suggestions to facilitate replacement water drain (1973 Brave D18)

perlgurl · May 05, 2016, 05:18 PM

I'm missing the cover to my black water drain. I've been to the RV store to get a new one and apparently the screw-on type of cover is old and not kept in stock. I could go to the hardware store and check out the plumbing supplies to replace it, but the drain puller valve thing is also locked into the open position.

It seems like my grey water tank is fairly empty as is the black water tank, so I'm thinking I can just replace the entire end part, but it seems really stuck on and I don't want to crack the plastic plumbing. What is the best thing to use to pull the pieces apart once I get the four screws out?

M & J · May 05, 2016, 06:23 PM

What brand is that valve? Every time I turn my tablet upside down to read the label my tablet autorotates.
It looks to be all glued, and if so you'll need to go to the horizontal pipe, cut it all away and rebuild it all using a modern valve.
I've never seen that style of dump valve. Let some one else chime in.

Rickf1985 · May 05, 2016, 07:16 PM

I am thinking along the same lines as Mike, cut it out and replace with modern fittings. Unfortunately you will have to go all the way up to the upper gray water line since all of the fittings are glued tight to each other but the upside is that you would have all new valves and plumbing. Where is the gray water valve?

M & J · May 05, 2016, 07:43 PM

It's a Thetford Slide EZ valve. I held the tablet flat and turned it. Lol. Gonna do some research.

Edit: You can still buy them.. This should get you started for finding how to take it apart or rebuild...

http://www.vintagetrailersupply.com/Thetford-Valve-08706-p/vts-339.htm

TerryH · May 05, 2016, 07:50 PM

Joyce, Rick (Elandan2) may be able to offer some assistance and help. He has the on site web site link 'Dupree' on the bottom center of the home page here.
Not pushing him or his products, but it is nice to deal with someone that has a good working knowledge of -hopefully- your problem.

TerryH · May 05, 2016, 07:55 PM

Sorry, Mike. I posted before I saw your edit.

M & J · May 05, 2016, 07:58 PM

No worries Terry, I was also going to suggest Rick (Elandan2) if we struck out.

Froggy1936 · May 05, 2016, 09:00 PM

Well I do not see any grey water tank ? It looks like the small drain pipes just dump out the big drain with no way to hold them back except the missing cap It looks like the stuck shutoff was for the black water only ?? Do you actually see 2 tanks ? Frank

Rickf1985 · May 06, 2016, 09:41 AM

I don't "Actually" see any tank. N:(

Froggy1936 · May 06, 2016, 12:41 PM

True, but 99% of the time potty is mounted to a black water tank ? But I guess anything is possible when cutting corners Even a direct dump onto the ground with no tank or drains :)rotflmao :)rotflmao :)rotflmao Frank

perlgurl · May 06, 2016, 03:55 PM

I forgot to turn on the notifications for this thread and was wondering why I had not heard anything so I'm glad I check back today!

I've taken a few photos to help illustrate my setup and run a couple more tests to try to understand what it is my RV has. I poured water down the sink drain and it comes out (quickly) so the drain is definitely connected to the grey water system. Pouring another half a gallon of water down the toilet results in water coming out at a slow trickle, which makes me think it is just due to some toilet tissue in the black water tank that is absorbing some of the water.

The thing I am confused about is that it looks like I have a grey water tank (based on the photo), but I'm not seeing where the black water tank is located. I can see straight down the toilet and see a bit of toilet tissue, but I can't figure out where it is going, which seems silly since it is at the back of the back of the RV and I think it should be fairly obvious.

Anyway, I used some silicone based WD40 on the puller and I'm going back to trying to get that pull drain thing out.

First photo shows the one tank I do see and how it connects to the drain system.

Second photo shows that the shower seems to be fully disconnected (it is missing the liner inside the RV so it won't be used at this time). Second photo shows

Third photo shows the full grey tank, I think.

Rickf1985 · May 06, 2016, 04:04 PM

Well you definitely have a tank but that is a strange shape for a black tank. I can see all kinds of stuff getting caught in there. No gray tank is common.

