Grey tank hand valve

[Nan]

My grey tank hand valve is very hard to push in or pull out. Also, water leaks into the hose while it appears shut.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Nan]

Oh, sorry, 2017 Elite 11. -  Hull 267

 

[Mike and Carol]

If gray water is leaking into the hose when the valve is closed, raise the street side bed access hatch nearest the pantry and you will see the gray water valve.  Push the silver cylinder at the end of the cable as far down as you can.  That should solve the leaking.

It is probably time to remove the cable from the outside and clean and lubricate it.  It’s not difficult, loosen the screw on top of the gray water gate (under the street side bed), then pull it out from the outside.  Clean and lubricate the cable then stick it back in and push it until it reaches the gate inside.  While the outside handle is in the closed position, re-tighten the screw on the cable inside.  That’s really all there is to it.  I’ve done mine (and the black tank gate cable) twice in 7 years and it works fine.  Mike

[Steph and Dud B]

If it's not the cable, it could be the valve itself. Our last trailer had a tank valve where the seals were very tight against the gate, making it hard to operate. Adding some RV tank valve lubricant every spring solved the issue. You just pour some into the tank before a trip.Thetford RV Drain Valve Lubricant... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BGK2L0?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

[Nan]

Thanks everyone!

 

[Geronimo John]

22 hours ago, Mike and Carol said:

It is probably time to remove the cable from the outside and clean and lubricate it.  It’s not difficult, l

Mike: Would RED LINE CV-2 work well for this?

GJ

[Mike and Carol]

9 minutes ago, Geronimo John said:

Mike: Would RED LINE CV-2 work well for this?

GJ

I’m not an expert, but I would certainly use it.  A light coat of any quality grease seems to last a long time.  Mike

[The Loonies]

On 11/21/2022 at 7:32 PM, Mike and Carol said:

If gray water is leaking into the hose when the valve is closed, raise the street side bed access hatch nearest the pantry and you will see the gray water valve.  Push the silver cylinder at the end of the cable as far down as you can.  That should solve the leaking.

Hi, The bathroom valve was in the closed position but water was leaking in through the shower drain.  We found that the silver cylinder was not seating as far down as it should.  Was able to push it down manually, but I have to reseat it every time I pull the cable to open it.

Will be adding RV tank lubricant asap, but is this a cable issue, valve issue or both?

We are the second owners and just picked it up last week.  Any input appreciated.

 #880, 2021 Legacy Elite 11

[Steph and Dud B]

Does the outside handle go all the way in/bottom out when you close it?

[topgun2]

4 hours ago, The Loonies said:

Will be adding RV tank lubricant asap, but is this a cable issue, valve issue or both?

Could be one - or the other - or both. 

Easy way to check the cable is to take a look at the end of the cable nearest the valve.  Is the cable securely attached where it should be?  If there is any sign of looseness, just pull the cable tight and tighten the screw holding the cable to the valve.

I assume that you have done a complete and through "flush" of the tank you are having trouble with?  If not, do this before you add the valve lube.

Bill

[ScubaRx]

Mike Mossey and myself will be holding a demo at the Rally to address this issue.

[Mike and Carol]

9 hours ago, The Loonies said:

Hi, The bathroom valve was in the closed position but water was leaking in through the shower drain.  We found that the silver cylinder was not seating as far down as it should.  Was able to push it down manually, but I have to reseat it every time I pull the cable to open it.

Will be adding RV tank lubricant asap, but is this a cable issue, valve issue or both?

You can try this - loosen the screw on top of the gate that holds the cable.  Ensure the outside handle is closed as much as it can then pull the cable from the inside tight, then tighten the screw.

If you have time, once you loosen the screw holding the cable on the gate, pull the cable all the way out from the outside.  Clean it (I usually use WD40), then wipe some lube on it and reinsert it, feed it through the opening on the gate and tighten the screw.  It should operate more smoothly.

Steve and Mike M. will be giving a demo at the rally.  Steve showed me how to do this years ago.  Mike

[Kansa]

Following this thread right now My issue isn’t the valve but the pipe leading to it I just noticed mine isn’t connected and doesn’t look like it was ever sealed… what should I use to glue this pipe on I am assuming that should have been done at factory but not sure.   

[mossemi]

2 hours ago, Kansa said:

Following this thread right now My issue isn’t the valve but the pipe leading to it I just noticed mine isn’t connected and doesn’t look like it was ever sealed… what should I use to glue this pipe on I am assuming that should have been done at factory but not sure.   

If you are the original owner, then I think you should make a warranty claim with the Oliver Service Department.  If you are the 2nd owner or just like to fix stuff, PM me and we can discuss how I would fix this issue.

If there is glue residue on the end of the pipe, it would indicate that it was glued and connected but the pipe was not inserted far enough into the valve body which probably led to the failure.

Mossey

[rich.dev]

2 minutes ago, mossemi said:

PM me and we can discuss how I would fix this issue

Noooo please let us all know how you would fix it! 😜 

[SteveCr]

 

3 hours ago, Kansa said:

Following this thread right now My issue isn’t the valve but the pipe leading to it I just noticed mine isn’t connected and doesn’t look like it was ever sealed… what should I use to glue this pipe on I am assuming that should have been done at factory but not sure.   

