Grey water tank drain issue

WelshGas · Jun 25, 2017

DOUG MILNE said:
Could some one please just tell me if the 2017 CALIFORNIA OCEAN has a VENT for the WASTE WATER TANK. I have to get it certified here in NZ. If there is no waste water tank VENT then I have to have one installed. Thank you Doug. If no one knows this answer I will have to contact VW GERMANY FACTORY.

http://www.oemepc.com/vw/part_singl.../068/subcategory/68035/part_id/3707187/lang/e

You will see the Overflow is Top L on the tank and connects to the Drain pipe AFTER the Shut-Off valve.

Kiwikamper · Dec 5, 2017

Doug how did you get on with getting certified as being self contained?
I am about to start the process.

DOUG MILNE · Dec 5, 2017

MurrayR said:
Hi all. In New Zealand the waste has to be emptied using a hose and external valve. The issue is that the pipe leaving the van is also the breather for the tank. When the external valve is closed the tank can not breath and the sink is even slower to drain. Has anybody fitted a separate breather or is this issue only for us folks down under?

Hello from another Tauranga Kiwi, Cali owner. I got my Cali totally certified, with my porta poti, & had a valve fitted to my grey water hose, that now sits out to the rear side back left wheel. I found a site on the web titled VOLKSWAGEN MOTORHOME CALIFORNIA 2004. SELF STUDY PROGRAMME 329. This I printed out the total of approx. 60 pages & have placed in a binder. On page 32 & 33 it shows Drawings of the gas & water system. BLOODY FANTASTIC. I have not been able to find a more recent updated site but it does not look like they have changed any thing anyway. VERY VERY HELPFULL BOOKLET FOR ANY CALI OWNER. It shows a Breather & Overflow pipe, which is necessary for the officers to see to understand how it works, & in my case it worked well. I feel it is a MST BOOKLET PRINTED OUT FOR ANY CALI OWNER. All the best from Tauranga. May catch up one day & would be great to know how many Calis are in NZ. This is my second one. Lost faith in first one I had. Trying again for the second time. We did do 140,000 km around the world in an Autosleeper VW Trident. Fantastic. All the best.

WelshGas · Dec 6, 2017

DOUG MILNE said:
Hello from another Tauranga Kiwi, Cali owner. I got my Cali totally certified, with my porta poti, & had a valve fitted to my grey water hose, that now sits out to the rear side back left wheel. I found a site on the web titled VOLKSWAGEN MOTORHOME CALIFORNIA 2004. SELF STUDY PROGRAMME 329. This I printed out the total of approx. 60 pages & have placed in a binder. On page 32 & 33 it shows Drawings of the gas & water system. BLOODY FANTASTIC. I have not been able to find a more recent updated site but it does not look like they have changed any thing anyway. VERY VERY HELPFULL BOOKLET FOR ANY CALI OWNER. It shows a Breather & Overflow pipe, which is necessary for the officers to see to understand how it works, & in my case it worked well. I feel it is a MST BOOKLET PRINTED OUT FOR ANY CALI OWNER. All the best from Tauranga. May catch up one day & would be great to know how many Calis are in NZ. This is my second one. Lost faith in first one I had. Trying again for the second time. We did do 140,000 km around the world in an Autosleeper VW Trident. Fantastic. All the best.

Document available in VIP Download Section. under VW California Technician Training Manual.

DOUG MILNE · Dec 7, 2017

Kiwikamper said:
Doug how did you get on with getting certified as being self contained?
I am about to start the process.[/QUO

I downloaded the 55 page manual & the foto showed the inspector what they wanted to know re the drain, purchased a grey water hose to attasch to my new side valve which connected to the rear side drain pipe, porta pottee fitted under the sink cupboard. Certified for 2 people because size of fresh & grey water tanks. The vehicle confused them a wee bit.

MartinL · Dec 28, 2017

Kiwikamper said:
Doug how did you get on with getting certified as being self contained?
I am about to start the process.

Hi — same issue. We have a new Ocean and need to sort out the waste tank breather problem for NZ self containment. I can see how you disconnect the existing overflow from below the valve but how and where do you get it externally vented? Is this a workshop or DIY job?

Thanks Martin

VW NZ should have sorted this problem out - they had to modify the gas cylinder storage lid.

Kiwi · Mar 5, 2018

Hi Doug
We are Bay of Plenty California owners also (Rotorua) and planning self containment .....
PLEASE can you tell us where/ who fitted the valve to you grey water pipe, and where you had the inspection done, because sounds like you have educated them with your manual!

Many thanks

DOUG MILNE · Mar 6, 2018

Kiwi said:
Hi Doug
We are Bay of Plenty California owners also (Rotorua) and planning self containment .....
PLEASE can you tell us where/ who fitted the valve to you grey water pipe, and where you had the inspection done, because sounds like you have educated them with your manual!

