Replaced the dump-station plumbing...

[Desert_Captain]

With our 2012 Class C now 7 years old I am trying to stay out in front on the preventative maintenance. To that end this morning I replaced the dump station gate valves. Just went online to Amazon and entered "Valterra" {the manufacturer of the existing valve} and up popped mine for a very reasonable $37.50, got it in two days.

The old one came out easily enough though several of the bolts had to be removed and reinstalled using the braille method as there is not much room to work through the small access door. I quickly learned that the key when reinstalling is to leave all 8 bolts fairly loose until everything lines up and the new seal's seat then just cross torque them down.

I always suspected that the bathroom sink drained to the black tank but never cared enough to check. Discovered my suspicions were correct when I did my post install leak test. A couple of buckets of water down the toilet, sink, and shower drains produced no leaks and the bucket down the sink drain left the grey tank dry.

Here is a pic of the old parts I removed, noted the cracked grey tank handle that probably would have failed the next time I used it.



Here is the finished install {sorry about the poor pic quality}:



:C

[valhalla360]

2oldman wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:
Another vote for...if it ain't broke....

I've heard this saw all my life, and I'm never sure what exactly 'broke' means.

Does it mean you let your tires blow before replacing them? Or you wring every last ah from your batteries until they die? Or your dump station valves leak or break rendering your coach unusable?

If the tires are out of tread...they are broke.

If the dump valves are getting stiff...they are broke.

If the truck is struggling to turn over...the battery is broke.

If the valves are working just fine with no sign of failure...it's not broke...don't fix it.

And as someone else mentioned, the impact of failure is a big factor. A blown tire at 65mph is a little different from a dump valve being a little sticky.

[DanKirk]

This looks like a good way to lube the blade valves when they start to get sticky:

Lube RV Dump Valves

[Lynnmor]

I agree that the new parts may not be as robust as the old. I bought new valves that were cracked at the bolt holes from manufacturing. The OPs handles pointing straight up is what allowed the old valves to work so long since there is an opening to allow stuff to get into the valve body when draining. I have cable operated valves inside the belly covering, so I added small vinyl tubing to provide a means of lubricating. Before installing, I tested silicone spray and it swelled the shaft seal causing way too much drag. Motor oil worked just fine.

[jplante4]

Also, be aware that the newer parts may not be as robust as the old parts. I have a 23 year old Norcold fridge still running well. I doubt that a similar unit build today would last half that long. We got one of the new Dometic AC/DC compressor units in the store last year and we were running it on the floor for demo. It died after 4 months.

The OP is obviously handy. Why not do a little PM? THe more you know about your rig, the better off you'll be when something breaks.

If you do this and your piping isn't a straight shot from the outlet to the valves (like the OP's is), then I would drill a hole in the downstream side of the piping and put an 1/8" pipe plug in it so I could squirt some silicone spray in there once a year.

[pnichols]

How much fix-it-before-it-breaks stuff you should do might be related to how much boondocking you do, and during how much of that boondocking you cannot get out with your phone.

Help is not always just a phone call away. Given that, just in case I now carry a non-voice satellite device so that I can send and receive text messages to/from any phone number. I guess I just have to be able to afford the help way out there ... even if I am able to contact the provider.

[camperdave]

Preventive maintenance is often worth it, but many things are better to run to failure. The trick is understanding the effects of that failure, and if it's worth spending the money to avoid it or not...

Possible broken dump valve? Not gonna worry about it until it breaks. Timing belt? I'm replacing as per the schedule. Consequences of failure are much different.

The ultimate decision on whether to do preventive maintenance on an item or not is up to each person, and everyone has different thoughts on the severity of a failure. One man's disaster is just a minor inconvenience to another.

[richardcoxid]

Here is my system for lubricating both sides of the blades and the groove of both of my cable operated drain valves including the toilet flush blade/ball valve. Been doing this for 19 years, still have the original drain valves and seals! I do this at the beginning of each season and occasionally in mid season.

First drain and flush both tanks to flush out all solid matter. Close both dump valves.

