Cylinders holding bed up and draining water tank!

[didden]

Ok first off new to Travel Trailers and I have a 1996 Jayco 256SL and what I am really planning on going is drain and clean the water tank. All the valves and everything are under the bed and not easy to see and get to. I figure to get the lay of the land back there I would remove the cylinders from the bed so I can get it uo farther to be able to see what I have back there.
After getting the lay of the land I put the cyclinders back on and now cannot get the bed down. I am not sure about these and wonder if I have to do something special now to release them?

I also still have a question about draining the water tank. I saw 3 small plastic T valves that apprear to be the one exiting through the floor. I opened these and there is a plastic tube coming off a valve that I figure is a vent possible and opend that but water is not draining . So I am also missing something there also. Have all faucets open.

Well any help with these would certainly be appreciated.

Dennis

[Doug]

Is this the fresh water tank?
Did you try removing the fill cap on the outside? Maybe that is preventing it from venting?

I am assuming the cylinders are just air cylinders. Try disconnecting one end and pushing the extension rod to make sure it isn't binding.
You may have them over extended and the angle is not right to where they want to compress?
There may be a valve that controls how fast the air exits when rod is compressed to closed position, much like your storm door cylinder.


Let us know what you find.

Best regards,
Doug

[TCNashville]

Sounds like to me that the "T" valves are low point drains. These will not drain your fresh tank, just your plumbing. The valve that has the plastic hose to it- I call them stop****s, rotate 180 degrees and must be in the open position-that is the holes inside must line up or it will not drain. The fresh tank vent should be right next to the water fill. It's the little hole that has a tiny screen over it. This vents air while filling or draining. Sometimes mold will cover the vent screen from the inside and prevent it from operating, or just remove the fill cap. As far as the cylinders are concerned, I think Doug's right, they're probably binding. Take them back off and try to manually compress them. Hope any of this helps, Terry

[didden]

Ok here is the update and I have 3 plastic tubes from the floor to outside and how the valves are opened is the pull up on them so did that and some water trickled out off all three tubes and not only one some water coming out but not a big stream. Should all valves be ope for all three tubes and if so why no water coming out of 2 of them as I do not see any markings.

The cyclinders are the gas cylinders like on cars hoods and hatch back and such as that I think.

[didden]

I have a 4th pipe under and would this be the drain for the tank then or where do I actually drain the tank since other are only water lines?

Thanks
Dennis

[Doug]

If all else fails, can't you just turn your pump on and empty the tank?
Sometimes these lines and valves are confusing. Best way is to trace them out and fiddle with them until you figure it out.
Seems like every model is different.

Best regards,
Doug

[didden]

Doug that is what I am pretty much doing they are just so hard to get to. Even to just see very difficult but I think I am making head way on the water tank.

Now to figure why the cylinder won't go in.....LOL

Thanks

Dennis

[Doug]

Originally Posted by didden

Doug that is what I am pretty much doing they are just so hard to get to. Even to just see very difficult but I think I am making head way on the water tank.

Now to figure why the cylinder won't go in.....LOL

Thanks

Dennis

Great Dennis.
The great fun of tracing water lines lol

Merry Christmas,
Doug