Community Forums

ron55 · 10-08-2017, 09:43 AM

I looked at a vilano 5th wheel at lazy days and I like everything except the touch pad controls everything, no other control, even the black and gray dump valve is push button controlled.
Now do you really want you black water valve controlled by electricity?

Mr_D · 10-08-2017, 10:00 AM

My rig has electric controls for the black, grey, fresh water fill and drain. No problems in the 2 1/2 years I've owned it. No idea about it before though.

ron55 · 10-08-2017, 10:09 AM

so before you travel you just push the close button on black water, unhook and off you go.

Mr_D · 10-08-2017, 10:20 AM

No, never leave the black tank valve open except to dump the tank.

KenD · 10-08-2017, 10:46 AM

I think the point was "what if it fails". The answer is, and I've only read it in my manual, that there is a manual overide.

CecilD · 10-08-2017, 10:55 PM

My fifth wheel came standard with electric dump valves. The gray water works all the time. The black tank valve works half the time requiring a crawl under the trailer (at the dump station) and manually opening it with 1/8" hex key the other half. My attitude is that if you have the wherewithal to haul one of those large 5ers around you most likely have the ability to pull a drain valve handle. Having all your electric functions on a remote control sounds like a recipe to have non functioning stuff. My heater/air condition is remote control and is a pain. I would prefer dedicated switches or manual operation for everything.

If this is an option I wouldn't check the box. If standard it might be a deal killer for me. Showing my age here.

Half Dimes · 10-09-2017, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CecilD

My fifth wheel came standard with electric dump valves. The gray water works all the time. The black tank valve works half the time requiring a crawl under the trailer (at the dump station) and manually opening it with 1/8" hex key the other half. My attitude is that if you have the wherewithal to haul one of those large 5ers around you most likely have the ability to pull a drain valve handle. Having all your electric functions on a remote control sounds like a recipe to have non functioning stuff. My heater/air condition is remote control and is a pain. I would prefer dedicated switches or manual operation for everything.

If this is an option I wouldn't check the box. If standard it might be a deal killer for me. Showing my age here.

Well said! The visual image of having to crawl under a rig at the dump station is downright revolting.

TBS-POPS · 10-10-2017, 07:38 AM

Your just seeing the same features in a 5er that have been in high end class A’s for a while. It’s not new but yes as all things electronic it will fail at some point.

Half Dimes · 10-10-2017, 11:18 AM

Electric wastewater valves have also been available on a number of 5vers for several years. Until the manufacturers of electric valves come up with a conveniently located override, I'll stick with manual valves. When I can no longer pull a valve handle, it'll be time to find something other than RVing to do for fun.

wingnut60 · 10-14-2017, 10:09 AM

Ahh, but what about when the cable-pull valve fails also? No manual override available for that...just went thru this problem and disassembled the valve and replace seals. If it fails again, time to give the electric a try.
Neither one is fail-safe, never-fail or anything like that.

ALLOY · 10-14-2017, 12:55 PM

We dry camp and have never been on sewer hook ups but I can see electronic valve being useful if we did.

Even if the electronic control/valve is made by the same manufacture it wouldn't surprise me is the units in trailers are a different quality/durability.

When I changed out the valves on ours I could have gone electronic or pull cable but the dump valves is one place I wanted things simple stupid.

I'll switch to electronic valves once remote control hoses are available.

John45 · 12-31-2017, 11:55 AM

New to the Vilano group but old time 5th wheel explorer. I have a question regarding solar panel installation on the roof of the Vilano. I installed a ZAMP 100 watt panel on my previous Cedar Creek 34RLS and had great success with it keeping my 2-6volt Trojans up and charged.
Now we have a 2017, Vilano, 375 FL and I don't want an outdoor, free standing panel. I like to install one on the roof (again). Has anyone, as yet, installed a roof panel on the 375 FL with any success? The wire routing appears rather complicated. There is room in the hollow nose of the unit to run a cable but to get the wire back to the battery/storage compartment presents a problem. I'm open to suggestions.
J

cruzbill · 12-31-2017, 12:11 PM

Not familiar with your unit, but lots of 5ver owners run solar wires down the refrig vent or next to a soil stack/vent pipe. Cold right now up on the Modoc Plateau, eh?

Good luck!

cruzbill · 12-31-2017, 12:21 PM

As for electric dump valves, my MH has 'em and they work great, until they don't, then you get to learn all about 'em!

But enough of me, you gotta have this:

https://www.garnetinstruments.com/pr...o-evac-system/

As for solar info, head over to the 'Going Green' forum at irv2