Removing Electric Drain Valves

[oldretiredafguy]

We've been having problems with our electric drain valve switches for most of this year. Have ordered and received incorrect switch boxes twice from the OEM. Tired of this and want to replace them with manual valves. Any suggestions as to using cables vs rods? Easy to do, or should we use a technician/dealer? Any words of wisdom will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[magic43]

I replaced the electric dump valves with manual valves on our truck camper. Fernco fittings are your friend and they will also give you "wiggle room" if/when you ever need to rebuild the dump valves.

[laknox]

GON2SKI wrote:
My rig is now upgraded with manual valves…….local dealer Nelson's RVs is supporting the swap even though the warrantee is over by providing parts and a portion of the labor charges. Hopefully good dumping days ahead! I used rods for the installation vs cable.

I think I would have shipped the old valves back to Northwood, uncleaned, just to make a point. Very surprising that they would not give you more support. Sounds like your dealer's a keeper, though. Hope my next one is...

Lyle

[GON2SKI]

My rig is now upgraded with manual valves…….local dealer Nelson's RVs is supporting the swap even though the warrantee is over by providing parts and a portion of the labor charges. Hopefully good dumping days ahead! I used rods for the installation vs cable.

[GON2SKI]

UPdate to a crappy problem. My patience with the electric drain valve reliability has had it, I'm switching to manual valves asap. Nine dumps yielding four successes and five failures. 27-5L has been a great rig except for valve/switch issues. We cut our planned five day fathers day stay short due to embarrassing waste leaking. Has anyone else made this conversion?

[laknox]

GON2SKI wrote:
Do a search on Drain Master for more information. First year of owning our new rig ….Seven attempts to dump and four failures….not a happy camper! Last failure I happened to be toting a full load and near the Mfg at La Grande…..called customer service and got a flippant response since my warrantee has expired….he did link me up with a repair guy that got them working and they have worked properly the last three trips. I am too old to crawl under to manually open them if they fail! Good luck with yours.

With responses like that, they're lucky they don't get a "dump" in their driveway, along with the old valves.

Lyle

[Veebyes]

I have what I believe to be the new intermittent switches. Red light when open.

The problem is not so much the switch but the knife valve at the tanks which sticks. Never had a problem with the grey water tank but the black tank has been a frequent source of problems.

Usually all it takes is slight movement on the manual overide screw & the switch will work.

Suspect that the problem is more about stuff jamming the valve, installed incorrectly of course, than anything else. No, there is not room to mount the valve correctly.

The day will come when the whole vavle will have to be dismounted, cleaned or replaced. Not looking forward to it but have done a similar job before, rebuilding marine toilets & cleaning out a marine black tank.

Steve Rowe was not available at the time.

[GON2SKI]

Do a search on Drain Master for more information. First year of owning our new rig ….Seven attempts to dump and four failures….not a happy camper! Last failure I happened to be toting a full load and near the Mfg at La Grande…..called customer service and got a flippant response since my warrantee has expired….he did link me up with a repair guy that got them working and they have worked properly the last three trips. I am too old to crawl under to manually open them if they fail! Good luck with yours.

[laknox]

oldretiredafguy wrote:
Thanks for the words of wisdom. The company has changed the PN's, and the ones they have sent "Supercede" the old PN's. The last switches they sent burned out the motor/circuit, so they have to be replaced.

Jozzieo wrote:
Hi Mike, I would have a RV Tech take a look at your problem, It is strange they sent you the wrong switch twice. You could have a simple on-off switch installed, would be a LOT less trouble than switching over I would think.
Good luck on it.

Are they paying for new valves, too? How about the install? They =should=, if they give a fig about customer service.

Lyle

[oldretiredafguy]

Thanks for the words of wisdom. The company has changed the PN's, and the ones they have sent "Supercede" the old PN's. The last switches they sent burned out the motor/circuit, so they have to be replaced.

Jozzieo wrote:
Hi Mike, I would have a RV Tech take a look at your problem, It is strange they sent you the wrong switch twice. You could have a simple on-off switch installed, would be a LOT less trouble than switching over I would think.
Good luck on it.

[MPI_Mallard]

oldretiredafguy, are these drainmaster electric dump valves and if so check out previous links, they have replaced the original magnetic valve switches with mechanical ones and they do work.

[Jozzieo]

Hi Mike, I would have a RV Tech take a look at your problem, It is strange they sent you the wrong switch twice. You could have a simple on-off switch installed, would be a LOT less trouble than switching over I would think.
Good luck on it.