I have a 3 inch termination cap that has a garden hose bib, attach a small plastic garden hose ball valve to the hose bib to act as a control valve, install the cap on the end of the RV drain pipe with the hose bib/control valve at the bottom position. Shut the control valve. Attach a short piece of drain hose/bucket if desired. I just let it drain onto the gravel next to my RV concrete parking slab.

Put about 5-8 gal of water in each tank (just make sure that you have more than 3 inches in the black tank and more than 1 1/2 inches in the grey tank). Put a pint of mineral oil in each tank. (about $2.50/pt at Wally World pharmacy) When you put it down the toilet with the water turned off, pour a little amount onto the blade (or ball) open and close it slowly, repeat 2-3 times to completely coat and lubricate the flush valve, when you put it down a sink/shower drain that has a "P" trap use a lot of water to flush it out of the "P trap. (Remember that he oil will be floating on the top of the water)

There are 231 cubic inches/ gal of water. If you know the width and length (even the approximate measurements) you can calculate about how many gals to put 1 1/2" and 3" in your tanks.

Open the black tank drain valve about 1/2 way. This will fill the cavity between the drain valve and the termination cap. Open the control valve a small amount, you want a very slow stream of water SMALLER than pencil diameter. Remember that the oil will float on the top of the water. As the water SLOWLY drains out occasionally cycle the drain valve open/close, leave the drain valve about 1/2 open until the next time to cycle it. As the oil/water interface goes down (lowers) this will ensure that both sides of the blade and the groove is coated with oil. I have always been been able to feel the ease of blade movement when the oil is coating the blade.
Repeat doing the gray tank drain valve.

To lubricate the cable I just pull out the handle opening the valve, apply a few drops of light weight oil to the exposed shaft, operate the valve a few times, repeat a couple of times every year, after a few cycles capillary action will siphon the oil full length of the cable.

[IAMICHABOD]

Hey I'm all for preventative maintenance.

After all my tires need new air :h it was changed when I got my new tires 4 years ago so it is past time to let the old out and put fresh air in.

I think that ought to be your next project...

[WILDEBILL308]

2oldman wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:
Another vote for...if it ain't broke....

I've heard this saw all my life, and I'm never sure what exactly 'broke' means.

Does it mean you let your tires blow before replacing them? Or you wring every last ah from your batteries until they die? Or your dump station valves leak or break rendering your coach unusable?

I agree. Just as dumb as taking a belt off because it is old and delaminated. Then saying I am keeping the belt I don't trust as a spare. Really you are keeping parts you didn't trust to last for when you really need a good part? Don't be so cheap, go buy a new part for a spare if you fell you might need one.
Bill

[Grit_dog]

Yummy! Hope you waited until you were done to eat any finger food!
Lol

[2oldman]

valhalla360 wrote:
Another vote for...if it ain't broke....

I've heard this saw all my life, and I'm never sure what exactly 'broke' means.

Does it mean you let your tires blow before replacing them? Or you wring every last ah from your batteries until they die? Or your dump station valves leak or break rendering your coach unusable?

[valhalla360]

Another vote for...if it ain't broke...sold the last trailer at 20yrs old with the original valves...the new(er) trailer is about 10yrs old with originals.

[Desert_Captain]

Like the man said... "Opinions vary"

Look at the pic of what I replaced, this from a rig that has 53K miles over the last 5+ years. Every trip the tanks get seriously flushed and frankly, we rarely do number two, in our coach.
The handle on the grey tank was cracked and about to fail and the seals were showing some cracking.

Spending $37.50 and about an hour of my time seemed worthwhile, and yes this was preventative maintenance. Both valves operated smoothly enough as I routinely applied a little Teflon lube but when I got it apart I knew it was time well spent.

I hope none of you ever have a dump station failure... especially if I am the guy in line behind you.

:C

[JaxDad]

Desert Captain wrote:
With our 2012 Class C now 7 years old I am trying to stay out in front on the preventative maintenance. To that end this morning I replaced the dump station gate valves.

Maintenance? That sounds like replacing the engine instead of changing the motor oil.

My ‘work-a-day’ Class C is a 1995 (yes, now 22+ years old) and all I’ve ever had to do is lubricate the seals every year, all the seals, handles, etc., etc., are original.