leak in black water cleanout sprayer - Montana Owners Club

rich6506547 · 06-09-2010, 12:14 PM

Have a leak in sprayer that flushes out black water tank its in the hose it goes under the shower through the floor from there i don't kmow. Is there drawing or plans some where or just take out shower and hope.any ideas out there

H. John Kohl · 06-09-2010, 12:25 PM

The anti siphone check valve has been known to fail. It is behind the wall of the pantry. The other side is the shower.

I helped Jay Bird by cutting an opening in the pantry wall.

I hope this helps. Remember to cut shallow so you don't hit the water pipe.

rich6506547 · 06-09-2010, 04:34 PM

why in world would they put that thing way up there and not some where it was closer to the level of the tank.

Jay Bird · 06-10-2010, 05:53 AM

I do not know why but they did. The reason a hole had to be cut was because the access hold Keystone put in the pantry of my unit did not line up where the valve was. You also have to close the sliding door to the bedroom to get to the valve.

sreigle · 06-20-2010, 09:09 AM

In the 2007 3400RL there is a removable plastic cover in the pantry back wall, center section. Remove that panel. If you see nothing but wood, open the pocket door (

). The hole in the wall was not lined up with the valve in ours. I had to enlarge the opening. Here's a few pictures to get you started. Our leaky valve resulted in a puddle of water coming out from under the pantry.

the valve -

behind the panel-

after enlarging-

the leaky valve -

You may notice the yarn on the pliers. The other end was tied to my wrist, just in case I dropped them and they fell out of reach.

As for location, doesn't an anti-siphon valve have to be the highest point in the line to be effective?

Art-n-Marge · 06-20-2010, 11:33 AM

Steve, I thought that was so, also. I also thought anti-siphon and back flows were just supposed to stop water from backing into the water source.

I own a house with a slope in the back yard and whomever installed the sprinkler system also installed an "anti-siphon" to prevent backflow into the water supply - okay, that's a good idea. One of the feeds goes up the slope and across the top to sprinkle water downwards and the other feed goes across the bottom to spray upwards. But they installed the antisiphon at the bottom right before the feeds. This means when the sprinkler system shuts off all the water still in the sprinklers on the slope comes back down and out the antisiphon because of gravity and pressure.

Knowing this, if any water is higher than the anti-siphon, this could happen over time, but should the anti-siphon evacuate the water, or should it be able to hold all the water in the line? Is that what is happening in the RV if this device is not at the highest point and the pressure is causing the device to leak? I hate plumbing problems. The leaks from plumbing problems can cause so much damage.

rich6506547 · 06-20-2010, 12:39 PM

Thank you a bunch The pix help a lot thats what mine is doing leaking from under pantry. i can take pix and try to locate one.

Gary Christy · 06-22-2010, 04:26 PM

Had to replace mine as well. You dont have to cut a larger hloe. In the belly were lines turns up there are elbows. Took the lines apart at the ells and the lines pull up and out the inspection hole for a easy change. Did not fine that at first and tried to change in place with the valve about 5'' below the opening. Started to cut the opening larger then I found the ells mine were behine the furance on a 2955. Buy the way you can get the valve direct from lakeview rv $25.00

footloose · 07-21-2010, 12:30 PM

I thank all who participated on this thread. Because of the pictures and advice, I was able to find the valve. In my case, I had to cut the hole behind the pull-out TV. The valve had never been tightened properly. I tightened it down and saw that the valve was no longer leaking. Then I noticed water was still leaking in the basement. I looked down through the hole I cut and discovered that some bright soul had shot a staple right through the hose. It won't be a big project to change the hose out now that I can see exactly where it is leaking. I can only wonder what I might find next!
Dick

rich6506547 · 07-21-2010, 02:39 PM

well found a valve had to cut the hole behind the pantry bigger and it is fixed. thanks for all the help Rich

John and Carol · 03-05-2013, 10:26 AM

Even though this thread started a long time ago, it was very helpful to me last week. The last two times I flushed the black tank, there was a leak near the control panel where the tank handles and flush hose attachment are located. I determined that the leak was coming down from above the furnace, dripping through the furnace wiring.

We have a 3000RK, so there is no pantry with an access panel. I removed the shower hot and cold water faucets and was able to locate the back-flow prevention valve with the aid of a small mirror. To access it, I had to remove the living room TV and cut a whole in the wall behind the TV. That required closing the sliding door to the bedroom so I didn't damage the door.

