Cleaning/Lubricating Tank Gate Valves

Oregonbound · 10-31-2013, 11:50 AM

Someone mentioned using dish soap to clean and vegetable oil to lubricate the gate valves. Fill with soapy water and repeatedly open/close gate valves. Drain and then do the same with a few cups of oil. Any opinions/suggestions/concerns would be much appreciated. Thanks.

rcflame · 10-31-2013, 12:39 PM

Have never lubricated the valves and have never had a problem. If there is a problem, I expect it to be in the cables running from the valves to the pull handles.

**Blenhardt** · 10-31-2013, 01:50 PM

I was using dish soap because my valves were hard to pull. Someone mentioned that the soap would actually make it harder to open the valves. I am now using some valve lube sold, I think by Thetford, and they are much better. I am convinced that the problem was in the valve body and not the cable. The vegetable oil might be a cheaper alternative?

travelin' texans · 10-31-2013, 07:49 PM

I use the dish soap method about everyother tank flush, also add vegetable oil occasionally, valves work smoothly, but neither help the level indicators.

**Dave&Ginny** · 10-31-2013, 10:05 PM

I've tried the veggy oil but not sure it helped. I'm just not sold on the cable valves

rcflame · 11-01-2013, 01:58 PM

The galley and grey tanks get soap in them through normal use, The black gets soap in it through a soap solution I use to clean medical supplies and dump down the stool. In the five fifth wheels we have had, have never had a problem with the valves themselves. This is the first one we have had with the cables, and they seem harder to pull than the ones with the straight hookup. Will have to see if they cause problems down the road.

atom ant · 11-02-2013, 10:57 AM

You have to expect that the cables are going to be more resistive than the direct rods.

Anybody tried the electric?

Oregonbound · 11-02-2013, 11:50 AM

Are the cables somewhat resistive for other folks? Mine just feel like they need some lubrication but maybe that's the way they are built…normal.

The soap and veg. oil didn't seem to make a difference for two of the valves but the third one that was really sticky now seems to be working the same as the other two. I guess a success.

If they ever do break down, will definitely look into electric ones.

AlanN · 05-04-2014, 02:37 PM

What have you all found to be an effective preventative maintenance procedure to keep the cables pliable and easy to open/close? We'll be taking delivery of a new Redwood 38 GK at the end of June. This unit uses cable controlled waste valves as well. We'll be full-timing soon after, and I plan to keep the valves closed for daily living, then opening and flushing tanks when the BW tank reaches about half full. So this may be every 3-5 days - time will tell. I read about the problems people have, and just wonder if many could be averted by an effective regimen from the beginning. Thanks in advance.

rayrussel · 05-04-2014, 03:29 PM

With the valves open I put a couple drops of 3 in 1 oil on the shaft and close the valve for a few days. The oil will penetrate down the cable. Never had a problem.

AlanN · 05-04-2014, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rayrussel

With the valves open I put a couple drops of 3 in 1 oil on the shaft and close the valve for a few days. The oil will penetrate down the cable. Never had a problem.

Good tip - thanks!

brenkco · 05-04-2014, 04:28 PM

Actually on our last 5er, it was the valves, not the cables. I have a buddy, who is a mobile Rv tech and when he came out to do some work for me, I had him check them. Sure enough, it was the valves. He had to order kits for them as the valves were attached to the tank. The cables, when unattached, moved with no resistance.

Once the new valves were installed, they worked fine. Btw, the factory valves were stiff when new.

Ken

travelin' texans · 05-04-2014, 04:28 PM

You should be able to go more than 3-5 days on BW tank, we have gone as long as 14 & still not full. Monitor is of no help as it has read full since first use, we go by the sound. With the dishwasher option the galley tank shows full after about 3-5 washes depending on setting & the other grey tank for bath I leave open when connected to sewer as with showers & laundry it fills quickly.

AlanN · 05-04-2014, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brenkco

Actually on our last 5er, it was the valves, not the cables. I have a buddy, who is a mobile Rv tech and when he came out to do some work for me, I had him check them. Sure enough, it was the valves. He had to order kits for them as the valves were attached to the tank. The cables, when unattached, moved with no resistance.

Once the new valves were installed, they worked fine. Btw, the factory valves were stiff when new.

Ken

Thanks, Ken ... Good info!

AlanN · 05-04-2014, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelin' texans

You should be able to go more than 3-5 days on BW tank, we have gone as long as 14 & still not full. Monitor is of no help as it has read full since first use, we go by the sound. With the dishwasher option the galley tank shows full after about 3-5 washes depending on setting & the other grey tank for bath I leave open when connected to sewer as with showers & laundry it fills quickly.

Thanks for this feedback, Danny ... Yeah, I don't have high hopes of the BW tank monitor, either. I guess the frequency of dumping will be dependent on whether it's a low beer-intake week, or a high-intake week! :-) However, I did learn 15 years ago that it's not a good idea to leave the BW tank open when you're on station for longer periods though ... The solids build up and you're almost certain to create a clog at some point.

**Dave&Ginny** · 05-04-2014, 06:33 PM

Even when we're at full hookup locations, we let our tanks fill before we dump them. We did install the extra valve that "the Travelen Andersons" turned us onto (on this forum last year).

I try to take the time each time we dump the BW tank to rinse it well (about 15 minutes). Although sometime we get false readings, on the most part it has worked well for us.

rcflame · 05-04-2014, 07:41 PM

We need to dump the B/W about every 7 days. No way could we go 14. When I dump, I let it flush for awhile, and than will close the tank valve and let it fill some (carefully), and dump again. The monitors aren't 100 percent accurate but they do give you an idea of where you're at.

Tobys Home · 05-04-2014, 08:34 PM

Our monitors have really never worked since day one. But being me I know about how much space we have to work with. One thing that we have always done is use a small tubby in the kitchen sink and waltz it up to the toilet and dump it in. Not all the time…but think about it you have the same volume in that tank as the rest and flushing only adds a cup and half to complete the job. This way with the additional kitchen water you have a better flush when you drain the tanks. Unless you are going in for a complete GI series your chances of personally filling that tank would be an event. You should not be on the road

.

mhs4771 · 05-04-2014, 09:09 PM

I not disagreeing with going 14 Days on a Black, but it sure sounds like you're not using enough water. When parked for the Winter, we dump once a week, but we can go 9 maybe 10 days if we have too, but there is no way we could ever go 14 days unless we used minimum water. Just saying.

**hoosierguy** · 05-04-2014, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mhs4771

I not disagreeing with going 14 Days on a Black, but it sure sounds like you're not using enough water. When parked for the Winter, we dump once a week, but we can go 9 maybe 10 days if we have too, but there is no way we could ever go 14 days unless we used minimum water. Just saying.

I agree completely. I always try to flush the BW tank to make sure the sensors show empty. It then generally takes 6 to 8 days to show full again.

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