SS Agile Bathroom drainage issue

artnc

New member
Hello All...

Back again trying to pick your brains to correct Raodtrek factory (I think) plumbing issue. Damn, I sure wish the factory did a complete run through of the systems instead of just shoving the rig out the door as apparently they did with mine. This is the first issue that has me aggrevated.

So, never really having used the plumbing in my 2013 agile, we were getting ready for a trip to the SW US and I was doing stuff with the tanks. RUnning water down the drain in the pull out sink resulted in water coming uo through the floor drain for the shower. Then I put water into the shower floor drain and it was sort of not draining....kinda like it was draining a whole lot slower than the water going in. Eventually it did drain. Put a plunger on it and got good suction but nothing really changed. I guess it is minimally functional if one minimizes how much water is used and then the stop and start. Seems to be no problem with the toilet or the kitchen sink. Also, I have not put anything in the drains but water and only a small amount of that in the few months I had the rig.

The only thing that may be related (or may not) is when I first winterized I unscrewed the filter from the pump and it was full of like shavings from PVC pipe.

Tried to check in with the factory since closest dealer is about 200 miles away and I think roadtrek is on holiday shutdown.

Does anyone have any idea how I might go about solving this easily before we take off in 3 days. I am kinda handy.(.but don't really want to disassemble the entire plumbing system)and have become more so (being said VERY sarcastically) since having to do a lot of finish work on the roadtrek that I suppose was the factory's responsibility.


thanks gang...Art
 

icarus

Well-known member
The drains can (and do) air lock. Try puting water down the show drain under pressure. There is no real reason it shouldn't drain. There is a trap behind the sliding door that you can open to make sure there is nothing stuck in it.

Good luck and keep in touch.

Icarus

Ps. I think RTs QC, especially in the plumbing is quite poor.
 

RT.SS

Active member
Try this: Close the shower floor drain with the plastic drain stopper, then run water thru the bathroom pull out sink...watch it drain...then open the kitchen faucet and see if the bathroom sink drains the water quicker, if it does it's most likely an air lock. Running the water in the kitchen sink releases the built-up of air pressure in the gray tank thru the trap and anti-siphon valve. Picture below illustrates the RT SS drain/ sewage system. Highlighted in yellow are the bathroom drain connections.
 

tcaron20

New member
Man this has been an ongoing issue with our Agile. Its a darn drain for crying out loud! It is based on gravity!? It rarely drains like it should. I'll try the above mentioned solutions but it really is a headache scooping out the water after each shower.

Tom C
 

tcaron20

New member
OK - The shower drain has been slow to no draining when taking a shower.
With only about two gallons of water in the black water tank I opened up the tank to drain and behold the shower drained without a problem while sticking a garden hose in it.

The vapor lock must be at the tank? Poor to no tank venting? Ideas?

Thanks!

Tom C
 

artnc

New member
If I thought the tank had a venting problem, the first thing I would do is stick a hose in the roof vent and run it.....maybe debris or a dead thing. RT does not cover their vents and I asked RT once about covering the vent with screen mesh and they said not necessary as there has never been a report of a animal crawling in there. Ouch... Beyond that I have no idea. My SS is erratic as far as shower draining. Sometimes real real slow, other times OK.. I figure there is some intermittent air lock. If your SS is under 48 months or 48000 and it is not a dead animal. then I suspect warranty might cover it.
 

gte

2008 RS
If not an air lock I think I recall a post in another thread where the person found debris in the drain left over from the manufacturing process. Since more than one of you SS owners has had this problem it would be weird if you all had debris.

Can you put a hose on the shower floor drain to see if forcing water down the drain helps? I would think an air lock might not stop the water if under pressure, but debris might. I also wonder if it is possible to feed a small snake down the floor drain to see if there might be a blockage
Gary
 

tcaron20

New member
Hi Gary,

A hose on the drain works fine so it looks like there is no debris in the line. A hose down the roof vent also works fine and the water comes up the shower drain and collects in the shower but then takes a long time to drain.

I wonder if the angle of the RV may play a role. Usually we park with the back of the RV up for sleeping. Maybe I need to reposition with front up so the shower can drain. The diagram of the plumbing shows that the lines does not have much of an angle.

