how to lubricate rv holding tank valves and cables how to lubricate rv holding tank valves and cables

Hope this helps. I havent actually tried this by putting a small amount in a jar and letting it sit, but I think that I will the next time I use some. You just need enough to get it to the valve and it gets diluted even when the tank is empty, which the almost never really are. RV Lock Replacement, Best Portable Power Station/Solar Generator For Camping, Best Septic Safe RV Toilet Paper Brands Reviewed, How To Maintain RV Holding Tanks To Prevent Clogs & Odors, XGIMI Halo+ Review A Smart & Portable Projector, Bodega T50 Dual Zone Portable Car Fridge Freezer Review, Elecaenta 120W Portable & Foldable Solar Panel Test & Review, Timeusb 12V/24V Battery DC USB Hub Full Review & Test, Timeusb 12V 100Ah LiFePO4 Pro Tested & Reviewed, Can of lubricant (preferably waterproof silicone like. First, go to your sewage line where you dump the gray or black tank. +1. By adding a Zerk fitting (grease fitting) to the dump valve assembly, they pump grease into the cavity around the steel rod. See Also:Best Portable Power Station/Solar Generator For Camping. Check out these RV Toilet Paper Alternatives Youll Wish You Used Sooner. The black and grey tank valves should no longer be sticky. It works well but its not my favorite method for regular maintenance because it involves drilling a hole in the gate valve housing. They recommend using 1/5th of the bottle with 4 gallons of water. Could be the valves or the cables need lubricating. Is there an additive I can add to the valves to lubricate the seals? how to pronounce canadian cities. The RVers are usually referring to the black 3-inch gate valve on their black holding tank. As mentioned above, you can simply spray or rub the lubricant on the valve after youve dumped the black tank contents. Cable & Satellite Hook-ups; Black Tank Flush; Battery Disconnect Switch; Spray Port With Hot & Cold Water; . We are not lost in the Woods..Just Extreme boondocking!!!!!! Where Can I Have Packages Delivered While On The Road. Close the gate and apply a thin coating of grease to both sides. Buy an RV, sell your RV, or both? here is the latest on the stuck valves. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. How to Market Your Business with Webinars. Double Slide Class A Mirada w/Bunk Beds, Rear Queen Bed w/Nightstands, Wardrobes w/LCD TV Above & Bunk Bed Slideout, Angle Shower, Sink, Toilet & Overhead Cabinet, LCD TV in Living Area, Booth Dinette & Sofa Slide, Euro Chair, Dbl. Its not something you want to deal with as an RVer because of the nature of the beast but its a reality. The RVers are usually referring to the black 3-inch gate valve on their black holding tank. Before you insert the new black tank valve, you can lubricate the seal for preventative maintenance. Thanks for the comment! Caravan RV Auto Electrical i am a mobile service and also can do in house and pick up from 674 port wakefild road green fields SA i can supply and fit All types of Accessories for your caravan RV we can supply and fit Diesel heaters and we stock most parts Description Specifications: Model:FJH-5/2 Heater Power: 5KW Fuel Gasoline:Diesel Rated . oz. Only downside is that the 303 is more expensive than either of the others. Then when done with gray valve, removed oil from trap and used it down the toilet for the black tank valve. Doug Swarts is a 25-year RV industry expert at creating and implementing revolutionary products for all RV waste management systems. Another area that you will want to inspect is the actual lever rod and cable if you have a remote location for the handle. If you want to take it a step further, you can remove your RV black tank valve and do a thorough cleaning. Save my name and email in browser cookies for the next time I comment so I won't have to enter that information again. Price: $73.28. i had the same problem plus mY black tank valve wouldn't shut all the way off. DO NOT USE the old standby, WD-40. Save my name and email in browser cookies for the next time I comment so I won't have to enter that information again. A small T-shaped handle allows you to grab the rod and pull back the gate, permitting the contents to flush forth. Gonna give it a try thanks for the tip! Thank you! New cables work MUCH better than the OEMS ever did. You have 24 hours to edit a comment. It flows through the waste plumbing system and into the holding tanks. ; ; Keep both the grey and black dump valve closed until one or both tanks need to be emptied. Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and author of the RV Handbook as well as the Managing Editor of the RV Repair Club. Rockport TX. Even though its meant to be used on empty RV holding tanks theres a chance RV drain valve lubricant will work anyways. The veggie oil is a gallon jug the cheapest (~$5) stuff from Walmart or similar store. ABS Polymer adhesive and fittings are also available. And no i probably wouldnt make a good mother. ) In some cases the 1.5-inch gray valve gets sticky over time especially if the RVer is not using his RV full time. It seems that a shot of lube directly to the valve rod is about the only practical solution, at least from our experience. vinessa vidotto parents. If you add enough of it to the holding tank that has the gate valve stuck closed it might be able to work its way to the bottom of the tank and the gate valve. Thanks for your interest. Add Thetford RV Drain Valve Lubricant Anyways, Drill an Access Hole in the Stuck Gate Valve, Conclusion About Fixing Sticky RV Grey and Black Tank Valves, Valterra Electric RV Gate Valves (click to view on Amazon), What To Do When An RV Waste Tank (Black/Grey) Wont Drain, WD-40 Specialist (click to view on Amazon). If your valves are installed in the tank piping with the handle lower than the 3 9 oclock position when you open the valve the water inside will seep into the valve body (the root cause of sticky valves). I thought the same about the cables being run better, but after having to take down the coroplast, I see that they are actually run very well. Whether youre a newbie or seasoned RVer, with all of the gunk and grime in your RV black tank, you might have to deal with a stuck valve at some point. You may want to place a bucket underneath to catch anything that might leak out. The cable style RV gate valve is usually found on large RVs that have the black and grey tank on the passenger side. Laying on your back it is almost impossible to reach the upper bolts to remove the valve from the line. See Also:What Do I Need To Use Hookups At An RV Park Or Campground? how to record directors salary in quickbooks Accept X Do they actually work? He said that usually the issue isn't the cable, but the gate valve & rubber seals. I drilled the hole and spray silicone in it a few times a year and also on the metal rod. As you can see in the photo, it has a plastic gate or spade that slides in and out of the dump hole. 1 How do you lubricate RV holding tank valves and cables? These are 15 of our favorite songs/themes/scores that Tod has created for our YouTube channel. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Heres How to Fix Your Stuck RV Black Tank Valve, How to Unstick Your Stuck RV Black Tank Valve, Preventing Your Black Tank Valve From Getting Stuck Again. But unless the choice of lubricants is one that will go into suspension with water, the lube will simply float on the top of the tank water and hang out there until you finally dump the tank. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. The handle that pulls or pushes the gate, and the gate that holds or releases the contents of the holding tank. Coconut oil, jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, olive oil will all help. If you break the valve, youll have more work to do and more money to spend replacing it. Thank you! We are here to help, call us at. An initial plus first or last name is the minimum, we're all friends here. Let sit for a few minutes and then exercise the valve by opening and closing a few times. Sometimes the door (RV waste water valve) has issues, causing nasty leaks to happen. If the upstream side of the valve is glued to the pipe, Id disassemble the valve then determine if its feasible to replace with most of a new valve. I will report back the results. If that T character breaks, opening the valve is tough. Work the valve a few times in the water to ensure all of the residue gets cleaned out. Around the Campfire: Who advocates for RVers? I am in campground with blk tank maybe 3/4 full. Soak the valves in hot water with some detergent, making sure to leave the gates open. Its a simple concept, but a couple of things can get in the way of a simple operation. The thickness will allow you to tap the body with enough threads to screw in a plug or grease zerk. Just do it right after dumping the tanks so it can get to the valves and not be to diluted. Pour 1/4 bottle in each drain. Remove the 6-8 self tapping screws which hold the Coroplast to the frame. Mix it up by driving