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Old 04-16-2018, 03:00 PM   #1
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Small Leak in Black Tank Valve

I seem to have a very small leak with my black tank drain valve. After a day on the road I notice about a spoonful or two of liquid has leaked out of the valve over the course of 5 or 6 hours of travel. The tank has typically been emptied and rinsed with about 10% of fresh rinse water left behind in the tank. Any suggestions on stopping the leak or is it time to replace the valve? If I need to replace should I replace grey tank valve while I am at it? Coach is less than 3 years old and we have been fulltime for the last to years. As always, thanks in advance for your wisdom and suggestions.
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Old 04-16-2018, 03:32 PM   #2
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Valves are cheap and can be replaced very easily. There's only 4 1/4x20 bolts holding it in place. Sometimes the "O" rings can be replaced but if you're going to dig into it, just replace the valve. Some adhere to the theory "IF it ain't broke, don't fix it" and others say "if you're there then replace both"
Eventually the grey water valve will leak so why not just buy a new valve and keep it in storage until needed.
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Old 04-16-2018, 05:05 PM   #3
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I also have a 2015 and had a similar small, smelly leak. I went to Camping World and bought a replacement black valve and did the swap myself in their parking lot. Of course make sure the black tank is empty and very well rinsed since anything in there will come right into your lap. Might also be a good idea to have the grey tank empty as well since I seem to remember it was working in tight quarters and the back bolts were blind. Seems like I had to remove both valves at once to get it lined up right. A little fuzzy on all the details as it was a year ago.

One idea before you go to all this work would be to make sure when you dump the black tank that you thoroughly rinse the valve with clean water to make sure the O-Ring is not just clogged/dirty from fecal/paper matter. I had another slow seep episode since then but I made sure to work the black valve handle in and out a few times while rinsing with clean water and the problem went away. Best of luck!
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Old 04-17-2018, 11:49 AM   #4
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Hi Runaway4002,
Consider replacing both valves. Make sure you get the correct size for the grey tank.
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Old 04-17-2018, 04:13 PM   #5
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You have a fairly new coach and your valve shouldn't be bad. Most likely, there is debris in the seal. Your valve has a blade sandwiched between two O-rings. This creates a slot that the blade slides in. Often, this "slot" gets debris in it, like toilet paper, where the valve slides into it's closed position. If you can reach the O-rings, take a coat hangar and clean out the slot (area between O-rings).

If you do need to replace the valve, keep in mind that it rotates. Often they are stuck in one position and need a little force to move them. Moving the valve makes it easier to access the four bolts, which are 3/8 of 7/16. I like to use a 1/4" rachet.

One of the problems when installing the new valve is keeping the O-rings in place as you slide the valve between the two plumbing ends. I like to use a little Vaseline to keep them in place during installation. Another trick is to take a one gallon plastic milk carton and cut two pieces out of the sides. Make the pieces a little bigger than the O-rings. Place the two pieces on both sides of the valve, covering the O-rings and then insert the valve between the plumbing pieces. Once in place, slide the plastic out. This will keep the O-rings in place.

The Valterra valves are cheap, like $13.00, so it's not bad idea to have both a black and grey tank spare.
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