Help! I cannot clear a kitchen drain clog.

[garms-markl]

We are new owners of a used 2005 2955RL Montana. On out first outing last week we experienced a kitchen sink drain clog that we couldn't clear. So we returned home to work on it. Off came all the pee traps on all gray water fixtures, which are three. In went the 15' snake...... no clog could be found or cleared. All pee traps were hooked up. The kitchen sink would not drain. All steps were repeated many times. Boiling hot water was poured into empty lines. After a days work....our kitchen skink still will not drain. What do I do now?????
Can anyone recommend a good Montana repair manual???
Thanks Peter

[JH Sechelt]

Welcome to the MOC,

Do you know there is a third Drain handle to pull to drain the Galley tank ?
Should be above the wheels Driver Side.

J&D

[Icehouse]

Peter, a few questions. 1 when you removed the p traps from under the sink, it did NOT drain? If you remove the pee trap, their should only be a small piece of pipe between the bottom of the sink and the p trap and you should physically be able to look thru the bottom of the sink drain.
However, I am gathering your sink will not drain when the plumping is fully intact but does empty when the p trap is removed below the sink. If you put it all back together, fill the sink and then it does not drain, then I would check the air vent for the sink plumbing. These can be in several forms. On my 3650RK, we have an air vent out the side of the rig near the sink. Usually, there is a 2 inch pipe sticking out the roof with a cover on it. The cover just pops off. If this is plugged (either with dirt, leaves, bugs nest, etc. a vacuum will be created and the sink will not drain just like in a stick built house, but an RV is much more sensitive. You should have at least 1 vent pipe for each tank on the rig. By the way, if your rig is really long,you could have a vent in a side wall. For example, our washer/dryer room has a vent built into the w/d room to help with washer draining. However, these seldom get plugged from normal use. If your roof vents do not have covers, please clean them all and purchase covers.
Please let me know if I can offer more assistance.
Bernie

[bncinwv]

Sounds like the infamous hidden drain handle for the galley tank. I agree with JH Sechelt.
Bingo

[Glenn and Lorraine]

quote:Originally posted by JH Sechelt

Welcome to the MOC,

Do you know there is a third Drain handle to pull to drain the Galley tank ?
Should be above the wheels Driver Side.

J&D

On our old 04 2955 the galley tank drain handle was on the left side frame BETWEEN the front and rear tires. When I first got my 2955 the dealer failed to mention this valve. It was almost 3 weeks before another MOCer mentioned there was just such a third tank and where to find the valve handle.

[FLSTS03]

Margo&Peter, In the Monty there should be a panel(ours @ bedroom steps) with tanks listed. Push galley and read status on left(not fool proof,sensors can read wrong) this should let you know the gally tank status. I'm assuming the sink will not drain @ all(no seepage). Our lever is located as Glenns and Loraines 04. By the way, the best repair manual we've found is posting to this site, just my opinion. Steve

[Waynem]

My drain vent caps only snap off after removing one holding screw. Sometimes the Mfg puts a silicon filler in the screw access hole to prevent water from sitting in there. Just dig it out, remove the screw, and the cap snaps off with a little twist.

I'm assuming that it is not the drain handle. you are saying the "sink" will not drain. To me that is standing water in the sink. If it were the Galley tank I would think you would have water coming up through the drain and the P traps would remain full until you remove them.

I'm with the others on check the galley tank drain handle first. The vent pipe if that does not work.

Icehouse, good narrative.

[HughM]

Same here....gallery drain handle is closed. I think 90% of us found the gallery drain handle the hard way...
Hugh

[Rondo]

Yup, as Bingo said "It's the infamous third tank missing handle". I to knew nothing about the dumb thing until they showed me where it was when I bought it from a private owner! At least the private owner told me about it unlike some of the dealers I've heard about not doing so! I would have had water all over if it weren't for them showing me! I pull that one second to rinse the sewer hose after the black tank dump and then pull the second grey tank(shower) and rinse the hose even better. Hope this has helped you. Don't feel bad-- this isn't the first thread on this subject and I'm sure it won't be the last! Happy Camping!!

