Waste water tank valve

It just cost me $300 to get the valve on the waste tank to close. Told it was toilet paper hanging up. Okay, I flush all the time, use plenty of water when we flush, use the correct bio paper and add degrader to the tank.

Is this something I will just have to endure each year? Any tips for this newbie? Thanks,
 

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
Bill, does your rig have a tank flusher? If yes, buy a clear adapter for your sewer connection and use it between the hose and the sewer hook up. Actually you should have one of these either way. It's good to be able to tell when the flusher water is running clear and without paper bits or other nasties.
I usually run the tank rinser for a good half hour.
If you don't have the tank flusher, you can try using a 5 gallon bucket and haul water into the rig and dump it down the toilet till you see it running clear. Or use a hose and run it down the toilet.
We don't use the expensive TP we use Angel Soft from Wally World. We only dump if the black tank is near full. This will get you the best flow and that is what's needed to pull the waste out of the tank. We've been in our rig for 6 years without a problem. Now I've probably jinxed myself.:rolleyes:
 

danemayer

Well-known member
In addition to the clear adapter that Ray mentioned, I have an extra gate valve at the sewer outlet. After dumping the tank, I'll close it while water continues to go into the black tank flush, then open after 2-3 minutes. This usually results in extra "stuff" coming out. Also, if water is going through the flush system but stops coming out through the clear adapter, I know I have a clog at the tank gate valve. That's the wrong time to close the black tank gate valve as you're likely to trap paper and wedge it into the valve. I'll sometimes put a hose on the flush king clear adapter and force water back into the tank to break the clog loose.
 

Birchwood

Well-known member
It just cost me $300 to get the valve on the waste tank to close. Told it was toilet paper hanging up. Okay, I flush all the time, use plenty of water when we flush, use the correct bio paper and add degrader to the tank.

Is this something I will just have to endure each year? Any tips for this newbie? Thanks,

You may need some lubrication on the valve rubber with either coco oil or canola oil.I had a sticky valve
and poured a half bottle of canola oil in the tank and its worked fine since.
 

olcoon

Well-known member
I was wondering about some type of lubrication on the gate valves myself. Yesterday, I asked the service mgr. at an RV dealer, and he said they use Murphy's Oil and it works wonders.
 

kakampers

Past Heartland Ambassador
Our black tank valve just recently starting "leaking" (all fluids would drain out)...had to use an additional blade valve temporarily to back fluids into the tank so it would not dry out. Before hitting the road again, we decided to replace ALL three valves and pull cables (no sense dropping the belly to replace just one). When we got the old valve out, we had the same problem. Apparently, over time some TP got caught on the valve and was repeatedly forced into the "seat" area for the valve, keeping it from closing. We have always used the flush and cleaned the tanks...religiously.

We use a biodegrading chemical that has lubricant in it and do everything possible to avoid this happening...and it STILL happened. Not sure there is any surefire way of avoiding this issue...some may never have it happen and somewill, unfortunately. However, it took five years for us to have this problem.

The one thing we did was make "fixing" this easier if it happens again. We used rubber connectors with metal covers and clamps at two strategic points where we cut the entire valve system out, so if we need to "clean" the valve out (next time we will know what's happening), we can drop the belly, disconnect the valve system, open up and clean the valve, and put everything back quickly...no fuss, and a relatively quick job....hope this helps.
 
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