Emptying Fresh Water Tank
Printed From: R-pod Owners Forum
Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=8802
Printed Date: 26 Jun 2025 at 8:10am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.64 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Emptying Fresh Water Tank
Posted By: IdahoBoy
Subject: Emptying Fresh Water Tank
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2016 at 11:34am
| When emptying my fresh water tank via the low point drain, the tank won't drain properly unless I turn on the water pump. Shouldn't gravity do the trick? Why do I need to have the pump on? What am I missing? Sorry if I'm just advertising my ignorance, I have it in surplus. |
Replies:
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2016 at 11:52am
|
You don't drain the FW tank from the low point drain. You drain it with the drain on the bottom of the FW tank.
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Posted By: IdahoBoy
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2016 at 12:52pm
| Ha! I knew it had to be something very simple. Thanks and feel free to laugh at my ineptitude. |
Posted By: claytonc70
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2016 at 1:07pm
|
I actually can't get my low point end cap off...it seems like the whole line is going to tear off as I try to loosen the end cap. Anyone else have this issue? Do I have to get that end cap off? ------------- 2016 178 - unnamed shame 2012 Honda Pilot EX-L AWD |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2016 at 1:24pm
|
I have seen people need pliers on them..
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Posted By: Gregm
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2016 at 1:49pm
|
I also had to use pliers once. I sprayed the threads with a food grade machine lubricant afterwards and have not had that issue since ------------- Gregm 2014 171 2015 Toyota Tacoma Prerunner |
Posted By: Leo B
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2016 at 1:51pm
|
Good tip!
------------- Leo & Melissa Bachand 2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171 |
Posted By: NickLPod
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2016 at 1:52pm
|
I got tired of getting sore (& dirty knees) undoing the black end cap to drain the FW tank. So I added a brass 1/2 inch tap to the off-white threaded part. I can now reach under the Pod to turn the handle 90 deg to drain .... & back when empty. ------------- 2016 R-Pod 180 2011 Audi Q5 3.2 V6 Wife Carole Dog Corra |
Posted By: Leo B
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2016 at 2:56pm
|
That's really interesting, can you post a picture?
------------- Leo & Melissa Bachand 2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171 |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2016 at 9:25pm
|
I am sure I was told about the low point drain on my 177 when I purchased it in 2011. HOWEVER for the first 3 years I forgot about them; they never were opened or taken off. Finally in year 4 of ownership (2014) I was working on wheel bearings when I saw the sticker and went to investigate where they were. Funny thing was I couldn't find either of them because someone at the factory totally covered them over with foam. I cut thru the big glob of foam and found both low point drains. Am amazed that I never got a leak with our cold winters in Northern Michigan. Maybe using compressed air to blow out the water lines helped with this issue.
------------- God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2016 at 7:56am
|
not that this is important, but on my last trip i unscrewed the fw drain cap and nothing was coming out. so i pondered!! for a bit and realized that that insert (i guess it could be considered some kind of washer that is inside the cap) stayed in the hole. pulled it out and wallah. just thought i would pass this along. GO PACK. hogone
------------- Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2023 F150 2017 HD Streetglide CHEESEHEAD |
Posted By: TheBum
Date Posted: 19 Sep 2016 at 5:09pm
| Does opening the taps help it drain faster? The only time I've drained ours, it seemed to take forever. |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 19 Sep 2016 at 8:25pm
|
Opening the taps allows air into the system, so it does help the water to drain faster. Think of it as inverting a large bottle with a very narrow neck. When some water drains, it reaches a point where some air has to bubble up through the neck in order for more water to drain. Opening a tap is like if there were a valve at the top of the bottle that was opened. Water would then gush out as the partial vacuum would be broken.
------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 19 Sep 2016 at 9:00pm
|
Opening the sink valves will help drain the water via the low point drains, but it won't help drain the fresh water tank. The water pump has a one-way valve. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 19 Sep 2016 at 9:32pm
|
However, there is a vent on the fresh water fill. That should allow air into the tank so that when the drain cap is removed, the tank will drain and not pull a partial vacuum and stop draining.
------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: IdahoBoy
Date Posted: 19 Sep 2016 at 9:57pm
| Great discussion; thanks for all the good information. I'm taking the 172 to Glacier for a couple of weeks. The forecast is not too cold so I'm going to put water in it. I have had a few mid to low 20s nights in central Idaho and it nothing is frozen. I hope I'm not getting too cocky.... |