RV Shower Drain or Bath Drain P Trap

With all of the little pieces and parts that go into a properly working plumbing system on an RV, it can be easy to become lost or confused. You have parts that help the water get to where it needs to be, parts that help it flow around where you are using it, whether in the bathroom, the kitchen, or outside. You also have parts whose job it is to get the water into the black or gray water tanks so that they can be emptied out later on. For your shower, the P-trap is one of the vital components to the system that directs the used water away from your area, keeping it clean, fresh, and pleasant.

The job of the P-trap is to direct the waste from the shower away from the drain area and out of the home. In a stationary home, this would mean out of the home entirely and into the sewage system below. In an RV, however, this means that the water goes into the gray water tank that you empty out later. Used water can often carry smells and other things that you might not want around you and the P-trap keeps away the smells and fumes associated with it as well as any small organisms that might want to enter your living space. The P-trap is made of three parts; the inlet, the downward bend, and the outlet. The inlet is where the water enters. The downward bend is where the water gathers and fills to create the airtight seal that keeps out the fumes and small organisms. The outlet is where the water exits the pipe. Generally speaking, the P-trap is located as close to the center of the shower as possible, as the farther away the trap is from the drain, the more smells will accumulate over time. To prevent any additional smells as well as any clogs from building up in the trap, it's important to clean it as often as possible. If you have a plumber's snake, you can use this to clean it. If you do not, however, there are two other ways in which you can clean the pipes. You can use a mixture of vinegar and warm water with a bristled brush and you can use a safe but effective drain cleaner. You should not use the drain cleaner often, however, because it can damage the pipes if used too often.