Whoa Black Water

[WFU33]

We have a 2018 29.5 FBDS, bought used, the cable actuated black water tank will not close all the way. Any suggestions for lubricating the cable and or replacing it with a rod?

[Isaacs]

Replacing with a rod is probably not an option; the manufacturer would not have used the more expensive cable unless they had to.

You first have to determine whether the problem is with your cable or your valve. I doubt a cable that new would be seized up but it wouldn't hurt to spray some WD40 along it's length.

I'm wondering if something is stuck in your valve, preventing it from closing all the way. There have been many stories of pieces of leftover plastic in tanks. It's not too difficult to take the valves apart (just four screws) while they are still installed in the system. This would help you determine the problem. Be sure to rinse the tank out well--you don't want a face full of black water! You might get lucky and have a good hard rinse dislodge the offending object. Also try a wand.

[Jim Smyth]

Mine seemed to leak all the time to the effect of removing the cap at the end of the dump plenum and always having a half a cup of nasty come running out. The solution I did without getting into the under belly was to put another pull handle valve on the end so once the cap was removed you had to pull that handle also before anything came out which meant my sewer hose was already hooked up so no nasty/smell on the ground.

[Isaacs]

Originally Posted by Jim Smyth

Mine seemed to leak all the time to the effect of removing the cap at the end of the dump plenum and always having a half a cup of nasty come running out. The solution I did without getting into the under belly was to put another pull handle valve on the end so once the cap was removed you had to pull that handle also before anything came out which meant my sewer hose was already hooked up so no nasty/smell on the ground.

Mine has always done the same half cup thing, even after I replaced the valve. I'm starting to think it's not a leak, maybe just stuff taking its sweet time drooling down the pipe to the exit. I like the extra valve idea; it can even double as an emergency valve in case the other one fails.