Here is a black pipe coupling you can purchase at Lowes. This is routinely used for ABS connection repair...beats re-gluing.

I believe Oliver uses these or something similar now anyway.

I eb

 

 

[mossemi]

11 minutes ago, rich.dev said:

Noooo please let us all know how you would fix it! 😜 

I assume you will be at the OTTO Rally with a pickup date a couple days after the rally ends, so I’ll show you then. 😎

Whoops!  SteveCr just let the cat out of the bag.

Mossey

[rich.dev]

31 minutes ago, mossemi said:

I assume you will be at the OTTO Rally

Unfortunately not, not with my all over the place work schedule! 

[mossemi]

Well, it would have been a good time to talk about Ollie’s especially since you would be picking up soon after.

Mossey

[John E Davies]

Kansa, get a warranty claim started, if you can wait for an Rv tech. That is obviously “user error” on the part of the installer, plus somebody did not inspect it later… regular ABS primer and black glue should fix it, but there may be other spots that are not right, so every glued joint in the trailer should be inspected IMHO.

Of more concern to me is they mixed abs pipe (black) and pvc connectors (white). While it CAN technically be done with the correct special green glue, it is in no way standard practice on a production line! It could be OK for a repair, but in many areas it would not pass an inspection! I would like to know why they did it!!! Read this.

 https://www.mortonsonthemove.com/abs-to-pvc/#:~:text=Absolutely.,to chemically bond the plastics.

Good luck.

John Davies

Spokane WA

[ScubaRx]

On 5/4/2023 at 11:08 AM, Steph and Dud B said:

Does the outside handle go all the way in/bottom out when you close it?

It may go all the way in and bottom out while you are still pushing on it, but it won't stay there when you move your hand away. This is OK.

[Rivernerd]

13 hours ago, SteveCr said:

Here is a black pipe coupling you can purchase at Lowes. This is routinely used for ABS connection repair...beats re-gluing.

They are colloquially called "Ferncos".  They should be available at any hardware store that carries plumbing parts.  They are code approved for Drain Waste Vent (DWV) connections, like the one in your photo. 

IF you can move the pipe enough to achieve full insertion into the female flange part of the fitting shown in your photo, you can glue it with ABS glue.  ABS glue is available at any hardware store.  Buy the smallest can you can find, because it has a short shelf life once opened.  Place a shop towel or 2 layers of paper towels under the joint to catch any drips, then daub glue on both the inside of the female flange and the closest 1" of the pipe, then immediately insert the pipe into the female flange and hold it in place for 30 seconds.  The glue will take hold by then, and you can let go.

IF the pipe won't move enough to allow full insertion into the female flange part of the fitting, using a Fernco is better than trying to glue the joint.

Just be sure to measure the outside diameter of the pipe, and buy the right size to fit that.  It looks like you can pull the pipe far enough away from the fitting to enable you to slip the Fernco coupler completely onto the pipe.  Once the Fernco is on the pipe, then slip the end of the pipe as far into the female flange part as you can.  Then slide the Fernco coupler back toward and over the flange so the coupler is centered over the joint (as best you can).  Then tighten the hose clamps until they are snug.

If you tighten with a slothead screwdriver about as tight as you can, that should be about right.  If you use a nut driver, be careful not to over tighten, or you can strip out the screw in the hose clamp.

Good luck!

[Rivernerd]

12 hours ago, John E Davies said:

Of more concern to me is they mixed abs pipe (black) and pvc connectors (white). While it CAN technically be done with the correct special green glue, it is in no way standard practice on a production line!

Agreed.  It makes no sense, particularly since green glue costs more than either PVC or ABS glue.  But, our Hull #1291 has that same strange mixture of PVC fittings and ABS pipe.  No plumbing inspector of my acquaintance would pass it.  In Idaho, for example, only one transition from PVC to ABS is permitted per drain line. 

PVC is commonly used for Drain Waste Vent (DWV) pipe assemblies in the Eastern USA.  ABS is commonly used for DWV pipe assemblies in the Western USA.  I don't know why, but that is what I see.  But no state I am aware of allows the two types to be mixed throughout a drain line.  I wonder if the rules don't apply to RV manufacturing?

That said, as long as the correct green transition glue was used, a drain line with PVC fittings and ABS pipe should hold up fine.  That is why I did not raise it as an issue when we took delivery of Hull #1291.

I did note one place where insufficient glue was used on the top of a DWV joint, but I chose to address it myself when I got home.  Properly adding glue to a partially-filled DWV joint requires preheating the joint with a heat gun.  Much like "sweating" or soldering copper pipe, if the joint is preheated, then the glue is applied, the glue gets sucked into the void to create a proper seal.  Unsure if Oliver would use this method, and since the void was on top of the pipe, I just chose to do it when I got home.

 

[Kansa]

 I have submitted a ticket to Oliver .I appreciate all of your input. I loved over the issue again today and noticed that further down the pipe the factory installed a furnco in the middle of the pipe wondering why. Guessing they had to short of a piece and decide to use it anyway.  So I have just a bit over 1/4 inch of pipe to glue into the valve will that be enough and should I check what is under the furnco in the middle of the pipe.   You can see that in this extended view.