(you may have to click on the link to see the photos.

You can see the empty TV cabinet.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-x...8/IMG_4791.JPG

Cutting the hole
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-u...8/IMG_4792.JPG

There's the offending valve.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-y...8/IMG_4795.JPG

New valve installed. You can see the shower faucet opening on the right.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-v...8/IMG_4811.JPG

Without the help of the earlier forum posts, I probably would have had to take our Montana to a dealer for service. Thanks, everyone!

**DQDick** · 03-05-2013, 01:25 PM

Two things for the new folks that see this post. 1st don't replace the valve with the same thing from an RV store, get a good one from a hardware store. Second the rigs that don't have the valve as shown here usually have it under the sink in the bathroom.

Tomg · 03-06-2013, 06:33 AM

I don't think my 2013 3150rl has a check valve because when I shut off the supply source and remove the hose from the wall fitting I get quite a bit of water out of the wall fitting. Don't concern me as I use a different green hose for this purpose. Better to have it drain than lay in there and freeze and burst everything.

jimcol · 03-06-2013, 07:02 AM

I know mine has a check valve because I have seen it. I still get back wash from the hose bib when I disconnect the hose. Don't think that will protect you from freezing. When I winterize mine with air I can hear it moving water out of the line through the check valve into the black tank. Just don't want you to be surprised if you fail to winterize that part of your system. Jim

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Tomg

I don't think my 2013 3150rl has a check valve because when I shut off the supply source and remove the hose from the wall fitting I get quite a bit of water out of the wall fitting. Don't concern me as I use a different green hose for this purpose. Better to have it drain than lay in there and freeze and burst everything.

Jolu · 03-06-2013, 08:48 AM

Same here as jimcol. I get some wash back when I disconnect and I have seen my check valve.
If you remove the cover in the shower with the faucets attached you can probably see the riser and the valve up in there between the shower and the pantry.
Joe

RichR · 03-06-2013, 10:32 AM

Working in the water/sewer industry,I'll say that back flow valves need testing every year-(has to do with sprinkler coment).I would imagine all those in a RV would fail at some point.

Recumbent · 03-06-2013, 10:33 AM

I believe the check valve only keeps water from back flowing after traveling throught the valve. The back flow that I get at the convenience center is only some of the water between the hose-bib and the check valve.

Avofarmer66 · 03-07-2013, 03:42 AM

We have a 2012 3400RL where might this back flow valve be at?
When I washout the black tank I hear a high pitch sound and what sound like very low water flow to the black tank. I've removed the pressure regulator thinking that would help but the sound just gets louder and the water flow sounds about the same as the DW is standing in the water closet listening for the water flow to increase. It doesn't...

I'm thinking a cinked or pinched hose or restricted backflow valve.

steelpony5555 · 03-07-2013, 04:05 AM

I am having the same problem as Avofarmer is having. I can hear a lot of racket but it don't seem like a lot of water reaches the tank. When I close the tank valve it takes a loooong time for it to get any water in it. So surely it don't get enough water to do it's intended job of flushing out the tank. I still do not understand the purpose of a backflow valve. Doesn't that line "only" go to the tank sprayer. If so the only reason for a backflow preventer must be to keep the tank contents from running out the connection for the hose. If the hose connection is higher then the tank then it should not backflow out of the tank. If that is the case what is wrong with eliminating the valve altogether. On my last SOB I'm not even sure that the tank flush had a backflow valve. When I ran the flusher on it you could really hear it working and if you closed the tank valve it would fill up quickly. If the tank flush line is hooked to the rest of the water lines, what purpose does it serve. I am confused here.....
Oh and Jim, on the 06 3000RK is it in the wall with the shower and the little coat closet??? And with the pocket door how did you get to it???

Jolu · 03-07-2013, 04:38 AM

steelpony5555,
Even though the flusher inlet is higher than the tank and the anti siphon valve is still higher. The anti siphon valve is to prevent a back flow past it to the fill or inlet. If there were to be a water failure in a water system (water supplier, city, or whatever supply there is), if that supply is lower than where it comes to you there could be a siphon action that could contaminate the supply water system. Example would be if water was pumped up to charge the water lines to your park. If the water were to flow backwards through siphoning into the system the lines would back flow to the source. I have lived in a neighborhood that had a system like that.
This is a short answer to why a anti siphon valve in the rig.
Naturally this mostly depends on if a hose is left connected to the flusher fill all the time and there is a system failure.
Joe

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