Water tank drain on a Fleetwood Bayside

[RHeckman]

I just bought a new F/W bayside, Do I have to crawl underneath the camper in order to drain the fresh water tank, I hope not?

TX..Bob

[BaysideBruce]

With my '01 Bayside I did.  Until I finally added some plastic pipe to the drain pipe and installed a turn valve that is even with the outside frame of the trailer.  Now all I have to do is reach down give the turn valve a quater turn and it opens or closes the drain on the fill tank.  I think it cost me $10.00 for the piping, the screw-in adapter that screwed into the fill tank drain, the valve and about 30 minutes to install it.

[RHeckman]

With my '01 Bayside I did.  Until I finally added some plastic pipe to the drain pipe and installed a turn valve that is even with the outside frame of the trailer.  Now all I have to do is reach down give the turn valve a quater turn and it opens or closes the drain on the fill tank.  I think it cost me $10.00 for the piping, the screw-in adapter that screwed into the fill tank drain, the valve and about 30 minutes to install it.

My drain plug is in the front of my tank (hitch end), is your's?
If I remember correctly, I think I seen a picture of something your talking about somewhere, I don't remember...

[BaysideBruce]

The fresh water holding tank is towards the rear of our trailer.  The drain is pointed towards the rear bumper.  The hot water heater is in front part of the trailer (inside the trunk).  Yes with both of them, I had to crawl under the trailer to drain them.   I have changed the drain on the fresh water tank but I have not done anything yet with the hot water tank.  I do remember seeing this mod on someones web site but I can't find it now.  I'll keep looking.

[tleary]

I also put a 1/2" gate valve on my Bayside,  

See web site:  http://community.webshots.com/user/tpleary  
click on Mods to Bayside.  

I installed a PVC "T" fitting to the tank one halve runs to the side drain and the other goes to the hand fresh water pump on the galley sink.  The pump works great if you want conserve your 12 volt supply.

[Dray]

I also put a 1/2" gate valve on my Bayside,  

See web site:  http://community.webshots.com/user/tpleary  
click on Mods to Bayside.  

I installed a PVC "T" fitting to the tank one halve runs to the side drain and the other goes to the hand fresh water pump on the galley sink.  The pump works great if you want conserve your 12 volt supply.

Thank you tleary for this.  Don't know if your still online here but I did this mod and it was so easy!  It will be so much easier to drain my tank now.  And this really helps me since I have a bad back.  Thanks for the pictures especially.

[SpeakEasy]

Thank you tleary for this.  Don't know if your still online here but I did this mod and it was so easy!  It will be so much easier to drain my tank now.  And this really helps me since I have a bad back.  Thanks for the pictures especially.

If you have an electric pump, what's to prevent you from using the pump to "drain" your water tanks? Must be you don't have an electric pump?

-Speak

[tlhdoc]

If you have an electric pump, what's to prevent you from using the pump to "drain" your water tanks? Must me you don't have an electric pump?
 
-Speak

I don't like to run my pump if it isn't needed.  I added a valve to my tank and just open it when we leave the campsite.  The tank is dry when we get home.

[Dray]

If you have an electric pump, what's to prevent you from using the pump to "drain" your water tanks? Must me you don't have an electric pump?

-Speak

That's good.  I thought of that too.  Why not just pump out the water.  Is that what you do?  

I like the idea of just opening the plug and letting it drain out either into the dump station or else while driving home.

[SpeakEasy]

That's good.  I thought of that too.  Why not just pump out the water.  Is that what you do?  

I like the idea of just opening the plug and letting it drain out either into the dump station or else while driving home.

Yup; I use the pump to empty the tanks. I can't imagine rummaging around on the ground under the trailer to open the drain plug. I do like the idea of the mod, though, to enable opening a valve without going under the camper.

I wonder why tlhdoc doesn't like to use the pump? tlh? whassup?

-Speak

[Dray]

Yup; I use the pump to empty the tanks. I can't imagine rummaging around on the ground under the trailer to open the drain plug. I do like the idea of the mod, though, to enable opening a valve without going under the camper.

I wonder why tlhdoc doesn't like to use the pump? tlh? whassup?

-Speak

Maybe he doesn't like it for the same reason I don't like it.  It's too noisy.  I read about another mod I might try in the future which is to make the pump not run so much somehow.  I like that idea.

[wavery]

I don't like to run my pump if it isn't needed.  I added a valve to my tank and just open it when we leave the campsite.  The tank is dry when we get home.

That's exactly what we did too. Used it today

[Dray]

Help me understand something please.  If I use the pump to drain the tank(s), can I at the same time just turn on the hot water and drain the hot water tank too?  That's another 6 gallons of weight I could shed before leaving the campsite.  Right?  

And one more thing.  Do you guys that use the water pump to drain your tanks just drain it where your camping?  If so, does it make a muddy mess for the next camper?

[fourgonefishn]

I just bought a new F/W bayside, Do I have to crawl underneath the camper in order to drain the fresh water tank, I hope not?

TX..Bob

Do the cheap and easy mod! You won't regret it, the whole thing cost me under $8.00 to do. Great leaving a trail from campground. Use 1/2" pipe and don't forget pipe hangers. Our drain is located at the front of holding tank facing front of trailer. Buy the threaded adaptor to pipe then 1 90 and out to the side of trailer and attach valve don't forget the pipe hanger before valve. Holds pipe tight.

[curryp]

I am not sure I would want the plug out of the fresh water tank while traveling. Sound like a great opportunity for road dust and dirt to get inside the tank. I bought a 2001 Coleman Tacoma about a month ago and was getting ready for a long weekend of camping today. Not knowing how much the previous owner used the water tank I figured I would sanitize the tank today. I added the 1/4 cup of bleach to a gallon of water and put in the tank as recommended in the owner's manual. I then filled up the water tank and shut off the hose. I heard running water and looked under the camper. There is an L shaped plug in the tank and water was coming out the top. I plan to take the plug out tomorrow and see if I can replace it with a plastic plug of some type. Any suggestion?