2000 Dodge Roadtrek 190 Versatile, location of fresh water tank drain

[KTwins]

We just bought a 00D190V (first RV for us) and thought we should disinfect the fresh water tank. However, we're not sure where the tank drain is. The manual says that it is behind the rear wheel on the driver's side but there is no diagram. I was thinking that it's the bluish cap in the attached photos. It's rubbery and was attached by a strap to the base, which crumbled when I touched it. Plus it's over that hole. However, the tank it's attached to sounds like metal and I thought it was supposed to be a plastic tank. And someone who is familiar with RVs (but not Roadtreks) said he thought it was for the LP tank! I definitely don't want to unscrew anything that might be related to propane. Appreciate the assistance--

 

[youngnretired]

That blue cap is to cover a port on the LP tank.

I can't say for sure where its at on your dodge, but our 07C210P has two tanks, one in the inside underneath the rear seat on the right, and the other tank is outside underneath just behind the drivers door. There's valves that drain the interior tank into the exterior tank, which has a separate line and valve on it to drain. Open the exterior cabinet doors and you should see it. It'll be outside under the van at a somewhat easily accessible location.

 

[KTwins]

Thanks for the quick response, and really glad I didn't try take it off. But I don't understand why the LP system would have a port here. The LP refill port is on the van's side next to where you fill the gas tank. We're trying to wrap our heads around all the systems...

 

[RT-NY]

Thanks for the quick response, and really glad I didn't try take it off. But I don't understand why the LP system would have a port here. The LP refill port is on the van's side next to where you fill the gas tank. We're trying to wrap our heads around all the systems...

I believe that port is just a pressure release valve. It would not have done any harm to remove the plastic cover. There is a rubber remote fill tube running from the fill valve on the propane tank itself to the refill port near where you fill the gas tank.

As far as the the fresh water tank, I just checked the manual for my 1999 Roadtrek 170, and it does say that the drain is behind the rear driver's side wheel, but that is incorrect. It is behind the front driver's side wheel. I believe that your model, like mine, has a driver's side step that lifts up to get to the hose and levers to dump the tanks -- if you look past that you should be able to see the drain valve for the fresh water tank.

Be gentle with those old plastic parts and use two wrenches if possible when loosening, using one to hold the fitting in place. They are easy to damage and hard to replace.

 

[otr]

yes, behind the drivers rear wheel, you will see the low spot in the tank where the water supply to the pump exits the tank as well. There is also a filter here which it is good to remove the cover of and clean, just a screen. Sorry no photos we sold the same van last year to buy a 2019 Simplicity, prefer your layout though! At one point we had a leak there and with trepidation I disassembled the lines, piece of cake, cleaned, reassembled and it was perfect. The lines are Zurn Pex with compression fittings, a much more user serviceable system than the crimped pex on our new van. Feel free to reach out as I am intimate with the model! Wait til you do the gray and black valves!

 

[RT-NY]

The lines are Zurn Pex with compression fittings, a much more user serviceable system than the crimped pex on our new van.

I agree with you that those gray lines and compression fittings used in Roadtreks of that era are very easy to work with, but on my 1999 Roadtrek they are polybutylene not Pex. Polybutylene is no longer used and not so easy to replace, whereas Pex is polyethylene and still in common use, with, as you say crimped rather than compression fittings.

 

[KTwins]

I believe that port is just a pressure release valve. It would not have done any harm to remove the plastic cover. There is a rubber remote fill tube running from the fill valve on the propane tank itself to the refill port near where you fill the gas tank.

As far as the the fresh water tank, I just checked the manual for my 1999 Roadtrek 170, and it does say that the drain is behind the rear driver's side wheel, but that is incorrect. It is behind the front driver's side wheel. I believe that your model, like mine, has a driver's side step that lifts up to get to the hose and levers to dump the tanks -- if you look past that you should be able to see the drain valve for the fresh water tank.

Be gentle with those old plastic parts and use two wrenches if possible when loosening, using one to hold the fitting in place. They are easy to damage and hard to replace.

We do have the driver's side lift up. I had to wait for it to stop raining before getting down on my hands and knees to peer under there, but sorry, I am not seeing anything that looks like a drain. There is a plastic tank on the right though.

 

[youngnretired]

Have you located this yet? Your system may only have a cap on a pipe coming from the tank or on the tank itself, not a valve, to release the water on to the ground. It should be at the bottom of the water tank (or on ours, the bottom of the exterior water tank). It will be the lowest point in the water distribution system. Here's what ours looks like, after we broke off the piping coming from the bottom of the tank last fall.

 

[RT-NY]

Hopefully, this will help. It is a view looking through the lifted step, though it might look a little different in your model. You see the plastic tank and the dump valves. The drain is not a spigot or anything like that -- it is just a plug screwed onto a threaded stem at the low point of the tank, as I indicated in the picture. The threaded stem should be squared off below the threads, so you can put a wrench on it to hold it in place, then use another wrench to loosen the plug. When you put the plug back on, don't over-tighten it -- just snug should be enough (and also use two wrenches when tightening).

 

[KTwins]

I think the mystery is finally solved, see photo. When the manual said that the drain was behind the rear wheel on the driver's side, I thought that meant it was between the wheel and the back of the van. Instead, it is between the two rear wheels! The next mystery is how to contort myself to reach the drain with two wrenches (and how to open it without getting water all over myself). Also, does this drain just the fresh water tank or also the pump and/or water heater? I appreciate all the help--

 

[youngnretired]

That certainly looks like it. If it were mine, I would extend piping to a convenient location and install a simple valve.

Draining the tank won't necess6drain the water pump, heater, nor the piping. If you're thinking winterizing, you'll need to pump rv antifreeze thru the entire system to protect it from freezing. You can remove the annoyed rod in the water heater and this will drain the water heater.

 

[RT-NY]

I think the mystery is finally solved, see photo. When the manual said that the drain was behind the rear wheel on the driver's side, I thought that meant it was between the wheel and the back of the van. Instead, it is between the two rear wheels! The next mystery is how to contort myself to reach the drain with two wrenches (and how to open it without getting water all over myself). Also, does this drain just the fresh water tank or also the pump and/or water heater? I appreciate all the help--

It's surprising how much the location of these things vary from year to year and model to model on the old Dodge Roadtreks, In my model, it is relatively easy to get to through the step, but you might have to put down a ground cloth and crawl under the van, lying down on your back, to open that up. You can get to the drain for the water heater from the side of the van: there is a removable door to access the heater (be careful with that door--it is held in place only by little plastic latches that degrade over time and might need to be replaced; losing those doors on the highway is not uncommon). If you are just aiming to disinfect the system, you probably do not need to worry about the pump and lines. Just add the correct amount of bleach/water mixture (make sure you get the amount of bleach right--too much can damage the plastic) and run it through the system. Also, even after you disinfect, you might not want to use the plumbing for drinking water in a 25 year old RV that you just got, unless you know it's history.

 

[KTwins]

Fortunately, my arm was just long enough to reach the cap, and surprisingly it unscrewed by hand easily. Thanks for all the advice, and I've bought a faucet water filter because of the same concerns.