around some, then open and close the valve a few times keeping as much mixture in the tank as possible, then let it sit overnight. For example, internal tank sensors require drilling through the sides of the RV holding tank at precise locations. What do you do when your RV black tank valve gets stuck? Then use a 1/4-inch x 28 thread tap to tap threads into this hole. There are other methods of lubricating things. If all else fails you can try loosening the bolts that are holding the gate valve together to release whatever is keeping it closed. We'll see how long it lasts. The BestCounty Park CampgroundsFor RVe Where Can I Have Packages Delivered While On The R Don't Miss Carolina Pines RV Resort In South Carol Know How To Prevent A Space Heater Fire In Your RV, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GDErKY05-8&t=1s, Traveling with a person on kidney dialysis, Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1. I recommend using the Thetford RV drain valve lubricant reviewed below. I lubed once with a dry version of WD-40 which contains Teflon-style Fluoropolymers. How do you lubricate RV holding tank valves and cables? I do think it is a good idea to occasionally dump some recommended conditioner down both the black and gray water tanks to lubricate and condition the rubber seal that the spade valve slides in and out of. You are using an out of date browser. Should You Camp at the Thousand Trails Chehalis Resort? Now work the valve open and closed a few times. Thetford has a great product we have used for several years called the Drain Valve Lubricant. It works for a while, then I put more in. To treat the typical tank, 3 to 4 ounces of the mild, perfumed treatment is sufficient. You can go ahead and add a lubricant. The cable is very difficult to push/pull and due to it's position, directly under the water hose connection, gets some corrosion. Let the lubricant sit for a few minutes so it has time to work on the gate inside the valve. Remove from the valve with an Allen wrench and stretch to size, use a piece of tape to mark the proper length don't forget to measure the operating length of the inner cable.Remove the entire cable and take it to a table grinder then carefully twist the outer cable while grinding without damaging the inner cable until it's cut off. We full-timed in our Sunnybrook for 7 years and on the rare occasions we had a full hook-up site, we flushed those tanks within an inch of their life. As a side note, the cable can get messed up sometimes. This is both an "FYI" and "what do ya think" kind of post. They have a system for shooting lubricant down motorcycle brake and clutch cables using a spray can and a foam rubber adapter. I have occasionally sprayed the cables the same way as you which really helps. I think I saw a post a few weeks ago about something similar & he used canola oil, & dumped it in the tanks. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 20082023 RV LIFE. Keystone RV Forums > Keystone Tech Forums > Repairs & Maintenance: Lubricating dump valves? The Glamping Guys 6.73K subscribers Subscribe 8.7K views 2 years ago #gaycouple #rvlifestyle. i tried lubing the cable, pull the valves and installed new seals, tried cooking oil in my tanks before i used them, to lube the actual valve, none of this worked. In fact it's easily accomplished by most RV handypersons.if the cable broke while the valve was in the fully opened position, that is! \rWe're living the RV Full-time life, documenting our travels, and together with our Badass Pomeranian Ziggy, were setting out on the road for some RV Glamping \u0026 Camping getaways. Oh, for goodness sakes we have a 2000 Sunnybrook travel trailer and when our grey/black tank dump valves become harder to pull, we simply spray the metal rod connected to the T handle with silicone spray (NOT WD 40). the freeze statrs Friday night and it is Wednesday night. In addition, after cleaning the tank, i would try to tilt the rig away from the valve to preclude that last bit of water from escaping. Some say that the best way to lubricate a sticky black or grey tank valve is to use WD-40 on the handle and inside the box that holds the gate valve when it's open. I do that and it has served us well. Coconut oil is added to prevent sticking valves, making equipment last longer. But then, I'm not a chemical engineer either. I have put vegetables oil in gray tank. You can then refill the holding tank as usual. of lubricant. Some do it 3-4 times a year when the rig is in service as well. DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN! Pretty hard to pull upwards when the compartment ceiling is in the way! Fix the bolts in it and attach data cables with the main DC power supply of the RV. A fellow camper suggested mineral oil to lubricate the dump valve. Maintenance prevents unwanted surprises. If would be great if there were some sort of a way to add grease or some other such lubricating stuff under pressure to make the cables work easier. Rating Easy fix by: Anonymous Tap on inner gate with a 2x2 and hammer. Replacing your valve is not expensive, and you can do it yourself. In your case, I suggest that you use the same idea, but pour it into the tanks after you dump the tanks as you store it. - Carl Segan, Our "Rolling Rest Home" 2013 Trilogy 3650RL dragged by a 2005 GMC Sierra 4x4 Diesel Dually -SOLD. I would do this as I was waiting for the tanks to dump not sure but I think they are starting to work easier. Dave recommends applying silicon to the shaft, rather than WD-40, which will clean the grease and rid of the natural oils that help the valve slide fluidly. (877) 652-0399 Get Directions. A sticky holding tank valve is a pain in the neck. You must log in or register to reply here. But what if the valves are stuck closed and you have full holding tanks? Our dump valves are quite stiff. Just wipe all dishes/ pans/skillets out completely with paper towels (first dry, then wet) before washing them. Regardless of this potential revenue, unless stated otherwise, we only recommend products or services we believe provide value to our readers. Try and open the valve again. Is the Thousand Trails Cabin Pass Worth It? WD can work its way into the seal at the end of the rod shaft and gum it up, making it extremely sticky. Any price listed excludes sales tax, registration tags, and delivery fees. Little did I know theres actually a simple fix to this issue that will also help keep the valves opening easily in the future. This will then lube the valve seals. What Is Primitive Camping? Fix For Hard To Open & Close RV Black Or Grey Tank Valves. Stocking thousands of OEM & aftermarket marine parts by top suppliers. I installed screws into drilled out holes to seal them in between adding lube. Use a product like Dow Corning 111. I believe in the spring I'm going to add the valterra dump gate to the outside edge of the dump tube for both the gray tank and the black tank dumps and not use the OEM valves except when it's below freezing (then I'd dump the lower valves that are below . Theres no guarantee any of these things will work, but they are worth trying if you need to get those drain valves open to dump your RV. Made with a special biodegradable formula, Thetfords gate valve lubricant is safe to use in RV plumbing and holding tanks. If you use RV holding tank cleaner and dump your tanks regularly, chances are pretty good . And we also ensure that any third parties we contract with either anonymize your data or have strict privacy policies in place that are aligned with ours. This situation is something every RV owner fears, and it can sometimes be difficult to solve. Now work the valve open and closed a few times. If you want to be notified when we post a new video, then click the Bell Icon. The first thing you need to do is make sure your black tank is empty and clean. I dont know if this will cure your problem but it wont hurt. Dear Dave, Great Prices on holding tank dump valves, holding tanks and components. What Do I Need To Use Hookups At An RV Park Or Campground? On our old travel trailer, I even ripped off the plastic handle to the black tank valve trying to get it to open. Drain Tanks and Unbolt Waste Valves. I think will go out right now and spray and work the hell out of it and see if it loosens up. When you loosen the bolts that are holding the gate valve together only undo them about a 1/4 turn at a time. When your RV black tank valve gets harder to open, you dont want to wait until it breaks. The sloshing around of the liquid will not only clean the inside of your tank, but it can get down into the valve and loosen whatever residue is there. The RVers are usually referring to the black 3-inch gate valve on their black holding tank. Holding the piping/flanges apart, insert the valve between the flanges being sure NOT to move the seals. After a while, it starts to feel like you wont be able to open them at all. Required fields are marked *. You may want to place a bucket underneath to catch anything that might leak out. Once you detach the valve, clean