Using the Black Tank Flush Valve

[Hawkeye]

Hi Jim, I did Dutchstar Don's method and went to Lowes and got boiler valves. I don't have pictures, but I'm sure Don does. They are quarter turn 1/2" valves with screw flanges. It's basically plug and play, remove the existing faucet and the pex nut will screw right on to the new valves. I put small stove bolts thru the brass flange to secure them to the existing plastic base plate. The only thing I haven't done yet is to get a short Y to mix water, but at this point I have just been using one or the other and have quick connects on both. I purposely have a longer hose like I explained above, so I don't leave it hooked up or forget it on. This is a 20 minute mod, once you have the parts. Good Luck!

 

[Joe Dutchstar]

We "flush" the black tank at least once a week when on the road, if able. I am amazed at the amount of solids that are flushed out. Not sure where this stuff accumulates but flushing especially before storage is in my opinion a good idea. Also, I keep some "clean" water in the tanks during storage to keep any residual from drying out. Luckily the storage facility we use has a dump station with water available to flush tanks.

 

[Joe Dutchstar]

Any links for "Oxy-Chem" pods?

 

[Joe Dutchstar]

Here is what I used. One has a slightly different angle (blue) but here are options. I do not use a mixing setup as of yet, haven't had a need.

Midline Valve 6834 Boiler Drain Valve with Stuffing Box 1/2 in. MIP Inlet x 3/4 in. MHT Outlet, Brass, Lead Free - - Amazon.com

Midline Valve 6834 Boiler Drain Valve with Stuffing Box 1/2 in. MIP Inlet x 3/4 in. MHT Outlet, Brass, Lead Free - - Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

Mueller 102-703 1/2" BOILER DRAIN - Bathroom Sink And Tub Drain Strainers - Amazon.com

Mueller 102-703 1/2" BOILER DRAIN - Bathroom Sink And Tub Drain Strainers - Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

Amazon.com

How do you attach these valves to the existing plumbing behind the existing mixer?

 

[Neal]

How do you attach these valves to the existing plumbing behind the existing mixer?

Take your wet bay shower panel off. You'll see two twist on connectors on the back. One should be marked with red tape or something, the hot line. Easiest mod you'll do.

 

[FLSteve]

You don't want to walk away and forget you have water going into the black tank with the gate valve closed. Bad things will happen if the black tank gets filled and there's water still going in.

These are the most important words in this entire posting. I never leave the wet bay area once I have started back flushing. And the older I get the easier it is for me to get distracted. I have heard several horror stories about this and have even seen one example of it happening … to another person's coach.

FLSteve

 

[NWIP]

These are the most important words in this entire posting. I never leave the wet bay area once I have started back flushing. And the older I get the easier it is for me to get distracted. I have heard several horror stories about this and have even seen one example of it happening … to another person's coach.

FLSteve

I start a timer on my phone and then go and sit in front of the guage to make sure it doesn’t get too full. I usually will fill till 80-90% then shut water off to flush, drain and flush again. I do this every time I dump.

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

I may have found the mixing valve I have been looking for.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HRQRJPW/?tag=rvf01-20

I'm think I am going to order one since Amazon has a good return policy (as @Neal is fond of pointing out). The same unit is about two bucks less direct from the distributor, but I don't know if they are as good about returns as Amazon.

This particular faucet will be a bit of a snug fit (front-to-back) as I measure my wet bay, but I think it will fit. Since the spout swivels 180 degrees, it won't create any additional space issues when swiveled to the side. And, being able to swivel it out of the wet bay could make filling a windshield washing bucket easier.

Any thoughts before I pull the trigger?

TJ

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

the older I get the easier it is for me to get distracted.

No truer words were ever spoken about...uhhh...what were we talking about just now? I forgot.

TJ

 

[Akdare]

I may have found the mixing valve I have been looking for.

Kingston Brass KS373C Kingston 6-Inch Adjustable Center Wall Mount Laundry Faucet Polished Chrome - - Amazon.com

I'm think I am going to order one since Amazon has a good return policy (as @Neal is fond of pointing out). The same unit is about two bucks less direct from the distributor, but I don't know if they are as good about returns as Amazon.

This particular faucet will be a bit of a snug fit (front-to-back) as I measure my wet bay, but I think it will fit. Since the spout swivels 180 degrees, it won't create any additional space issues when swiveled to the side. And, being able to swivel it out of the wet bay could make filling a windshield washing bucket easier.

Any thoughts before I pull the trigger?

TJ

I’m looking to do the same mod when I get my coach. I think the 6” referenced in the link is the distance the spout comes away from the wall. Not sure that’s enough to clear the distance from the wet bay panel to allow water to go directly into a bucket. I was looking at something similar but more expensive with a longer spout.

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

Actually, according to the specs, the center of the spout swings out to10-3/8" from the wet bay panel. In our coach, that should put it about 3" outside the wet bay. And the spout is not vertical, but is angled away from the wet bay, so that should put the water stream even farther out. We would be using a short hose on it anyway, so that aspect isn't critical for us.

I think the 6" reference is to the nominal distance between the two inputs. They are adjustable in width from 3-1/2" to 8-1/2", but the actual distance between the valves is nominally 6".


TJ

 

[Akdare]

I look forward to seeing how this goes for you, as I will do the same. Also, a person on that other forum used this to cover the large open rectangle left by removing the POS shower that is on there...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PUWFMG0/?tag=rvf01-20

 

[Hawkeye]

Jim, I don't know if your MA would be much different, but I don't believe that faucet would work on our coach because it sticks out about 5 3/4" from the baseplate. I'm sure you could eliminate the Newmar base and make your own flat one. Someone on the other forum did use a faucet similar, but I don't remember if they threw the Newmar base out. If you do make your own cover base plate, you would not need the adjustable width because the plumbing is flexible pex piping. That type of faucet would certainly be very nice with the swing out spigot, my motto is to KISS (keep it simple stupid), with no reference to you, LOL, Good Luck

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

We are on the same page, Hawkeye. I got to thinking about making a flat cover to replace the Newmar one and the light went on: "valve inlet spacing no longer matters." The lights still do come on in this old brain, but sometimes not until well after dark. ?

I am going to do another search for a mixing valve, disregarding inlet spacing, and see if I find anything I like better.

TJ

 

[Old-RV'er]

We were told by an owner to flush sewer tank each and every time you dump it. I flush it until the flush water runs as clear as possible (clear section for sewer hose). I flush for couple minutes, then close black tank valve and let tank fill for no longer than 2.5 minutes, then open black tank valve and let that mess go down sewer line. Let it run for couple more minutes, then do the close valve count 2.5 minutes, open valve and then let it run until clear. I would think about 10-15 minutes tops. I can say, that the sensors usually take about 2-3 hours to show zero in the tank. I use blue power chemical in the tank. Since I get to do the dump, I also get to clean up the toilet and recharge it with chemical. Just part of RV'ing.

Oh, several folks have suggested different things to put into the gray water tank to clean it. I got some pods things at camping world, and the day before we travel, and after I have dumped tanks, I put one in the bathroom sink and fill it up and swish it around until it's dissolved. Then usually we are traveling for a few days, I don't dump tanks until we are going to stop for a few days, then dump the gray water tank provided it's got at least 20-40% in it, then dump it and close valve. Some recommendations are to not let the tank stay open so crap does not accumulate in the bottom of the tank, so we close ours after dumping, even if this means I get to dump it every few days, and since no flush system on it, this ensures I won't have the "pile of crud" forming in that tank.

Someplace I got a "recalibration manual for the system. I will attempt to attach that manual here: