Black tank problem

garyemunson wrote:
I feel for you. This can be a really nasty repair. The glue idea has merit but I would suggest a strong epoxy like JB weld. The slide valves are not expensive but if you cannot get it to open, you will have a tank full of sewage going everywhere when the valve is taken off. My suggestion is to cut away the part of the valve that the shutter blade retracts into when the valve is open. This MAY allow you to get ahold of it and open the shutter just enough to drain the liquid from the tank. You'll get some leakage but it will be a WHOLE LOT better than having to deal with 50 gallons of sewage. If there is an RV dump that you can get the valve (and motorhome) parked directly over, it's a little more practical to just remove the valve (putting up some splash guards and wear protective gloves,gear). Keep in mind if you can just partially open the broken valve, you can get the liquid drained out and with luck the solids will stay in place long enough to install a new valve assembly after which you can fill the tank back up with water to flush it properly. The learning moment here is "it had previously been hard to open". The first time you notice that with a sewer valve, CHANGE IT OUT!

. I think this will be my first option when I get it home. I can use a dremel to cut into the housing to see if I can then grab the blade valve with vise grips etc. I just hate to drive thru the mountains with 200-300 pounds of "poopy" water but looks like I don't have much choice. Thanks for the suggestions.