Tom C
 

gte

2008 RS
Tom,
I certainly hope the angle of the vehicle does not matter. I would think that if the pipe is not level it would act as a trap of sorts and fill partially until the level is sufficient to force water down into the tank. I suppose you could check out the level question by tilting the SS so the drain pipe is slanted toward the tank to see if this helps. I would think the water in the shower stall would not drain into the drain hole very well if the SS is not level so this is probably not a good long term solution. If tilting the SS helps then you may need to adjust the plumbing and if under warranty I would think RT would make it right. If tilting does make it right I would call Peter at RT for starters.
Gary
 
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Old Crows

Calypso 2014 View Profile
Somewhere between the shower and the sink you have a blockage..... Maybe some one stuffed a rag in the pipe during construction? The plastic cut out in the tank floated back to the pipe? Not unheard of for builder to leave that plastic disk in the tank... Hole wasn't cut right and the the disk acts like a flap valve?
 

gte

2008 RS
Its times like these I would like to have one of those flexible probes with a small camera on the end like I have seen plumbers use. A quick look down the drain would settle the question. I still wonder if a small snake pushed down through the shower drain would free up any leftover plastic, etc. and push it into the tank. However, if there were something it might not be good for the macerator. Might want to take off the drain plug outside and let any foreign object out that way.
Gary
 

icarus

Well-known member
Not to miss the obvious, but if you open the sliding door fully, by removing the pin on the lower track, you can access the P trap under the shower, which is behind the cover on the side step. It is a threaded trap IIRC. Open the trap, see if there is something stuck in it, then run water on the output side of the trap.

Icarus
 

Trumbull

New member
The shower in my 2016 SS Agile does not drain. This, even after installation of a second vent prescribed by Roadtrek. I have another appointment for this issue but fear I am at the beginning of a long legal situation. Have there been any late developments concerning this issue?
 

skier1950

Member
Had the same problem with my 2015 SS Agile. I had a gray tank vent kit installed (part # 99920050) and the problem went away. It took 2 hours and cost $273.42 ($70.92 parts, $202.50 labor). Covered under warranty.
 

RT.SS

Active member
The shower in my 2016 SS Agile does not drain. This, even after installation of a second vent prescribed by Roadtrek. I have another appointment for this issue but fear I am at the beginning of a long legal situation. Have there been any late developments concerning this issue?
You can remove the shower P-trap (located behind the sliding door) and visually inspect the drain line for any signs of clogging; a short burst of compressed air into the drain can possibly dislodge any clogs in the drain line. Also, if the second vent is not properly installed, gray water ingress/ blockage into the vent line can make it useless.
 

Trumbull

New member
The shower in my 2016 SS Agile does not drain. This, even after installation of a second vent prescribed by Roadtrek. I have another appointment for this issue but fear I am at the beginning of a long legal situation. Have there been any late developments concerning this issue?
Update on no-drain SS Agile shower: Second trip to La Mesa RV repair facility in Sacramento. I am told the drain lines and vents were inspected with no obstruction found. No solution was offered. La Mesa RV sold me $11,000 worth of extended warranty at time of purchase. Before any warranty work can be covered the issue (problem) must be submitted for review. I am told the no-drain shower is a "symptom" of the issue, not the issue itself. After inspection, no issue can be identified. I am left with a "symptom" without a responsible issue to be corrected. Interestingly, the $300 worth of work I authorized to discover the issue was waived because it was not found. I am left to ask how the warranty can cover the shower pan and holding tanks but not their function.
 

Knit

Active member
Did La Mesa agree that the shower does not drain?

Do the that kitchen and bathroom sinks drain?
 

just4grins

New member
OK, here's the cheapest and best way to use these showers. 1. Before you use the shower, empty the gray tank. 2. Take a "Navy shower" get wet, turn the shower off, soap up. 3. rinse, turn the shower off and dry. Spending what it takes to make it work will only work somewhat. It will never really vent properly because the tank is too small. Sorry but this is the best way to use it, and only use it if you finally need a shower as opposed to a sponge bath. 4. buy a huge RV.
 

nukesul

New member
I've been researching this issue today. I believe the issue is the shower drain line goes too far into the tank. The vent line for the tank is via the grey water line from the shower. Because it reaches to the water in the tank, the tank cannot properly vent and thus pressurizes and prevents water entering the tank. This line enters to the front side of the tank and that is likely why some people have had luck raising the front end of the unit. Raising the front of the unit is likely enough to uncover the end of the drain line and allowing the tank to vent and depressurize. I believe the answer will be to make a new vent into the grey tank at the highest point. I am considering looping this back to the ABS drain line from the shower, and thus to the roof vent. I'm on the search for a decent flange to use to give me a nipple to attach a hose to the grey tank. It won't be an easy fix crawling under on my back!!!

Found this drawing. It helps in the understanding.
https://postimg.cc/Q96Lj6Vg
 
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