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Crankshaft · 05-07-2018, 05:12 AM

Well, the dewinterizing didn't go too bad this weekend. We're didn't run into many issues from the extremely cold winter this year. We were cleaning the back bathroom and I kept hearing water running. Went outside and saw a waterfall coming out the back rear of the RV.

I have 2 black tanks, one in the middle and the other in the back. I started investigating and found, at first, the leak appeared to be coming from the 3 inch pipe to the gate valve connection. I know I should have fixed it the right way but a trip is coming up so I tried to band aid it until we got home. First try was a coating of ABS cement around the connection. Nope, still leaked. Then I got a roll of Fiber Fix from Lowes. Wrapped the connection point and it was still leaking. Then I found that the pipe is cracked the entire length (about a 18 inches) from valve to tank.

So, How does one get that pipe off the black tank. I have a new gate valve flange on the way but the connection to the tank is a Coachmen mess. There is a hose clamp (sorry no pictures) and below it is a ring of goo. I'm thinking that the pipe is going to have to be cut twice to make a gap to allow the gate valve connection to come off and then the connection to the tank will come off.

I was planning on using a Fernco fitting from the tank to new pipe then to the gate valve. It's all in a straight line, does this sound reasonable or is there another way to handle this.

Hope everyone had a good dewinterizing (at least those of us that have to)

Thanks for the help

Fred

**Spdracr39** · 05-07-2018, 05:29 AM

The gate valves typically slide out sideways after removing the four bolts in the corners. That should give you the room to slip the pipe off of the tank connection. If the pipe is cracked anyway and it makes it easier just cut it. Measure everything twice. The pipe length will be the critical factor to keep your new gate valve flange square with the old valve so it doesn't leak and operates smoothly.

Crankshaft · 05-08-2018, 07:42 PM

Well, the pipe didn't slip off the tank once the clamp was undone. A fine mess Coachmen left me. The clamp did nothing, it wasn't holding anything except the pipe it was wrapped around.

Once I got it apart I realized that I was in trouble. The tank to valve connection was at one time a pipe glued inside the tank outlet to the gate valve. That must have broke because somehow they glued a pipe coupling to the outside of the tank outlet. Now that broke and here I am with the mess to fix. I couldn't glue another pipe inside because the remnants of the first pipe were still in there. A heat gun wasn't budging it at all. The coupling on the outside of the tank out let wasn't budging either with the heat gun.

What's the fix? Thankfully they didn't put the coupling all the way onto the tank outlet. I cut it off and still had about 3 inches of tank outlet. My 3 inch rubber coupling wouldn't go over the tank outlet, it was designed for the pipe to go inside of it. To get it back together I covered the outlet with plumbers grease and heated the rubber coupling. Sure enough it slid on the tank outlet, had to do it fast and hold it there while it cooled off. Then I put the clamp on and tightened it up.

I then added a 3 inch piece of pipe to the other side of the coupling and glued it into the new gate valve flange. Buttoned it all up and....

It doesn't leak any more. More of job than it should have to be. If it ever happens again it will be much easier to fix.