Community Forums

GraciesMom · 10-06-2008, 10:07 AM

The good news is, I hooked up the toad with no problem and being back on the road - even to go a few miles to an RV park, was SO LIBERATING!!! The bad news is,when I opened the sewer to hook up the hose and all this liquid came out!!!! The valve was closed . . . so what the heck? I mean it got ALL OVER ME. It was disgusting. I scrubbed with antibacterial soap until my skin was raw!! Why in the world would that happen? Do I have to close that thing off each time? It's a lot easier to just leave the hose connected, push it up into the compartment and close the bottom access and the door. YUK!!!

GraciesMom · 10-06-2008, 10:07 AM

The good news is, I hooked up the toad with no problem and being back on the road - even to go a few miles to an RV park, was SO LIBERATING!!! The bad news is,when I opened the sewer to hook up the hose and all this liquid came out!!!! The valve was closed . . . so what the heck? I mean it got ALL OVER ME. It was disgusting. I scrubbed with antibacterial soap until my skin was raw!! Why in the world would that happen? Do I have to close that thing off each time? It's a lot easier to just leave the hose connected, push it up into the compartment and close the bottom access and the door. YUK!!!

hamdave · 10-06-2008, 10:40 AM

You must not have the valve closed all the way!!. If you did you have a leak!!. also you might want to get some of those throw-away one time rubber gloves like the doctors use. It helps.

cheers

Bob N Deb · 10-06-2008, 11:07 AM

first you need to figure out if that came from the black or gray tank.
drain both tanks then close the drain valves then run water into first the gray tank to see if the valve leaks or not then drain that one and run fresh water into the black tank with the valve closed put the drain hose close to the campground conection and see if anything drains out.
it may have been that one of the valves wasn't completly closed or had something keeping it from closing .
hope that helps
Bob

GaryKD · 10-06-2008, 11:17 AM

In addition to what Bob posted, there may have been something pushed between the valve blade and the seal. This could be temporary. Open and close the valves with a strong stroke. Most of the time that will be enough to clear the problem. If it happens again, it is time for a nasty valve seal cleaning. If it happens after that then it is valve replacement time.

GraciesMom · 10-06-2008, 12:24 PM

I always wear gloves . . . it was blue water (from the packet) and it STUNK. The gloves were useless . . . it went EVERYWHERE. I'll get it checked. (another thing to have checked!! Geez!!!)

LindaH · 10-06-2008, 12:28 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Do I have to close that thing off each time? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
If you're talking about the black tank valve, then the answer is a resounding YES!!!

GraciesMom · 10-06-2008, 12:36 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">quote:
Do I have to close that thing off each time?

If you're talking about the black tank valve, then the answer is a resounding YES!!! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I meant putting the cap on the sewer . . . thing. Not closing off the sewer valve. (New to this terminology) You take off the hose and there's this black cap to put on the sewer pipe to cap it off for traveling. That's what I pulled off when I got doused. I don't see why I can't just leave the hose hooked up to it and curl the hose underneath and close the access and the door and let it ride there. It won't fall out and if it's curled up it won't leak.

Does that make any sense?

Olive · 10-06-2008, 02:23 PM

GM, On my previous coach (I have a macerator pump now) I only ever unhooked the hose to clean it then put it right back on. But follow the other posts and get it checked out first to find out why it leaked. If it leaked that much out when you took the cap off it will leak it out through the connected hose and you will have the same thing just all over the compartment.

Another thing you could do as a safety backup is what some have done to be able to use the black tank for grey water also. That is to install another valve where you connect the hose. Still need to resolve the leak though. Hope it's something simple.

dieselclacker · 10-06-2008, 03:03 PM

Gracies Mom, you should do both of the checks suggested by Bob and Gary in the above posts regarding leaks past the dump valves.
As to leaving the hose connected to the drain receptical full time, I think most owners disconnect the hose after dumping, and rinse the inside of the hose with the water washdown hose that is provided at dump stations. Bottom line, nothing should come past a closed dump valve gray or black with the hose connected or the cap on the drain receptical. Make sure the valves are not leaking, and above all else don't forget to close the valves completely.

Dieselclacker

Spikester · 10-06-2008, 05:25 PM

Gracies Mom, can't think of anything much worst than the surprise you got when removing the dump piping cap, it is a disgusting situation. The problem with leaving the sewer hose connected to tank dump connection is that if one of the dump valves leaks or inadvertently gets knocked off its seat, all the waste water in the tank could over time drain through the hose into the bay you have the hose coiled in. At least with the hose disconnected and the cap installed you will only fill the space between the valves and the cap with the undesirable waste water. One thing some have done is replaced the solid cap on tank dump connection with one that has a capped garden hose connection on the front of the cap. With this you can connect your sewer hose to the campground fitting, run it back to your tank dump connection, slowly loosen the cap of the garden hose connection, if you have had leakage past valve, or inadvertent valve movement, you will start to get leakage around the garden hose connection cap as it is loosen. This leakage can very easily be controlled, and be directed into you sewer hose until the area between your dump valves and large cap is drained. Then you can remove the big cap and hook-up your sewer hose without worry of an unwanted surprise. Little easier to control the waste water coming from 1/2' hole than 3" pipe.
These caps with the garden hose connection are available at most all RV Supply outlets.

Spike

bldrbob · 10-06-2008, 05:58 PM

I have a clear section connected to the drain with a cap with the hose connection.That way I can see if anything leaked into the clear section and not get a surprise.I keep a cut off milk jug to catch anything if it leaked.I replaced the cap with a hose shutoff to make it easy.
BOB

dirko · 10-13-2008, 08:03 AM

Hi Ho: I'm with Gary. We have a 2000 Suncruiser and I replaced both dump valves this summer. With time the rubber gets hard and won't seal properly. In addition, stuff builds up on them and they leak. The solution is to replace just the rubber seals. They only cost a few dollars. The job of replacing them is not exactly easy as the valves are hard to get to. It took me 2 or 3 hours to get them out and the new seals in.

Of course if you take the coach in they will replace the whole assembly, so you will have about $100 dollars for parts in addition to the $200-$300 for labor.

Aren't motorhomes fun? By the way, I almost never put the cover on the dump spigot. If there were a big leak that might prevent a disaster, but otherwise it causes more problem that it solves. Just my thoughts.

Dirk

Ray,IN · 10-13-2008, 05:04 PM

Yes you do need to replace the termination cap while driving on any public roadway per DOT rules. I doubt any LEO would stop an RV simply for a missing termination cap though.