[Rondo]

Oops! Hit the button twice to post!! SORRY!!

[garms-markl]

SUCCESS... Peter & Margo just cleared the kitchen sink drain clog! I found the infammous galley tank drain handle above the weels on the driver side and pulled it. What a relief. Thanks to all. As a bonus,I even learned how to spell the "p" in p trap. By the way, why do they instll a galley tank? What are the best ways to use this galley tank? What advantage is there in seperating the gray water from the shower and bath sink from the kitchen sink gray water?
Best, Peter

[nailbender]

Two gray tanks equals twice the capacity. Each tank is 38 gal. and even with two, they sometimes seem to fill fast.

[JH Sechelt]

Peter,

We added a gate valve where you hook up the sewer hose. It just twists on like the sewer hose does.
(then hook the sewer hose to it).
By keeping it closed, & open both galley & Grey water valves it essentially gives you one 76 gallon tank.
Should you need more volume for say, the shower instead of the kitchen sink.
You would only need it if you were dry camping.

Glad it was a easy fix.

J&D

[stiles watson]

Peter, you asked why the galley and gray water tanks are separate. One reason is that the bath and lavatory water generally do not have grease introduced to the system while greasy residue from pots and dishes end up in the galley tank. Even with dish soap the greasy residue can coat the walls of the galley tank and the tank level sensors.

After full timing in two different Montanas, I have managed to keep my gray and black tanks giving somewhat accurate readings. But not so the galley tank. I think the reason is the greasy residue in the galley tank.

We have found the way we use resources, the three tanks reach a point needing to be emptied about the same time. I am sure others may have different experiences, but that is ours.

[Okie Guy]

My sensors have never worked right since I took delivery. They always have two lights on until they are full and then all 4 lights come on. These things would be great...if they worked propperly.
I am glod you guys found your second grey tank dump valve and have your problem resolved!
Phil

[Glenn and Lorraine]

quote:Originally posted by JH Sechelt

Peter,

We added a gate valve where you hook up the sewer hose. It just twists on like the sewer hose does.
(then hook the sewer hose to it).
By keeping it closed, & open both galley & Grey water valves it essentially gives you one 76 gallon tank.
Should you need more volume for say, the shower instead of the kitchen sink.
You would only need it if you were dry camping.

Glad it was a easy fix.

J&D

We have the same setup....

As we shower more than we wash dishes this setup works great.

As far as the indicator lights, forget them. Don't waste time and money trying different additives. These additives may or may not work and even when they do work you are forever adding everytime you dump. Over a period of time it will become expensive. Personally I rather take that money and spend it on diesel fuel.

[dsprik]

We used to do as Glenn and other here do. However, we have since installed a stackable Ariston w/d which empties straight out the outside valve - not into any tank. We therefore have to keep that outside valve open now all the time so we don't forget and have a disaster. Only happened once...

If we didn't have the w/d setup, we would definitely close the outside valve and let the gray tanks equalize. Works terrific.

[sreigle]

quote:Originally posted by garms-markl

SUCCESS... Peter & Margo just cleared the kitchen sink drain clog! I found the infammous galley tank drain handle above the weels on the driver side and pulled it. What a relief. Thanks to all. As a bonus,I even learned how to spell the "p" in p trap. By the way, why do they instll a galley tank? What are the best ways to use this galley tank? What advantage is there in seperating the gray water from the shower and bath sink from the kitchen sink gray water?
Best, Peter

I'm glad to hear you got this solved. Yet one more member who has had this problem (there have been many of us) and yet one more reason why Keystone should put a small sticker on the siding above the drain handle, something like the tighten lugnuts sticker.

As for why separate tanks, I really don't know but suspect one reason might have to do with space to mount a larger tank. The fresh water tank is 60 or 62 gallons but that's less capacity than two 36 gallon tanks.