F.A.Q.'s
Plumbing
Q: I bought an older Airstream.
It has a clear water tank, and a black water tank. Now I understand I
must add a gray water tank or I am in violation of the federal law. Is
this correct?
A: No. Not exactly, but lets straighten out all those
colors first:
Clear - This is drinking water, also called potable water.
Gray water - This is bath water or sink drain water.
You wouldn't drink this, yet it isn't exactly poisonous either. Certain
states, Wisconsin for example, require that it be put into a sewer. You
can catch this water in a portable tank and dump it in a sewer later.
This is legal and not a big hassle. The trick is to get a small tank and
dump it daily. In many situations it is acceptable to drain it on the
ground.
Black water, also called waste water - It's pretty obvious
that this water comes from the toilet. Every drop of it is potential poison
to your neighbor, and you must collect it carefully in a holding tank
and dispose of it in a sanitary sewer. There are strict federal laws about
this. Don't use a dump station which is sluggish or overflowing. A portable
tank is legal for black water also.
Gray Water
Q: When did Gray Water tanks appear?
A: 1973 on Excella 500's, all models in 1974.
Q: If the Airstream didn't have a Gray Water Tank, where
does it go? There is only one outlet on my trailer.
A: The drain lines from the shower and sinks are routed
to just below the Black Water tank dump valve but before the sewer hose
fitting. This allows you many options to handle both Gray and Black Water:
When traveling down the road, you have usually have the cap on the dump fitting outlet. You cannot run any water in the trailer in this condition, because the only Gray Water storage you have is the 1 1/2" drain piping from the dump fitting to the shower. The first indication that you've done wrong will be water in the shower, bubbling up through the drain.
In camp with sewer hookups, your dump valve is closed, trapping waste in the black tank, and the outside dump fitting has a hose going to the sewer connection in place of the cap. Gray water drains down into the sewer as you use water in the trailer. When the black tank is almost full, you add some more water and open the dump valve. After it's all drained, add a couple or 3 more gallons of water down the toilet to finish the job.
In camp with no sewer connection, you usually can't let the Gray Water run on the ground. Use your Blue Tank connected to the dump fitting with a short piece of garden hose with a female connection on each end. They sell these hoses, they're sometimes included with a new Blue Bomber, or you can one. If your dump fitting is low to the ground you can drain directly into the opening of the Blue Tank. You'll need to dump the Blue tank every few days, depending on its size and your water usage habits. Black Water is kept in the closed Black Water tank until you break camp and empty it at a Dump Station.
If you don't have a Blue Tank, but can't drain into the ground, install a cap on your dump fitting and open the dump valve. The Gray Water will 'back up' into the Black Tank, which will now serve dual purpose (and fill MUCH faster!). You must close the dump valve before removing the cap to attach the sewer hose to drain the contents. You'll get a quart or 2 of (mostly) Gray water as the end of the lines drain out. If you forget to close the dump valve, you're gonna have a helluva mess (brown trout, too) all over the place.
Lastly, in camp in a rustic setting where it is allowed, the dump valve is closed and the Gray Water runs onto the ground. The usual connection is a piece of garden hose that's several feet long, connected to an adapter on your dump fitting; this makes it clear to anyone walking by that you're not dumping black water. Some folks use a bucket under the outlet, usually with a hole in the bottom (Leaky Bucket". You must go to a dump station to empty the Black Tank, or use a Blue Tank to transport the contents to the dump station periodically.
Potable Water
Q: What should I do to sterilize my Potable (Clear) water system?
A: Once each year, fill the water tank half-way, then
add a premix of 1-cup of household bleach & 1 gallon of water. Finish
filing the tank. Run water at all faucets until you can smell the chlorine,
don't forget to allow the water heater to fill completely. Let it sit
for a few hours or overnight, then drain everything. You can help eliminate
the chlorine smell/taste by mixing 1/2-cup of baking soda with a gallon
of water, dumping it into the tank, then filling the tank completely.
Again, run water at all the faucets until you're sure that the new solution
has circulated through the system. Drain again and fill with fresh water.
There are some commercial products that work in the same manner, 3R Purogene
(800-773-7116) being one of them, and since it doesn't affect taste, can
also be used in between sterilizing treatments. Also, keep your tank filled
in between trips to prevent exposed walls in your tank
Q: The potable water tank under our front sofa has started to
leak from a damaged fitting. Is there a replacement available?
