Two Unrelated Questions

[cekkk]

My black water valve push/pull handle is in the fully closed position, yet waste is apparently fully flowing. I found out while taking off the outer cap to install the wasted hose. (I always remove slowly for just this kind of problem, but this is the first time I've had more than drips.) What is likely happening/needed, like lubrication?

I'm having trouble with the fresh water system. I never use it but wanted to sanitize the system. Put in maybe 20 gallons of water, closed the valve from pump to siphon hose used for winterizing, which I assume must be closed except for winterizing.

There is another valve on the house side of the pump that controls water flowing in a water line that drops through the floor. I'm guessing it feeds fresh water (not city) throughout the trailer. Plus, there are the three valves on the HW tank used for bipassing WH. When I turn on the pump, only a trickle comes out of the cold faucets, nothing from hot.

What position should all five of the valves be in to use the fresh water as the trailer's water source? The WH is full of water used this weekend.

[mike837go]

Let's take the fresh water valve thing in 2 parts: A) the two valves at the pump and B) the three around the water heater.


A) When you use the pump 1 valve must be open, the other closed. Absolute. No other combination will allow the pump to function correctly. The valve on the siphon hose is used to introduce antifreeze directly. The other valve near the pump controls the pickup in the freshwater tank. So, for normal Summer operation, the siphon valve is closed and the tank valve is open. Reverse during winterizing.


B) The top and bottom valves behind the water heater are use to disconnect it from the water system so you won't have to fill it with 6 gallons of antifreeze. They are left open all Summer and closed before winterizing. ---- The middle valve bypasses the water heater. It is left closed in the Summer and opened before winterizing.


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If your black valve has been leaking, it should have been replaced previously.

[BrentB]

For your black water valve problem, there is probably something stuck in the valve that is causing it to leak. I had that problem once and had to catch a couple of gallons of black water.in a bucket before I could get the hose on. Then I drained and flushed the tank and it worked fine again after that. Depending on how far the valve is from the end of the pipe, one of these might help as well.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000BG...valterra+valve

[cekkk]

BrentB, I learned that's a common problem and hope that's all there is to it. If the rains ever stop long enough for things to dry out a bit I'll do some flushing and hope for the best. Otherwise, installing new dump valves looks more dirty than difficult.

And thanks, Mike. I haven't had a leak, drippings have just been trapped residue that was left over after draining tanks and reinstalling the cap.