RE: Sink drain vent

[champ521]

 
I need to vent my sink to keep the water flowing freely out of the sink. I have seen some people who use the Y-connector type things. I tried to use the one with the widest holes that I could find at the the local home stores (OSH, Home Depot, etc.). They only had the kind that had the shut-off valves built in. The water draining from the sink spills out of the top of the Y. I have the drain adapter that comes out of the side of the PU angled so that the Y is actually sideways. -< Like that. With the vent on top and the drain hose attached to the bottom. Is there another Y that some store has that I need to get? Or do I just need to go to the local RV store to find the right adapter. 6 Quigs had one I looked at.

[Red neff Barchetta]

 champ521
Dave -
 I had my sewer hook-up on the PU last w/e or I would have shown you my set-up.  For dry camping (grey water container/tote) I have a short 10"  hose on the " y"  adapter.  The vent hose needs to be higher than your sink (just like your house) or it will spit sink water all over the side of your PU.  Also, you want to use the wider hoses and fittings as opposed to the " garden"  hose diameter type.  I ll bring my set-up to the June rally even though we have sewer hook-up sites there.
 Now having said all that, Oz & Us (ex PUT er) mentioned just yesterday on " irv2"  that he did some drain tests and the drain time was exactly the same whether he used a vent or not.  So, go figure?  It sure seems like my sink drains faster with the vent hose though.

[SCCS]

 champ521
Dave,
 
 First try putting some drain cleaner down the sink.Put a gasket on the cap to prevent water from leaking out, then put your sink upright as if you are camping.Fill the sink with water until about an 1-2   is above the stopper.Add some heavy duty drain cleaner and let it sit.Might have to do this a couple of times if the piping is real dirty.The drain cleaner will have no effect on the plumbing just the gunk inside.I do this to my own about every two trip s out,and we don t even put grease down the sink.This keeps the water flowing and I don t even use an air vent.I also hook up the shower and sink to the same 3/4   garden hose with a home made Y. Have FUN!!!

[Gone-Camping]

 champ521
I use a PVC set-up that utilizes a brass connection for the hook-up to the trailer and to the dump hose. All parts were purchased at home depot, cost was less than $10... Mine was designed for undercarriage discharge, but can be easily modified for side discharge...
 
 [link=http://www.gonecamping.net/pages/braindrain.html]PICUTES HERE[/link]

[oldmoose]

 champ521
I did the same as Gone-Camping. Mine was for use on the side of my camper. Works great.

[6Quigs]

 champ521
Dave,
 That Y fitting I got at Ace hardware,
 and is much better than the ones with the valves, which reduce the interior diameter to about a quarter of what is should be.
 I ve seen some people add a 12"  length of hose to the vent end.
 
 My normal set up, is to use 1 1/2"  PVC pipe, but drain into a Blue Aquatainer, but last weekend we had sewer hookups.
 I found out that with the 1 1/2"  pipe, there is no need for a vent, which Oz & us just recently confirmed, as I know he also uses 1 1/2"  drains.
 
 I have some photos on my web site of my drain installation.
 Or better still , next time we camp, I ll pull out by bag of drain fittings, and show you all the different combinations of drain piping I use.
 
 http://the6quigleys.tripod.com/camping/id5.html

[whitestar505]

 Gone-Camping
Gone-Camping,
 
    I take it from the pictures that this device stays attached at all times ? Still not sure where the bottom half is attached too.  It looks like it works with ease.
 
 

[CAPEd CODger]

 champ521
The top of the vent needs to be higher than the sink. That s why you get spillage from the " Y"  or  T"  adapters.
 Do you drain from the side or the bottom of the camper?
 Check out my vent and other stuff at Webshots.

[topcat7736]

 champ521
Champ521,
 
 If you don t hook up to sewage pipes at the campground, just remove the P-trap under the sink & connect the hose directly to the outlet on the side of the trailer. There s no sewage gases to worry about in your gray water tank nor in the woods. The only thing it currently does is slow the flow of water because of the low drop from the sink. Once it s out of the way, you won t need all the other things.

[Gone-Camping]

 champ521
Most of the pieces of PVC are glued, but not where it screws into the drain outlet underneath the trailer. We found that we need to be able to screw the brass connector to the outlet, so the brass connnector and a short shaft that drops down one inch from the brass connector are glued together. The elbow is glued to the shaft that protrudes out from underneath the unit to the Tee.... One simply press fits the elbow in place after the brass connector is screwed into the drain outlet under the trailer. The press fit is necesary to ensure everyting goes in the right direction each time.
 
 Since it s a drain, it s not under pressure, and stays put, the press fit has not presented a problem. We ve used it like this for over 2 years now, and it s never come off and hasn t leaked. But that is the only section that is not glued together!!! I guess that the finish product is a 2 piece rig.
 
 Oh, and it works like a champ, haven t had a sink drain problem in 2 years now!!![]
 
 I modified one of the pictures to show where NOT to glue it, [link=http://www.gonecamping.net/images/jk_vent-4.jpg]CLICK HERE[/link]

[Camping Coxes]

 champ521
In fiddling with our sink last weekend in draining the tank and sanitizing, we discovered if the drain hose under the sink were more on a downhill slant, it drained nicely.  The way it was, the water ran down the tube, then had to run back uphill to get out the side opening.  We simply got a clamp, glued on a magnet, and placed the hose in the clamp.  Now we can place the clamp onto the outside shower box in whatever angle works best for drainage.  We ll see how it works this weekend.

[champ521]

 champ521
Thanks for all the advice. I wasn t looking for any piping, but rather hose fittings that could do the job for sewer hook-ups. After looking at Home Depot, Lowe s, OSH, Target, and local Super Markets for a Y-connector without shut-off valves, I finally took 6Quigs advice and went to Ace. They had one right there. I hooked it up with the old regular garden hose types and it works just fine. I do need to add about a ten inch section of hose to the top part of the -< to prevent water from spewing out of the top when draining more that just free flowing tap water; such as draining water after doing dishes when the drain plug has been in place and the sink is partially full of water.

[TheWallRocks]

 champ521
6Quigs.......  I put together your Aquatainer setup today and will give it a try this weekend.  I did run into a couple small snags.  The 8"  pipe isn t long enough for a Bayside.... I had to add a few inches.  I also couldn t find a rubber washer large enough in town, so I improvised using a thin 4"  rubber drain stopper and cut a washer out of it.  
 
 I liked your idea because it looked simple, and sounds like it will work well.
 
 Thanks!

[mrflinders]

 champ521
Has anyone considered or tried a sink drain water pump?  I have thought of adding a cheap 12V pump inline with the sink and switch on the galley someplace.  An impeller pump would allow the gravity draining to work, but could be kicked in when a little " extra"  drainage is needed.
 
 Any thought on this idea?

[GNAPLUS2]

 champ521
I went to HomeDepot and bought the pvc pipe and brass fittings that Gone-Camping suggested. I modified it for A sidemount and finally was able to try it this weekend,the weather in CT  has been nasty. Well it worked great !!!!!
 My DW was amazed how the water flowed out of the sink even with the hose all
 kinked up and twisted. Now I can sit back at the campfire and maybe never hear
 the words " Honey can you make the sink drian please!!!!!"