M & J · May 06, 2016, 04:26 PM

Now I see the full picture. They do make a rebuild kit for your dump valve. I found it while trying to find some type of instructions for that particular Thetford valve. Unfortunately I didn't think to save or send it since from your first pictures, it looked like a complete rebuild using a Valtera valve. Google Thetford Slide EZ (NOT EZ Slide) and one of the links will bring up a rebuild kit for it.
Fair warning: if the valve is closed you'll be in for a nasty surprise when you crack open the the bolts holding the unit together. By the pic it appears it is already open however. Keep us posted. I think I also saw somewhere an adapter to convert the threaded connection for the drain hose to a twist lock like the newer ones. Again, I can't remember. Sorry...

perlgurl · May 06, 2016, 05:21 PM

I've been able to pull one of the four screws out, but the other three are stuck and I'm thinking of just cracking the whole slide-thing on the corners to get it off since it needs to be replaced anyway.

Looks like I can get a replacement on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Thetford-12836-Electra-Magic-Slide-EZ/dp/B003D5BOL8

M & J · May 06, 2016, 05:55 PM

If its glued in place you're back to rebuilding the drain pipes.

Rickf1985 · May 06, 2016, 06:08 PM

Do you know anyone with an impact screwdriver? I have used one for years and with a new bit they will get out some really tough screws. If the screw heads are already stripped then it probably will not work, you could drill off the screw heads and then once the valve is apart use vice grips on the remainder of the screw to get it out and then replace them.

perlgurl · May 15, 2016, 02:45 PM

I decided the "ick factor" of busting open these pipes was just too much for me so the RV is at the shop getting the drain valve and slider replaced. I get it back tomorrow.

There is some concern from the shop my black water tank might leak, since the mechanic had to pull of some sort of silicon in order to do eht work and says there was no other reason for the silicon to be there. He asked if I wanted to replace the black water tank and quote me about $500 more than the $300-350 for the drain repair so I told him to just put it back and I'll test it next weekend,

I'm still not clear where the grey water tank is either. More things to discover!

perlgurl · May 16, 2016, 08:43 PM

Got my RV back from the shop today and I now have a black water release as well as a grey water release on my drain, plus he plumbed in the shower drain piping too! (I'm missing the shower base so I can't use it just yet)

It turns out I am missing my grey water tank, which we think means that the grey water just sits in the pipes or it backs up into the black water tank if the release is open. I guess I'll have to budget and plan to get a grey water tank and plumb it in now.....

M & J · May 16, 2016, 08:45 PM

Rickf1985 · May 16, 2016, 09:39 PM

A lot of older campers did not have gray tanks, just went to the ground.

joanfenn · May 16, 2016, 09:42 PM

Did we? W%

M & J · May 16, 2016, 09:43 PM

Well, it Depends Fenn.........

joanfenn · May 16, 2016, 09:49 PM

ya, hubby does that a lot around here too. Must be a male thing
W%

xerofall · May 17, 2016, 12:06 PM

Quote from: Rickf1985 on May 16, 2016, 09:39 PM
A lot of older campers did not have gray tanks, just went to the ground.

Yeah, I have the same year as her's and there's no grey tank, it just drains into the ground. I bought a portable grey tank to drain into.

I'd like to plumb in a grey tank, but I'm not sure if I want to invest any more money into the old gal.

Quote from: perlgurl on May 16, 2016, 08:43 PM

It turns out I am missing my grey water tank, which we think means that the grey water just sits in the pipes or it backs up into the black water tank if the release is open.

I would not leave your black open, the smell will go up all the other pipes, etc... leave the black closed until you're draining it, let the grey drain to the ground or in a collection bucket like I posted above. Or plumb in a grey tank like you mentioned.

perlgurl · May 17, 2016, 02:30 PM

I saw tanks sort of like like this for sale at the RV place and wondered what they were for! I'll go get grab one for sure!

My weekend boondocking trips I feel like I can drain grey to the ground since I use all biodegradable soap and it mostly just hand washing and dishes, but for my week long trip in Denali I think they might frown on that habit

Also, the mechanic that fixed the pipes also mentioned the possible back-up / non-sanitary issue with using the black tanks as grey with backfilling and even though it's just me in there most of the time so I don't see a huge amount of waste going into the black tank, I like this solution a lot!