Leaky Seal

[traveler44]

I sanitized the fresh water system a few weeks ago after which I drained the grey water. Since then I have used the sinks and when I opened the drain cap there was grey water behind it. Maybe a gallon. I ordered a T58 waste valve to go on the end for now but just wondered why the valve seal would start leaking after 1 1/2 to 2 years. Do they sometimes start leaking due to hot weather? Should you keep water in the tank to keep the seals wet. Any seal experts out there? Thanks Tom M

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

Tom, it might be a small piece of plastic has made it's way to the valve seal and is wedged in it. The plastic would have come from when the factory cuts the holes for the tank fittings. I think the best option it to get one of those caps that has the hose fitting on it and attach the garden hose to it and back fill the grey water tanks and flush as much as needed. I think Camco or somebody makes a clear plastic flusher to fit the sewer outlet that will make the job easier and neater.

 

[traveler44]

Thanks Ray! I hope the T58 gets here before we leave for the rally. I have the clear plastic backflush piece already and the end valve should make it work better. I should know which tank valve is leaking in a day or two. I drained them both this morning and am going to just run water in to one to start with. Do you know if these are 1 1/2" valves or 3" where they come out of the tank and attach to our T-handle cables? Tom M.

 

[cookie]

Tom, I am pretty sure that the grey tanks come at 3" and then are reduced to 1-1/2".
See you next week.

Peace
Dave

 

[JohnDar]

Just a thought about finding a small amount of liquid behind the cap. How long did you leave the drain open and the cap off before shutting it all up? My valves all close tightly, but the first time I remove the cap, there is a small amount of liquid there. I'm thinking it's the residual liquid left on the walls of the plumbing that finally makes its way to the cap. Knowing it's probably there, I attach the twist-on valve to the clear adapter and hold it under the cap while I loosen it. Then attach it to the sewer pipe and then put the hose on. No muss, no fuss.

 

[jmgratz]

I have a sewer cap with a small twist off garden hose type fitting on it. When traveling I leave the small cap open and any residual simply flows out along the roadway. Works fine. BTW it is not for the black water.

 

[Duramax1]

Just a thought about finding a small amount of liquid behind the cap. How long did you leave the drain open and the cap off before shutting it all up? My valves all close tightly, but the first time I remove the cap, there is a small amount of liquid there. I'm thinking it's the residual liquid left on the walls of the plumbing that finally makes its way to the cap. Knowing it's probably there, I attach the twist-on valve to the clear adapter and hold it under the cap while I loosen it. Then attach it to the sewer pipe and then put the hose on. No muss, no fuss.

The small amount of liquid behind the cap may be caused by the dump site you chose to use as it did not lower the driver side of the RV to ensure that the drain lines completely emptied.

You could try placing some leveler blocks on the passenger side of your RV to create the necessary slope to fully drain the lines.

On the other hand, just do not put your hands under the drain outlet when removing the drain cap and use the almost always provided flush hose at the dump station to wash away whatever comes out.

 

[JohnDar]

The small amount of liquid behind the cap may be caused by the dump site you chose to use as it did not lower the driver side of the RV to ensure that the drain lines completely emptied.

You could try placing some leveler blocks on the passenger side of your RV to create the necessary slope to fully drain the lines.

On the other hand, just do not put your hands under the drain outlet when removing the drain cap and use the almost always provided flush hose at the dump station to wash away whatever comes out.

My sewer connection is high enough to slope easily to the sewer hose. Even at the Goshen rally, it was higher than the sewer pipe, but the hose had to run uphill to it. I don't use a dump station since we're on a seasonal site with full hookups and the sewer pipe is almost flush with the ground. But, even at the end of the season when I do a thorough flush of the systems, there is still some moisture left in the lines. On my rig, Gray #2 has a bit of travel before it gets to the hose. Eventually, it collects at the cap. If you're aware of it, and plan ahead, you won't get a surprise when you open the cap (slowly) the next time. I keep a box of nitrile gloves in the rig.

 

[traveler44]

I am draining into a bucket at home so it looks like a quart overnight and a gallon in a couple of days. I think that is a leaky valve seal. At least there isn't any brown in it so I guess I'm lucky there. I will add the T58 end valve and as long as I don't have a problem with the black tank valve I can fix it at leasure. Thanks! Tom M.

 

[traveler44]

Thanks! Jim Gratz and Ray I used the cap with the hose end- open until I got a chance to back flush the grey tanks. The pull handle for grey #2 went back in about 2" further than I ever remember and when it did it didn't feel as springy. When I checked today there wasn't any grey water behind the cap for a change. If it happens again I will take the drain valve apart and try to pull the plastic plug out. Thanks for getting me by on a special trip we had planned. Tom M.