What would cause your black tank valve to work open when traveling?

[Fsalmy]

I had considered that, but found that even with my screw at the top it leaked a little. I figured down the road I would have to cut the valve off and I could just glue a coupling and more pipe on if needed. For winter camping I suppose you could just leave it open rather than remove it.

The screw probably would have worked long term, but I felt better with the glue after it all came apart when trying to just unscrew my hose. I think part of it too is the Rhino hose goes on pretty tight, and I need to turn it pretty good to get it off.

For our setup, it takes two hands to get the sewer hose off the valve due to the incredibly tight hose-end fitting (better than the alternative, I suppose). I often have my wife hold the valve while I unscrew the hose. Last time out, I used a little bit of Thetford valve lube on the Rhino hose bayonet. It made it a little easier to remove the sewer hose, but the valve still twisted a bit and my wife had to help once again. I even bought the two Camco sewer hose wrenches thinking that using them in opposition, I could remove the sewer hose and keep the valve on. The wrenches don't line up well with the fittings on the Valtera valve and the hose end usually ends up on the ground when it does decide to break loose. I had thought about the ABS cement before, but having to cut it off at some point would not leave much pipe on which to install a coupler.

[WhittleBurner]

I do this too as mentioned in my note above. It doesn't do the trick. What I haven't tried is tipping the trailer side-to-side with the levelers, but I'd guess that's a pretty hairy thing to do and it would only prove what I already know: that the drain plumbing was badly-designed and/or badly installed by Grand Design.

Actually I think GD probably did the best job they could do with putting the drains on. Anything different would mean putting the drain outlet at the top of the tank to be able to have the slope to drain better or drop the tube at the side of the trailer lower. Well having the drain at the top of the tank obviously won't work because the tank would not drain. Dropping the out let at the edge of the trailer is not a good idea either because people would then complain that it is too close to the ground . The Momentums have the low drain because of the drop down frame and they do complain about it being too low. The waste tanks are big to hold all that water. They reach from one side of the trailer to the other. Beneath the floor there is only so much room and the tanks are already tucked up to the floor as close as they can get them. There just really isn't much else that can be done about them that people wouldn't complain about to make it better. What we did was to put a Valterra gate valve on where the tube comes out at the side of the trailer. Doing that we leave that closed so we can get the hose hooked up without anything coming out. Then with the hose hooked up we can then go ahead and drain without losing anything on to the ground. A added bonus with the gate valve is that with having two gray tanks we can leave both grey tank valves open which will equalize making one big tank.

[Richter]

I’ve faced the same issue, on our previous travel trailer. Understanding the issue, I purchased the extra external valve early-on.

When I hooked up the external valve, I noticed that it has a swivel included in the set-up. I have the valve installed so that, using the swivel function, the pull handle is rotated counter-clockwise, so that it is up against the bottom of the trailer wall. To pull it, I rotate it slightly clockwise, which is the direction that keeps the bayonet lugs tight. Once the dump process is complete, I push the plunger back in and, holding the bayonet section tight against the trailer drain pipe, I rotate it back counter-clockwise, so that the handle is once again up against the trailer wall.

When dumping, if the area doesn’t have a positive down-slant toward the dump side, I run up on a couple of blocks before I start. That seems to ensure that all of the contents that are in the pipes flow out.

[boyscout]

Actually I think GD probably did the best job they could do with putting the drains on. Anything different would mean putting the drain outlet at the top of the tank to be able to have the slope to drain better or drop the tube at the side of the trailer lower. Well having the drain at the top of the tank obviously won't work because the tank would not drain. Dropping the out let at the edge of the trailer is not a good idea either because people would then complain that it is too close to the ground . The Momentums have the low drain because of the drop down frame and they do complain about it being too low. The waste tanks are big to hold all that water. They reach from one side of the trailer to the other. Beneath the floor there is only so much room and the tanks are already tucked up to the floor as close as they can get them. There just really isn't much else that can be done about them that people wouldn't complain about to make it better. What we did was to put a Valterra gate valve on where the tube comes out at the side of the trailer. Doing that we leave that closed so we can get the hose hooked up without anything coming out. Then with the hose hooked up we can then go ahead and drain without losing anything on to the ground. A added bonus with the gate valve is that with having two gray tanks we can leave both grey tank valves open which will equalize making one big tank.

Re: GD has done its best, our 2018 Reflection 320MKS hardly did this post-travel slopping at all so they got something right in it. There was usually only a few drips at the outlet after travel.

Re: the Valterra valve added to the outlet cap, I have one now. Shouldn't need it, or if I need it it should have been included with the trailer by GD.

[D2Reid]

I rarely completely empty my tanks, particularly the black tank. I like the idea of sloshing in the bottom to break things up and keep other things from collecting as sediment on the bottom of the tanks. As a result I never use the leveling system to change the angle of the trailer for a dump, mine is never stored so a little something in the bottom of the tank does not harm at all.

[JCZhome]

Interesting practice there Dallas.

I drain mine all the way.....that's the only way my monitor will show empty. But then I add about 10-15 gal. of water back in via the black tank flush. And if we're getting ready to roll to a new location I will but a quarter cup of Dawn dishsoap in there. The movement will work as an agitator to throughly clean the inside of the tanks (I do the same with the gray tanks, just using the kit. and vanity faucet to add hot water back in).

[Gimpyknee]

My OEM BW drain cap is right at the edge of the skirt/sidewall... putting the T58 on will actually put the cap end farther outboard than the bumpers. I also have the T50 (the one with the 3" coupler side), but the only way to install that would be to cut/grind off the lugs from the OEM pipe, and even that valve will extend past the sidewall into traffic. I think the gate valve of last resort is a great idea, I'm scratching my head over the install. I don't want to turn this into a fullscale PVC job - with cuts, wye's, and multiple couplers.

[Onebadhawk]

Is there a higher quality solution for these valves then the standard plastic Vatera valves ???

Teddy

[ncitro]

Is there a higher quality solution for these valves then the standard plastic Vatera valves ???

Teddy

I have a dream to install these at some point but they are too rich for my blood:

https://drainmaster.com/rv/products/mini-view2

[KLR650goldwing]

When we get a new trailer, one of the first modifications I install is another shut off valve on the end of the sewer hose on the trailer. In this way, I can attach the sewer hose line to the trailer before that valve is opened and tank contents are released. No more surprises. Any RV shop ought to sell this extra shut off valve assembly.