Handle for my grey water valve went AWOL...

[cannesdo]

...somewhere between Phoenix and Santa Barbara. The whole handle is just gone. If you shine a light inside the hole (it disappears into an enclosed shell the covers a big area under the rig) you can see what looks like a little 1/4"?/3/8" metal nub with an octagon shaped head. Handle looks like a 'T'....not sure how it connects.

Anyone?...Anyone?

[John_Wayne]

You can also buy a new valve that goes where the drain hose goes. If the drain hose is closer to the side of the trailer you wouldn't have to reach under so far to open it to drain. Just leave the old valve open install the new valve and put the drain hose on the other side of the new valve.

[cannesdo]

Thanks for the input, Folks. I got a cool tool from Home Depot today. A flexible tube, about 2 ft. long,that has a handle that looks a lot like the handles we pull to open the valves but it has a little claw on the end with four spring-loaded prongs that come out and open up. When you get go of it it comes back together and holds tight. I got a good grip on the end bolt with that and was able to pull the valve open. $8. Problem solved. 🙂 I'll look into replacing the valve after I've rested up from the last year...it was a doozy.

[Dave_H_M]

easiest way is to cut a square access hole under the valve. leave one side uncut so you can flap it back shut and reseal it.

I like the cable actuated valve units I got from amazon.

[old_guy]

mine did that and I took some screws out of the covering and saw what I needed to repair the valve, went to RV dealer and got the part, installed it and put the screws back into the covering. took a half an hour

[cannesdo]

There is a massive cover over everything. I can only see where it was connected through a small hole. I have no idea how to change a valve. First step would be removing that whole cover?

[robatthelake]

Once You get it dumped ,clean,flush really well! Then replace the entire Valve ! They cost less than $20!

[cannesdo]

Can't imagine what broke it off. It was pretty well concealed under there. I had to reach under about 6 inches to grab it. The road was a bit rough there going around Big Bear. I chose not to go through L.A. but have since decided in the future to just bomb through there late at night. There was one section there nearing the cut-off to Santa Clarita where I really thought I was going to lose all the fillings out of my teeth. 3000 climb in elevation....no thanks. Added a good 2 hours to the trip as well. I'll try to open it with some long pliers tomorrow and see if I can wrap something strong around it to use for pulling it open in the future. Maybe some pliers with a 90 degree bend at the end will work to grab it and pull it out.

What's weird is that the valve was closed and the handle came off without opening the valve The tube was bone dry when I took the cap off to attach the sewer hose.

[DaHose]

Sounds like the handle was molded onto the shaft. Also sounds like the handle broke off and the handle got shoved closed after.

Jose

[cannesdo]

I tried spinning they galley tank handle around, trying to unscrew it. It doesn't seem to unscrew. Tried about 50 rotations. They must attach some other way. I may have to get a pair of very long needle-nose pliers for now to get it open. Could probably press a long dowel in there to close it. But eventually I'd like to figure out how to reattach a handle. The 8 sides head seems to suggest it's not meant to spin on.

[newman_fulltime]

some use a screw that compresses onthe shaft some use a pin some screw on