Dump Valves

Our AF came with three electric valves, and despite the horror stories I've seen on the boards ours are still (knock on wood) working fine after almost 2 yrs. Since about six months I started dumping in a few oz. of drain valve lube from CW every time I drain. Seems like cheap insurance! Did have one switch go bad that was replaced under warranty, but the valve mech's seem to be solid.

For *remote* - cable operated or electric black tank valves -
the best "fix" is to add a *manual* pull valve in the 3" drain line where it's *accessible*.

Cheap and easy to do......way, way easier than replacing (or lubricating) a remote valve up under the trailer!

Your bad back doesn't like bending to pull the valve?

Angle the pull handle upward for less bending.....and consider how your back will feel after laying under the trailer replacing the remote valve!..:(
Been there - done that.
If it fails - just as easy to replace again.

Then simply leave the (remote) cable or electric valve for the *black tank* in the open position.
Continue to use the remote gray water valve as you did before.

The remote gray water tanks valves just don't seem to fail like the black tank valves - maybe due to the waste - and/or the size of the valve.
(smaller valve operates easier.)

Happy dumping!

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Both the gray and black valves got to be difficult to operate on our FW after 3 years. I did a Google search for "lubricating rv dump valves" and got many suggestions on how to fix. I used the "drill a hole in the valve gate housing and squirt in silicone" procedure and now they work very well. Don't know how long the silicone lasts or other side effects, we'll see.

The electric valve I just put on has a handle and if there is no power or it quite, I just can flip a ring out of the way and pull the handle. I hope I don't need to but it's there if I need it.

Owner of a trailer that came with electric valves. Gray tank electric valve failed to open in 2008. (4 years old) Black tank valve failed to open 2010. (six years old) The gray tank for the kitchen after ten years (knock on wood) is still working.

Have to remove about 30 screws from underbelly. Crawl under and with a slotted screwdriver very carefully turn to open the valve. The slotted head is pot metal junk. I left both open. Put a hand pull valve on for the black tank. The grey tank have a valve at the end of the line. This tank is for the shower, bathroom sink and washing machine, so not a big deal to leave open all the time.

The dump valve must also be installed correctly or they will bind and cause problems! Even from the factory they could be mis aligned and bind on opening and or closing. Check there operation manually before proceding with anything else.

From experience the electric valves open and close slow. Slow closing can be a problem if dumping into a tote tank. It is not pretty.

If installed correctly, electric valves work. Installed wrong they won't last long.

Why they wanted me to reach under the TT and pull the handle sideways is beyond me but my back didn't like it. This year I put an electric valve on the black tank. The gray tank valve pulled straight out so I left that. I don't know how lone the valve will last because I only used it about 10 times so far.

Based on reports I have read I'm not sure electric is the answer. I have read several posts where the electric are pretty prone to failure. I don't have any data to base this on. Only some posts I have read.