A: Inca Plastics
Molding Co., Inc. in Ontario, CA. (909) 923-3235 still makes these
tanks first introduced in the early 1960's right after use of the pressurized
galvanized tanks was stopped. The 53x24x6 has the correct molded in fittings.
Inca is the OEM maker of the tanks on the Airstream.
Q: Does anyone still use the old late '50's early '60's water filter?
It looks a lot like a stainless coffee pot percolator guts or a flying
saucer.
A: That is an Ogden filter system, and the answer is
yes. The filters are still available for it. They are for an Ever-Pure
"150 RV" filter.
Q: My water pump keeps cycling off and on briefly. What's the cause?
A: Most likely a leak in the plumbing or pump. During
the first pressurization of the system per the year, you'll want to check
for system leaks. Let the pump run until it has the system pressurized
and shuts itself off. It should STAY off, if it cycles periodically or
refuses to shut off at all, you probably have a leak. Some trailers have
a bypass valve/line that's mainly used for filling the on-board tank from
the city water connection. If this is left open, the pump will never build
up any pressure, nor will you have any pressure when the water hose is
connected to the city water hookup - everything's going back to the tank.
Look for this and close it if your trailer has one. A cycling pump can
also indicate worn seals inside the pump.
Q: How can I tell how full my water tank is? We always seem to
run out at the inopportune time
A: On the front mounted water tanks pre "Control
Center", there is usually a clear vinyl tube (sight glass) in the
forward curbside corner to the side of the sofa or under the dinette seat.
It runs between the overflow fitting on the top and a drain fitting on
the bottom of tank. There are all sorts of owner added level marks, from
Felt Tip marker to Dymo-Labels to computer made decals. If for some reason
yours is missing, it's a good weekend project, as all parts are hardware
store items. 2 brass 1/2” IPT to 1/2” slip elbows and a piece
of acrylic tube are all you need.
Waster Water
Q: Can black water tanks and potable water tanks be repaired?
A: Not successfully. Epoxy and adhesive repairs may appear
to work initially, but the flexing will soon pop them off. Solvent and
welding may work better, but often the tank will crack again where the
tank was made thinner by the repair.
Q: My Black Water tank is cracked, where do I get a replacement?
A: There are many companies that make custom plastic
tanks. They are able to put fittings and cutouts per your measurements
and instructions. Three such companies that are Airstream friendly are:
All-Rite RV Supply , Hollister. CA
Inca Plastics Molding, Ontario, CA
Q: Can the old brass body Thetford Dump Valves be repaired once they leak?
A: There are no overhaul kits per se, but you replace
the 3 gaskets in the valve. One is a standard O-Ring, and the other two
round and rectangular flat gaskets can be cut from a sheet of gasket material.
Q: How about the newer (1960’s) plastic body Thetford Dump
Valves?
A: Parts are still available for these from RV dealers.
#09872 is a kit with all the seals needed for rebuilding the valves, and
the handle and shaft are available separately.
Q: What’s with the older Thetford sewer fittings? Modern
fittings wont fit.
A:1964 and older trailers have an older style of Thetford
fitings than the later trailers. In 1965, Thetford changed the design,
increasing the diameter of the lugs and sealing surface by an additional
3/8" in diameter. These modern fittings are still Thetford, which
is the top-of-the-line fitting.
Q: We’ve lost our old sewer hose and elbow – what
do we do know?
A: Only recourse is the adapt the existing “Y”
tailpiece that comes out of the bottom of the trailer. Get a new type
Thetford lug ring adapter and epoxy it onto the old Thetford valve "Y"
tail piece. That "Y" tail piece is no longer available either,
so proceed carefully, other wise you are going to have to re-plumb your
entire waste water system.
Saw or grind off the lugs of the old tail piece (the “Y” tail
piece with the undersized lugs). Then epoxy the new lugged ring onto the
old tail piece. Do not shorten the old tail piece, just saw the lugs off
the outside so the ring slips over them. You do not have to cut them down
to the surface of the tail piece, the inside of the lug ring adapter will
be about 1/8" larger than the outside diameter of the old tail piece.
