full. Appreciate any insight on this. Thanks!

Side note: while flushing the fresh water tank and city water lines, we experienced a lot of water leaking at the coupling where the black and gray tank outlets join. The tank handles were both closed and the dust caps were on. Ordered a new coupling to replace the original which is brittle and cracked--perhaps that's where my gray water already went?

 

[Morich]

Sound like it need a good look and I can add some pictures but far better may be to also show how to get to any other info on [arts as it can be needed later!
Provide fish but better to teach you WHERE to fish?
Interactive parts catalog here:

Parts Catalog

You will find there are two builds, early and late of that RV and year. If 7th digit of serial number, NOT VIN, is 1 it is early or a 2 if later year build!
I see no major difference in this little group but you may want to be sure to get the correct build for other parts?
OR I may also have missed the detail you need!

I note that it also shows a drain cleanout between the tank drain valve and pump? Maybe checking there is something that is reasonably easy to spot and get to and open?

Good luck with the chase!

 

[Morich]

As an afterthought? If you get into chasing power on this pump, they have stopped giving the full blown wiring schematics for the 12 VDC items, but given us some other info we can get some value out of. But it takes a bit of getting used to how to dig out the info, so I should share some hints!
First they stamp ID labels on the smaller wiring:

They also throw in ID on drawings:

This shows we want to look at circuits DA and JA for this switch and pump!
We have a "decoder list" here:

https://www.winnebago.com/Files/Files/Winnebago/Resources/Diagram/electrical_guide.pdf

If we go to DA and JA on the list, we can get the wire gauge and color to expect and where that wire comes "from" and "to". It also may give us info on related wires as the ID often changes as a wire goes to an item and then a different ID after that item.
That can be a big help when we find we are missing either the battery or the ground of a circuit as we can stop checking for both if one is good?
I think I have found the wire ID from the fuse to switch and on to pump and possibly the ground?
Maybe check this before trusting too far as it takes a bit of guessing from the "hints" they give us and that can be a bit like following bread crumbs through the forest!
I have been known to lead folks up a stump so yell back if it looks really bad??
JA from fuse to pump? With note about JP?

JP being the ground?

Without an actual drawing or being able to look at these connections, some are a bit of mystery from here but may make sense if you get in that far?

Again, Best of luck in the chase with a less than perfect system of info?

 

[bigb56]

I have a Via with the pump so yours may not be the same but here is how mine is set up. First you have to pull out the handle in the water bay for the gray tank, which lets water into the 1.5" pipe. From there the gray water goes down the 1.5" pipe and gets sucked up by the pump which is hard to see without standing on your head, but in the 1.5" line, after the valve and before the pump, there should be a low point with a plug that you can unscrew to drain the gray tank in case the pump fails. It's a 1.5" plug, I adapted mine down to a garden hose fitting so it may look a bit different than yours if you have it.

The pumps can also jam just like a kitchen disposal.

 

[MrHarryBay-WO]

As an afterthought? If you get into chasing power on this pump, they have stopped giving the full blown wiring schematics for the 12 VDC items, but given us some other info we can get some value out of. But it takes a bit of getting used to how to dig out the info, so I should share some hints!
First they stamp ID labels on the smaller wiring:
View attachment 1110869
They also throw in ID on drawings:
View attachment 1110870
This shows we want to look at circuits DA and JA for this switch and pump!
We have a "decoder list" here:

https://www.winnebago.com/Files/Files/Winnebago/Resources/Diagram/electrical_guide.pdf

If we go to DA and JA on the list, we can get the wire gauge and color to expect and where that wire comes "from" and "to". It also may give us info on related wires as the ID often changes as a wire goes to an item and then a different ID after that item.
That can be a big help when we find we are missing either the battery or the ground of a circuit as we can stop checking for both if one is good?
I think I have found the wire ID from the fuse to switch and on to pump and possibly the ground?
Maybe check this before trusting too far as it takes a bit of guessing from the "hints" they give us and that can be a bit like following bread crumbs through the forest!
I have been known to lead folks up a stump so yell back if it looks really bad??
JA from fuse to pump? With note about JP?
View attachment 1110871
JP being the ground?
View attachment 1110872
Without an actual drawing or being able to look at these connections, some are a bit of mystery from here but may make sense if you get in that far?
View attachment 1110873
Again, Best of luck in the chase with a less than perfect system of info?

Thanks, Morich, this is a LOT to digest. Appreciate the thorough responses.

 

[MrHarryBay-WO]

I have a Via with the pump so yours may not be the same but here is how mine is set up. First you have to pull out the handle in the water bay for the gray tank, which lets water into the 1.5" pipe. From there the gray water goes down the 1.5" pipe and gets sucked up by the pump which is hard to see without standing on your head, but in the 1.5" line, after the valve and before the pump, there should be a low point with a plug that you can unscrew to drain the gray tank in case the pump fails. It's a 1.5" plug, I adapted mine down to a garden hose fitting so it may look a bit different than yours if you have it.

The pumps can also jam just like a kitchen disposal.

View attachment 1110915

Thanks bigb56. I have spent a ton of time under there and have yet to find the pump. I’ve seen a bunch of posts where owners convert that low point drain plug with ball valves and sewer connections in a similar fashion to yours. Seems like a good contingency to pursue should I indeed have a broken drain pump. I see that there’s a big square fitting on the plug, does that just open with an adjustable or plumbing wrench?

