Rear Drain Connection Problems - Myth or Reality?

[TimM]

I'm thinking that our next caravan might be a Coachman with the drainage connections at the rear. I've read many times that these can cause problems on sloping sites. We often stay on CLs which slope and with our current side connections it's no problem. However I can see with rear drains on some of these sites that they would be pretty close to the deck and that we would have to run a pipe down from the rear to the waste container so the water would have to flow partially uphill. I would have thought if the pipe was long enough, it would not be a problem but wonder what the reality really is and what people's experience is of sloping sites and rear drains.

Thanks

 

[Parksy]

I once owned an Ace Ambassador with rear drain outlets and on sloping pitches waste water wouldn't drain away, it backed up and caused odours in the drainage pipes.

No matter how long the waste pipes are water will not flow uphill.

I re routed the outlets to the side of the caravan which was a simple enough job with some Y connectors, extra lengths of drainage pipe and some clips to hold up the pipe.

 

[MikeA]

We had a Compass Rallye with rear drain outlets. They were a bit annoying and I certainly look for side mounted outlets on new vans. But you can cope OK and it really isn't a big factor in the decision making process for us. I'd buy another van like it. Though I'd almost certainly investigate the feasibility of rerouting the outlets a la Parksy.

We have a long length of outlet hose, primarily to take advantage of fully serviced pitches where we can, which I also used to make do on sloping pitches with no drainage. The technique of coping on sloping pitches was to run the long hose down the hill alongside or under the van and have the waste container adjacent to the A frame. Worked fine, just didn't look great.

Cheers

Mike A

 

[WatsonJohnG]

That used to be my first mod when changing the van but thankfully the last few have had the outletsalready at the side

You can see on this pic how the waste pipe can be set to face donhill to suit the lie of the land(and no I don't mix up thw aquarolls or recycle !!)

 

[WatsonJohnG]

That used to be my first mod when changing the van but thankfully the last few have had the outletsalready at the side

You can see on this pic how the waste pipe can be set to face donhill to suit the lie of the land(and no I don't mix up thw aquarolls or recycle !!)

Its just the w's that get astray!

 

[Lorraine_5040934]

We bought a new Coachman last year and asked the dealership to reroute the waste outlet pipes even before we went to collect the caravan. They are now at the side (near the wheel to get the maximum drop. We had a caravan years ago with the waste points at the rear of the caravan it was a real pain.

Rather than not sell the caravan, most dealerships will reroute a bit of white plastic pipe under the caravan for you and move the waste outlets to the side. Can't think what Coachman are thinking of placing them at the rear?

 

[Gareth111278]

We have rear drain out-lets. i keep saying I'll move them but never get round to it.

They can be a pain when on a sloping pitch.

I'd not let that put you off your dream van though, either move them [Not sure how easy on a coachman] or live with it.

 

[Garfield]

we have a 21' t/a with rear drain outlets and on some pitches they are literaly on the ground and it is no problem what soever, we simply have a longer length of waste pipe that runs forward to the waste container placed near the wheels, a lot easier than mucking about moving the outlets.

Gary.

 

[TimM]

Thanks for all your replies. I wonder why Coachman and Elddis fit them at the back? can't see any advantage only problems.

 

[waffler]

We have a Coachman 535 with rear drains. We are CL/CS users and certainly you need to adapt. I have two flexipipes that go to the side. I then use an elbow and short bits of flexi to take it to the wastemaster which can go either side.I also use a joiner to convert 2 into 1. I have never had any difficulty, have no smells and no freezing. (Had both on occasion in side drain vans.) By going back the pipes don' go through chassis holes or loop under the chassis. When you buy just check that shower drain does not have a u bend in it that could freeze.

The Coachman is excellent.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

we have a 21' t/a with rear drain outlets and on some pitches they are literaly on the ground and it is no problem what soever, we simply have a longer length of waste pipe that runs forward to the waste container placed near the wheels, a lot easier than mucking about moving the outlets.

Gary.

Its move once then no mucking about!

 

[WatsonJohnG]

Thanks for all your replies. I wonder why Coachman and Elddis fit them at the back? can't see any advantage only problems.

There was a long reply from Eldiss in the CC mag once and really it just showed that they never caravaned