Picked up our 38FL this weekend

[rob_fla]

We picked up our 38FL this weekend.
Now we start the mods that will make it our "Home on Wheels".
Need to figure out things the Satellite receiver hookup, lower the hitch in our truck (our Redwood rides a little high on the front), continue arraigning items.

One big opp's item I really missed when looking at our model is the Dump Valve on the Front Living are on the side behind the kitchen slide.
To leave the Grey water dump valve open for the Washing Machine, you have to leave the Dump Valve door open.

It will take time to figure out everything and take care of the minor quality control issues, but since we fulltime it will not take long.

So far everything is working well.

[spindrift]

Congrats on the new home!

[0nTheRoad]

Welcome to your new home!!

[Steve & Linda]

She is a beauty, enjoy!

[Blue Dogs]

Congrats! Very nice combo!

[johnboytoo]

Originally Posted by rob_fla

.....

One big opp's item I really missed when looking at our model is the Dump Valve on the Front Living are on the side behind the kitchen slide.
To leave the Grey water dump valve open for the Washing Machine, you have to leave the Dump Valve door open.

Hmmm, you have to leave a door open ?!?
that doesn't sound right, can you post a picture? - having a hard time visualizing that

[Oriana]

Congratulations and enjoy that great FL floorplan.

The dump valve door unfortunately is an idiosyncracy of the FL. We have learned to accept that the door to the valves is continuously open when we are camped, as we require both grey tanks open to utilise the holding capacity of both tanks. Note - this is achieved by adding an additional valve.

[Oriana]

Johnboy - here is a close up of the valves and door on the FL models. To utilise both tanks we have an additional valve just before the outlet, which is closed. We then open both grey tank valves to use both tanks for holding.

As soon as 1 valve is open we cannot close the door.

[0nTheRoad]

So different from the other models where all your dump valves are in the convenience center.

So where are your connections, e.g water, black flush, cable/sat?

[TNTBaker]

Beeeeeutiful! Congratulations! Enjoy the "honeymoon"!! It's going to be just the beginning to a great relationship!!

[rob_fla]

Originally Posted by Oriana

Congratulations and enjoy that great FL floorplan.

The dump valve door unfortunately is an idiosyncracy of the FL. We have learned to accept that the door to the valves is continuously open when we are camped, as we require both grey tanks open to utilise the holding capacity of both tanks. Note - this is achieved by adding an additional valve.

I do not understand, I have three valve handles that are labeled,
Black, Galley and Grey

Black = Toilet ?
Grey = Bathroom Lavatory, Shower, Washing Machine ?
Galley = Kitchen Sink ?

Is this what is connected to each valve, your note says I need to add an additional valve?

[0nTheRoad]

There are three dump valves as you listed...
Black is your toilet
Grey is typically the bathroom area
Galley is typically the kitchen.

There are drawings posted on the other Redwood Forum for many of the different models BUT we are finding that they are in many cases not consistent with the actual plumbing of our rigs. For example, I have a 36FB, the drawing shows my shower is supposed to be plumbed to the galley tank along with the kitchen sink, but it isn't, it is plumbed with the bath sink and washer to the grey tank.

The only way you'll know for sure which drain goes to which tank is to either pull the guts out of your rig and visually inspect OR by completely draining bot tanks and then running water in each of your drains, one at a time...after filling a drain, say the shower, go out and open one of the valves codetermine which tank drains, if not the grey then try the galley, then you'll know which tank the shower drains to.... repeat for each drain until you've done all.
Many on the forum have purchased a valve to add at the dump tube [where you hook your sewer hose], keep it closed and then open both the grey and galley valves, this will give you a full 90 gallon capacity, if/when one tank fills additional water will spill over into the second tank.

[Oriana]

Originally Posted by 0nTheRoad

So different from the other models where all your dump valves are in the convenience center.

So where are your connections, e.g water, black flush, cable/sat?

Chuck - everything else is in the convenience centre, just the dump valves are located behind the kitchen slide

[Oriana]

Originally Posted by rob_fla

I do not understand, I have three valve handles that are labeled,
Black, Galley and Grey

Black = Toilet ?
Grey = Bathroom Lavatory, Shower, Washing Machine ?
Galley = Kitchen Sink ?

Is this what is connected to each valve, your note says I need to add an additional valve?

On the 36FL the W/D goes into 1 tank and everything else into the other. We don't have a W/D so one tank would not have been used. To use both tanks we added an extra valve, which remains closed, with both grey tanks open. This permits us to use both grey tanks. You can search for photos, which have been posted previously.

Sorry, but can't remember which tank they used for the W/D.

[0nTheRoad]

Originally Posted by Oriana

Chuck - everything else is in the convenience centre, just the dump valves are located behind the kitchen slide

Thats odd, wonder why they decided to put the dump valves in a different location???

[johnboytoo]

Originally Posted by Oriana

Johnboy - here is a close up of the valves and door on the FL models. To utilise both tanks we have an additional valve just before the outlet, which is closed. We then open both grey tank valves to use both tanks for holding.

As soon as 1 valve is open we cannot close the door.

Ah, I see... thanks for the pic !
have to say this is the first rv of any brand/model that I've seen that on - very unique ! and inviting for pranksters when open I'll bet

[Oriana]

Originally Posted by 0nTheRoad

Thats odd, wonder why they decided to put the dump valves in a different location???

Chuck,

With the front living room all tanks are further aft than the other models, so the valves are located close to the tanks.

[0nTheRoad]

Ahhh, didn't know that???

[Oriana]

With the FL we don't have any plumbing fixtures fwd of the axles. The kitchen sink and dishwasher is almost directly above the axles and the shower & toilet are aft of the axles.

[rob_fla]

I am going to figure out something different about those dang valves, give me a couple of days, being we are fulltimers, leaving that door open all the time is not going to work.