Many thanks

Hello folks & welcome to your California purchase. What year & specks did you obtain??. Happy camping. I got my work done on the waste outlet by MC MOTORHOMES & REPAIRS, UNIT 3, 29 BURROWS ST. TAURANGA ,3110. MOB 022 013 6975. Cost approx. $165.00. Parts & Labour. His name is MALCOLM LOCKHEAD. 079250240. He is the Chairperson of ebop motorhome club. ebop.chair@+++++.com. Very helpful & pleasant chap. He will put you on the foot. I then took it to one of the inspection days at the LTSA. Hope this is helpful for you. Did you purchase your Cali new or used?? Regards Doug.

Kiwi · Mar 6, 2018

Thanks Doug

That’s very helpful
We have a 2017 132 kw four motion one previous owner NZ new

I would be grateful if you could explain again what modifications you had done by MC motorhomes....was it just a valve on waste outlet or did you need a vent as well?

Thanks heaps

Kiwi · Jan 2, 2019

Doug
We have a nz site going
VW California NZ on Facebook

OConnors · Feb 25, 2019

Hi Here is a general piece of advice for blocked sinks and how the overflow works.
We have ground coffee put down a hire van sink. The California waste holding tank has a drain valve with a red lever at the bottom of the left had cupboard. This can be open or shut. Also there is an overflow pipe which runs from the top of the tank to a T piece just downstream of the valve. If you have a bad blockage blowing air or water up the waste pipe wont clear it. The air will simply bypass the blockage by going up the overflow pipe and out the sink plug hole. What you need to do is close the valve, take out the circular plastic panel in the side of the cupboard above the drain hole exposing the T piece. Remove the overflow pipe coming in the top. Either put your finger over the open T piece (recommended in case it goes wrong!) or block it off with something. Then blow air or water up. It wont bypass the blockage and will clear it. However with our coffee grains it kept blocking so we had to keep doing this and rinsing until it was gone. We had the luxury of compressed air.

kaf2546 · Jan 19, 2020

Another scenario happened this week, drain blocked, closed drain valve, took off overflow above T piece, opened valve slightly and water coming up T easily so block must be 'downstream'. Closed valve and used my Vango airbeam pump with provided attachment to insert in top of T and one pump cleared it, chuffed! Reattached overflow loosely to test and fully opened valve, flowing better than ever. Must have picked up some mud or debris at outlet.

Sent from my moto g(6) play using Tapatalk

Pengio · Nov 11, 2020

lewisnoble said:
It is fiddly, but not too bad. Turn tap off at the drain tap, so the tank does not drain everywhere when you dismantle tap. Fill up the holding tank with water, if not already full - this gives a good gush to clear things out when you do clear the blockage. Park over a drain or similar - hard to stop the flow once you clear it.

Remove the side cover, around the tap, L H side of cupboard under cooker. If I remember rightly, Tx screws on my van.

Remove the pipe forming the overflow from the top of the holding tap - remove it from the 'down' side of the tap junction. The joints are hard to undo the first time you do it, easier subsequent times!!

Find a way of blocking off the now exposed union / connector (not sure of the technical term) that leads up to the overflow. A helper's finger?? I put a Hx key from a socket set in and secured it with tape, as I was on my own. The point of doing this is to ensure that all your air is directed up through the blocked tap.

Open the drain tap. Make sure the helper has finger firmly over the overflow pipe AT THE TAP, not at the bottom of the pipe. I then blew up the drain pipe with a lungful of air - and get out of the way!! The blockage cleared immediately with no problem.

Reassemble, and relax in a self-satisfied glow.

The above is as I remember from the last time I had to do it, about 3 years ago. The tap has blocked twice in the 6 years we have had the van. I have now got into the habit of giving the waste tank a good flush through with fresh water 2 - 3 times a year, filling the sink with a bucket, and no problems for last 2 years.

lewis

Hi Lewis, realise i'm digging up a very old post here but having identical problem and struggling to work out which pipe I should be disconnecting - "the pipe forming the overflow from the top of the holding tap - remove it from the 'down' side of the tap junction."

I've attached a photo here - can you pls explain which one to remove? Thanks v much!

WelshGas · Nov 11, 2020

Pengio said:
Hi Lewis, realise i'm digging up a very old post here but having identical problem and struggling to work out which pipe I should be disconnecting - "the pipe forming the overflow from the top of the holding tap - remove it from the 'down' side of the tap junction."

I've attached a photo here - can you pls explain which one to remove? Thanks v much!

View attachment 69242

The vertical pipe is the Overflow.
See here. Part 12

Pengio · Nov 11, 2020

WelshGas said:
The vertical pipe is the Overflow.
See here. Part 12
View attachment 69264 View attachment 69264

Great, thanks. Will give it a go.

Tamanddave · Mar 25, 2022

Another comment for this thread. On our 9 month old Ocean 6.1 had the water not draining problem despite hot water and soap down the sink. You could see the waste tank was about a quarter full. I tried the water hose up the waste pipe trick. Amazingly 3rd go it cleared the blockage, much relief as travelling in Germany with few tools.

chris151151 · May 11, 2022

Thanks for the advice cleared mine with hose up outlet. Plenty of detergent down sink then hot water, so foam below outlet shows its running through. Large notice, DO NOT PUT WASTE, RICE ETC DOWN SINK.