Use a slow curing semi-thick epoxy to fill the void to fill the space
between the old tail piece and the new ring, such as Scotchweld 2216BA
epoxy (grey). Let it setup for 24 hrs preferably in a warm (between 60
and 105 deg F) location.
With the new Thetford lug ring installed, you can use the newer Thetford
fittings. Stay with the Thetford fittings as they are a stronger, better
designed fitting and more in keeping with the Vintage Airstream concept.
Q: Are "chemicals" required in the Black and Gray Water tanks?
A: Yes, they control the smell and help break down the
solids. The best are those that chlorine dioxide based (i.e. 3R
OdorCon), and don't require smelly perfumes to mask odors. Follow
the manufacturers instructions. It usually requires a small amount of
the chemical after each dumping.
Another tip to prolong the dump interval when using your tank is to use
the spray nozzle for flushing. A few short bursts suffice. The tank flush
is only for use with hookups. Also, minimize TP usage! Even the RV stuff
will swell with moisture.
Q: My Thetford toilet won't hold water in the bowl (or, "it
leaks from the base of the toilet"). What can I do?
A: Thetford has a seal repair package. This kit contains
all the seals used in most model toilets. The seal package cost about
$35 and is available from RV Dealers.
Misc.
Q: My fiberglass shower & tub have some chips and hairline
cracks. What can I do to repair them?
A: The Almond and White Porcelain repair liquid can be
worked into the cracks and wiped flush with toluene or lacquer thinner.
Larger chips and colored tubs/sinks can be repaired with tintable plastic
resin (http://micromark.com). Use 320 Grit, followed by 400, 600 &
1200 Grit wet/dry sandpaper to sand smooth. This also works on rust stains.
A sanding system called "Micro-mesh" (also available from Micro-Mark)
works well to restore rough fiberglass surfaces to a glass-smooth finish.
Car-wax buffed to a shine will provide a glossy protective surface if
desired.
Large area damage, or for all over repairs, the area can be repaired using
fiberglass resin and mat, and then sprayed with colored gelcoats. One
source of these materials is Fiberglass Coatings, Inc. (http://www.fgci.com/).
Q: What can you use to protect the fiberglass surface of the shower,
tub & sink?
A: A spray can product called "Gel-Gloss",
available in the cleaning sections of stores, will give the surfaces a
clean looking luster and a smooth feel.
Q: Where can I get replacement faucet parts? My bath faucet is
all corroded and the kitchen faucet needs a new washer?
A: Airstream used standard brand-name utility fixtures
over the years - Moen, Harcraft, etc. Parts are still available at hardware
& plumbing stores. Many appropriate era replacements can be found
in a manufacturers all-chrome utility line of products, garage sales,
and demolition salvage yards.
Q: Our toilet has been replaced by a
cheap plastic porta-potty. Where can I get a replacement that looks correct
and is of good quality?
A: Sealand
Marine makes
an almost exact duplicate of the original porcelain toilets called the
Traveler Lite".
Q: How do I prepare the water systems for winter (in areas of freezing)?
A:
1) Drain your potable water tank and lines using the small valves or plugs found in and under your trailer, depending on the configuration and model year. Open the tank and faucets to allow the air to enter the lines. Make sure the water drains from the hot water tank and lines too.
2) Run the pump to purge it of water, look for low points, and tilt the trailer as high and low as possible using the tongue jack.
3) Close all drain valves but one and close all faucets but one. Using compressed air and a "Hansen Valve" (air-gun), blow air back through one of the drain valves, and have someone open and close all the faucets one by one. Try this from multiple valves on the longer trailers. Open the toilet valve and shower heads too. Make sure at least one faucet is open at all times to prevent damage to system.
4) Actuate the toilet flush valve and drain the water from the toilet supply tank.
5) Leave the faucets open to allow evaporation of any remaining moisture. RV anti-freezes are not recommended, as they can leave a funny taste in the water that takes a long time to dissipate, plus some can encourage algae growth by providing nutrients (glycol). Many newer tanks don't draw from the bottom of the tank, requiring many flushes to clear the remaining residue the next spring.
6) Make sure your Black and Gray Water tanks are empty. Tilting with the tongue jack will help insure this.
7) The RV anti-freezes are recommended though, for use in sink and shower traps that don't have drain plugs. Pour a little in each. This will protect the drain until the water evaporates.