 

[bigb56]

Thanks bigb56. I have spent a ton of time under there and have yet to find the pump. I’ve seen a bunch of posts where owners convert that low point drain plug with ball valves and sewer connections in a similar fashion to yours. Seems like a good contingency to pursue should I indeed have a broken drain pump. I see that there’s a big square fitting on the plug, does that just open with an adjustable or plumbing wrench?

Yes, it unscrews. Try to hold onto the assembly while turning so it doesn't move or break if it's real tight.

If you follow the 1.5" line it will lead to the pump. Mine is tucked up way high and accessible from under the bed.

 

[Morich]

Sometimes the drawings we get are great. Other times they seem to hint at things but leave me guessing!
If we turn those drawings we can get a hint of this pump location. It does show high from underneath but still under the floor? And if I read it right, you have two bunk beds? Under one, where the pump might be seems to show an access panel shown in grey ?
Possible they left an opening for access if needed?

 

[bigb56]

That's exactly how mine is, it's even angled like that.
edit to clarify: I just went to take a look, mine is visible by peering up high in the electrical compartment. I can actually reach it from there but removal would be a challenge and there is no slot or anything on top that I could feel to rotate it by hand in case of a jam.

It's also accessible thru the trap door under the mattress but not easily, it's a good arm stretch away.

Like I said just follow that 1.5" pipe and it will lead you right to it.

 

[bigb56]

I actually modified mine by adding a dump valve so I never use the pump at all.

 

[MrHarryBay-WO]

Thanks for this, I will check under the bed for access. And I am in the process today of installing a dump valve, I thought I saw a parts list for this modification elsewhere. Appreciate everyone's input.

 

[MrHarryBay-WO]

Sometimes the drawings we get are great. Other times they seem to hint at things but leave me guessing!
If we turn those drawings we can get a hint of this pump location. It does show high from underneath but still under the floor? And if I read it right, you have two bunk beds? Under one, where the pump might be seems to show an access panel shown in grey ?
Possible they left an opening for access if needed?
View attachment 1111544
View attachment 1111545

Thanks, I will take a look for that access door. Appreciate your thorough replies!

 

[bigb56]

Thanks for this, I will check under the bed for access. And I am in the process today of installing a dump valve, I thought I saw a parts list for this modification elsewhere. Appreciate everyone's input.

I put mine together from parts but I later discovered a Valterra part that's used on a lot of Airstreams that works, I'll look for the info

edit, see below. This allows you to drain the gray separately but still allows for the pump if desired. It's slightly more compact than my home made solution.

 

[MrHarryBay-WO]

Here's my homemade hack: m-to-m 1.25" connector, ball valve, garden hose adapter. All brass weighing a robust 3 lb., I won't drive with that on lest it damage the drain pipe. The Valterra valve solution is much more elegant, particularly with the sewer connector (my garden hose solution will take eons). I may pursue that if I'm feeling frisky. Hopefully this remains Plan B as I'd like to get that pump working. Thanks!

 

[bigb56]

Wow that's quite a setup! You don't really need a valve there since the gray water doesn't get to that point until you pull the small handle on the 1.5" dump valve (like when you're getting ready to use the pump).

There's a rule I learned a long time ago from a plumber, plastic into plastic OK, plastic into metal OK, metal into plastic, not OK.

 

[Morich]

On getting the Macerator pump running? Not this specific one but I found the portable that I used to get water to flow uphill was not a good one for me as it tended to stick any time I stored it for very long. But there may/may not be a semi-simple way to get it moving. But I can't see the rear of the pump as pictured in the photo Big b posted above. He may already know but if there is a rubber fitting that looks like a plug that would be in the center of the top/rear end of the pump, you may be able to pull that plug out to expose a slot built into the end of the motor shaft??
IF, IF, if you can get in to reach it and pull the rubber plug out, you may be able to turn the shaft with a big screwdriver and it may then be good to go?
If they built a way to get the portable broken loose when it dried, does it seem like they would do the same for mounted?

The big question may be if there is a plug hiding right behind where the red circle and white coax hide things in that picture?

But I can make up all kinds of things in my mind that other folks can't seee!!

 

[MrHarryBay-WO]

Wow that's quite a setup! You don't really need a valve there since the gray water doesn't get to that point until you pull the small handle on the 1.5" dump valve (like when you're getting ready to use the pump).

There's a rule I learned a long time ago from a plumber, plastic into plastic OK, plastic into metal OK, metal into plastic, not OK.

Yeah, LOL, I barely know which end of a screwdriver to bang on, so owning trailers and now this RV has been quite an experience.

 

[MrHarryBay-WO]

On getting the Macerator pump running? Not this specific one but I found the portable that I used to get water to flow uphill was not a good one for me as it tended to stick any time I stored it for very long. But there may/may not be a semi-simple way to get it moving. But I can't see the rear of the pump as pictured in the photo Big b posted above. He may already know but if there is a rubber fitting that looks like a plug that would be in the center of the top/rear end of the pump, you may be able to pull that plug out to expose a slot built into the end of the motor shaft??
IF, IF, if you can get in to reach it and pull the rubber plug out, you may be able to turn the shaft with a big screwdriver and it may then be good to go?
If they built a way to get the portable broken loose when it dried, does it seem like they would do the same for mounted?

The big question may be if there is a plug hiding right behind where the red circle and white coax hide things in that picture?

But I can make up all kinds of things in my mind that other folks can't seee!!

I’ll let you know what I find—if I find it! Thanks.

 

[MrHarryBay-WO]

Yeah, LOL, I barely know which end of a screwdriver to bang on, so owning trailers and now this RV has been quite an experience.

Take Two: this is a lot better, I think. That first version was ridiculous. Thanks again for the help.