Chinook RV

My 1997 Premier has an auto drain system installed and I've never seen one before. I found info on it online but I haven't been able to locate the on/off switches. Does anybody know where I might find it? Thanks

My '99 came with the auto drains. I couldn't get rid of them fast enough! I mean, if you really could just pull up to a dump station and kick back while they auto drained.... maybe. But no, you still have to do 99% of the work.... except... pull the knife valve handle. Okay, that's .5% of the work, glad that's done for me

But okay, that's just me. You may like them and want to keep them. On my rig the switches were just inside the access hatch where the shore power cord is stored. On the forward wall just inside the door. I believe (from what I have read later) that the ignition switch has to be on to power them. I never used them. Note that I have read where one Chinooker had an "inadvertent dumping problem" on the road because the power cord shifted in the compartment where the switches are.... I believe Chinook stopped installing them due to issues of some sort.

I removed them, which is really easy. A $2 common T-handle is all that is missing from the normal manual system (in other words, they are just the manual valves we all use, minus the T-handle, and plus a motor/gears/etc. If you want to remove them, or just see more about them, here is a thread I started on them:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=36&hilit=auto+drain

PS: I do understand that some folks may just like them. And usually I'm all about adaptations that may help people with weak hand strength and etc. OTOH the implementation left a bit to be desired (switch location) and much of the rest of the process still requires the hand strength (getting the cap off, etc.).

Thanks for the answer that's exactly where they are. I don't know if they work or not but if/when they fail i will replace with the manual ones.

dblcola wrote:Thanks for the answer that's exactly where they are. I don't know if they work or not but if/when they fail i will replace with the manual ones.

Sounds good. And in case it wasn't clear above, they ARE the manual drains (blade valves). The only thing they remove from the manual valves is the little threaded on T-handle. Otherwise everything about the manual valve is still there. They simply "bolt on" a little motor and gears that pulls the stem of the handle out, just like your hand would do if you grasped the T-handle.

I was surprised as I envisioned some kind of completely motorized drain. But nope, they just bolt on a mechanical "hand" to the regular one.

The more I think about this the more I think I'll do it right away. I've always liked "keep it simple". Again thanks

I think that's a good decision. It took me under an hour, and that included all the little things like getting tools out, taking photos, etc. If you haven't visited the thread that I linked above, there are a number of photos in it. Not that it's not obvious once you are down there.

I did visit that thread and its very good. If I can't do it it won't be your fault. Thanks

dblcola wrote:If I can't do it it won't be your fault. Thanks

Glad we got that established

Will be interesting to hear if yours is any different.