Electric black tank dump valve. Worth it?

[ivbinconned]

Been having trouble with cable and valve leaking.
Took belly off once to deal with cable. Now valve leaking. Thinking if I have to take belly off again perhaps I should go electric.

Are they trouble free?

[Dave_H_M]

ivbinconned wrote:
Been having trouble with cable and valve leaking.
Took belly off once to deal with cable. Now valve leaking. Thinking if I have to take belly off again perhaps I should go electric.

Are they trouble free?

I still use the cable ones.

Here is something to ponder when messing with pesky cable valves that are covered by the under belly.

Go to amazon or anywhere and buy a quality valve with new cable attached. Don't pull the underbelly down, since you seem to know the location of the valve just cut a square hole with one of the four sides left uncut to act as a hinge. Replace the whole mechanism and button it back up with gorilla tape. My replacement valves and cables have been working fine for 8 years now. Just my two pennies.

[Lakeland_Bob]

I gather this subject is about "optional" electric drains on new RVs.

However, I installed these "Barker Manufacturing Company 24140 1.5"and 3" Auto-Drains" on my TT to assist me in draining the tanks.

The manual pull handles were positioned in a way as to cause me to bend in such a way as to cause me problems with my back and knees.

I love them. And if they should malfunction, it is easy enough to manully override them. Would definitely recommend them and would install them again if the need arose.

[fj12ryder]

ivbinconned wrote:
Been having trouble with cable and valve leaking.
Took belly off once to deal with cable. Now valve leaking. Thinking if I have to take belly off again perhaps I should go electric.

Are they trouble free?

Consider a manual valve: you pull the handle, either a cable or a rod moves the valve, done.

An electric valve: you push a button, the button closes a circuit which may go through a circuit breaker or fuse, the motor is supplied electricity which then moves a rod or cable which moves the valve, done.

My thought usually is KISS. No way an electric valve is going to be more trouble free than a manual valve. Too many interconnecting parts add to the chances of a failure.

[MrWizard]

Yes.. Electric is much better than cable operated,
There is an electric black tank dump valve on our previous RV a 95 Safari DP, it worked perfect for many years, eventually it leaked a little and there should be dirty water when i removed the cap, I added an external manual valve at the dump hose connection point
After a few more dumps and flushes, no more leak,
Apparently Some thing had clogged in the gate path, causing an imperfect seal, i left the external valve in place, and used both, the electric never did leak again

[fj12ryder]

Just a thought: I do believe the bolt spacing is equal on those valves, so do you have space to rotate the valve 90°? Or secure the cable directly above the valve so the cable will have a straight pull.

[ivbinconned]

Larry this trailer does have another second valve fully exposed with/at travel cap. The grey water Valves also are hidden with in the belly then pipes all join before final valve.

So I do not like your idea because there are times when I dump grey water away into the grass or cactus when boon docking. I would loose that option if I don’t fix this valve.

[Reisender]

Ours were problematic. We ended up replacing them twice over 9 years. We eventually switched to manual.

[Grit_dog]

Unless you're the 2nd poster and cant bend over to get to the valve due to personal physical limitations, en electric valve is a solution to a problem that doesn't exist and generally complicating a simple system.

[larry_barnhart]

simple is better and also why I like our 05 truck. Install the valve at the end where the cap is on for travelling and problem is solved. simple job.

chevman

[Bumpyroad]

I would suggest installing a macerator pump at the same time, with a manual bypass feature.
bumpy

[ivbinconned]

Well you all have scared me off of the electric option.
My CC has cable...6 foot! The valve is mounted at 90 degrees from vertical. It has always been stubborn to move.
The whole thing is hidden from view as it is all above the belly panels. So operating an electric one “manually” would not be an option.
Thank you all. Including the comedians.

[Cummins12V98]

I CHIT canned my cable valves and went to manual "T" valves that are EASY to push/pull.

[Veebyes]

The Drain Master system works great when it works. You don't want to know about it when it does not.

My 2007 Alpenlite had the electric valves from new. The grey valve has been trouble free for hundreds of dumpings. I have given up on the black valve & must open it manually everytime.

The fault is not so much the valve as it is how the valve was mounted. Out of necessity, because of a frame member, the valve is mounted 90 degrees off of vertical. Installation instructions specifically say mount it vertically.

Before you buy make sure that there is vertical space above the mounting location for it. It will work for awhile mounted incorrectly but then it gets partially jammed & need help with the manual Allen key everytime.

Between the DW operating the switches & I we have gotten very good at dealing with it, & spend far less time dumping than most people.

A huge time saver is that the system is self contained with the dump hose always hooked up & stored in a tube under the trailer.

[NRALIFR]

If you don’t have an electric dump valve, how are you going to dump your black tank while crossing a bridge over the Chicago River? Those poor people on the boat below! :E

Look out below!

:):)