Electric black tank dump valve. Worth it?

Well you all have scared me off of the electric option.
My CC has cable...6 foot! The valve is mounted at 90 degrees from vertical. It has always been stubborn to move.
The whole thing is hidden from view as it is all above the belly panels. So operating an electric one “manually” would not be an option.
Thank you all. Including the comedians.

I CHIT canned my cable valves and went to manual "T" valves that are EASY to push/pull.

The Drain Master system works great when it works. You don't want to know about it when it does not.

My 2007 Alpenlite had the electric valves from new. The grey valve has been trouble free for hundreds of dumpings. I have given up on the black valve & must open it manually everytime.

The fault is not so much the valve as it is how the valve was mounted. Out of necessity, because of a frame member, the valve is mounted 90 degrees off of vertical. Installation instructions specifically say mount it vertically.

Before you buy make sure that there is vertical space above the mounting location for it. It will work for awhile mounted incorrectly but then it gets partially jammed & need help with the manual Allen key everytime.

Between the DW operating the switches & I we have gotten very good at dealing with it, & spend far less time dumping than most people.

A huge time saver is that the system is self contained with the dump hose always hooked up & stored in a tube under the trailer.

If you don’t have an electric dump valve, how are you going to dump your black tank while crossing a bridge over the Chicago River? Those poor people on the boat below! :E

Look out below!

:):)

gbopp wrote:
I have visions of the valve shorting out and opening while rolling down the road. And, of course, there will be a police car behind you when it happens. :E

That's why it is required by law to have a cap on the end of the pipe.
B.O.

Electric dump valves were standard on my twelve year old fifth Wheel. They are outstanding when they work, not so good otherwise. They can be overridden with a 1/8" hex key which requires crawling under the trailer. Not the most fun at a dump station.

Seems to me this was recently discussed and I commented that the electric valve should have a manual override just in case.

Absolutely worth it, in a number of scenerios. Our gauges are in the coach the valves in the bay. Need to wire gauges to a set in the bay.
But why just stop at black tank...which requires flushing by connecting a hose to the flush vale for both tanks an switching between tanks.If I was younger I would have remote controls to servos on black, gray, and fresh water fill/and supply switch valves..as well as aux water connection to flush valve.
one of it is hard to lay out just require a clean sheet of paper while looking at the plumbing and where to mount the servos/switches in the bay and power supply and remote switches inside where the gauges are. I imagine a Prevost conversion has all that all that already.
I have had to open the gray and black and flush them on a dark and stormy night and twern't any fun atall!

I don't see where an electric valve would be more trouble free than a cable or direct mechanical manual valve.. They all wear out or have issues.

Perhaps time to see if you could relocate valve to a easier to get to location in order to eliminate the cable?

Alternate would be use a standard manual valve but attach a sturdy metal rod to the pull handle and bring that out to a location you can get to.. That would get rid of the flimsy cable setup..

When I can’t pull the black tank valve, it’s time to stop RVing...even if I still owe my soul to the company store.