around the seals and gaskets. Who Owns Loki Expedition (Formerly Basecamp)? Holding Tank Treatments; Water Hoses; Sanitation Hoses & Accessories; Toilet Paper; . Mor Ryde Disk Brakes - ALL 4 CALIPER TO AXLE TUBE BOLTS/NUTS WERE MISSING!!! Once a year I dump some vegetable oil down each waste water tank as well as use the usual supplied straw that comes with every can of spray lube and force some lube by the handle end of the cable. It is the most popular high-quality rubber protectant, so it should function in a similar way to the cooking oil/baby oil. When I recover from surgery getting the MH ready for use is top of my list. What are your thoughts on lubricating waste tank valves? The system I am familiar with uses molydinum in suspension. This is also where we share our favorite RV and camping-related gear and accessories. I would think that those were two different characteristics to take into consideration. PHOTOS COMING SOON! Whats the best way to lubricate a sticky dump valve? Be careful not to ding or in any way damage that steel rod, as a rough rod can create problemslike tearing up the shaft seal. A password will be e-mailed to you. Sometimes a simpler solution is all thats necessary. 2022 RVTravel.com All rights Reserved. The cable should be secured within 24 and have 6 of straight cable coming out of the valve housing. We're asked often about the proper method to lubricate a sticky RV dump valve. _____ John 2015 F250 6.7l 4x4 2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS 05-28-2020, 01:47 PM . Make sure to hold the flanges tight against the valve during this process. Home Fix For Hard To Open & Close RV Black Or Grey Tank Valves. They act as a door that keeps the wastewater in the appropriate tank until you wish to empty it at an appropriate dump facility. Does the RV Airflow System Actually Work? Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2. Holding Tank Dump Valves. Hows the lubrication to work there? Ive been an auto mechanic for 43 years, and never heard them called anything but ZERKS. Like adding water and treatment to the black tank. However, there are products made specifically for this purpose. Learn more. The odds of this working are greater in the grey tank but it could still work in the black tank as well. Drill your hole in the center of the left or right side of the SS shaft hole, approximately 1/2 from the SS shaft. it worked 2 weeks ago and not freezing yet. Poured a large bottle of Dawn and three pans of hot water, stomped around to make vibration so soap would agitate, and the whole tank drained in 30 mins. Probably cheaper than Murphy's oil. Make sure your tanks are empty and clean. The waste tank T handle is in the wet bay. Use this lubricant at the start, middle, and end of the camping season to maintain the gate valves so they open and close easily all season long. tried veg oil, also gallon dish soap,and sil grease fitting , all did not help . I undid the black tank valve bolts and . If you like the hole drilling method make sure you spray lubricant inside the gate valve once or twice every year to keep it working correctly. Siebenbrgische Spezialitten Erzeugnisse aus der Heimat nach original Rezepten. It happens to all RV owners sooner or later. Thats at least a 40+ year old trick and a great one to suggest to those who havent thought of it. Our tanks can be used for black and/or grey water. Kitchen Sink, 3 Burner Range, Refrigerator, Pantry and More! You can reference numerous YouTube videos showing how to go about this, but the entire process should take less than an hour. Run the water until you smell the bleach, then let the tank sit for at least 24 hours after you have drained all the bleach water. This website utilizes some advertising services. I will do this with only about 2-3 gallons of water for sloshing and just before a trip. and how do i hook it back up to work. The valve is located against the trailer frame and just behind the rear tire just above the plastic covering. This method is kind of a long shot, especially if youre trying to unstick the black tank valve. Lubricating from the inside of the black and grey tanks is the best and easiest way to do it. Sorry for the late reply. Now work the valve open and closed a few times. My RVs waste tank valves are starting to stick. I couldn't find much information at the company's website, especially with regards to its chemical make-up. Did the gray first and then reused it for the black tank and then used fresh oil the second time through for the black.