Sewer Cap Surprise

[Josh_713]

Brand new 2020 3855BR... Second trip with the rig and both time’s I have removed the sewer cap to connect the hose, I’m met with a surprise flow of grey water (I’ll take that over the alternative). Both valve handles are in the fully closed position but obviously grey water is getting past the gate and filling the pipe between the valve and the cap. Curious if anybody has had a similar issue? Can these shutoff valves be adjusted??

Thanks.

[Ahdmeyer]

same problem on my 2020 3931 fb i cut in another valve just before the end cap, leave all valves closed remove cap attach hose then open new valve and then whatever valve i want to dump. someone else on here suggested this on here, the factory ones seem to all leak no surprises!
al meyer
3931fb
az

[Montana Man]

If they are the cable pull style valves, get ready for even more problems.

[Carl n Susan]

The most common reason is not leaky valves, but fluid left in the lines after dumping. Unless you raise the nose *WAY* up in the air when dumping the tanks with rear facing outlets (and then nose down for the front facing outlets), there will be "stuff" left behind.

The answer is a the Valterra twist on valve. This will stop any surpise when you open the cap. And if you do eventually have a leaky valve it will keep things controlled until it can be fixed (which should be a priority if it is the black tank valve).



https://www.amazon.com/Valterra-T58-.../dp/B000BGHYJS

[RoadRunnerTR21]

^^^^^ Is the best solution

[beeje]

I believe Carl is correct. After dumping, some water/sewage is left behind in the low areas of the drain pipes. When you drive, it works its way to the outlet cap.

[speedster100]

Having changed a few of the valves in more than one unit and seeing the quality and how they are installed I'd say they are passing fluids as they don't seal well and/or were not installed correctly by insuring they are closed when the cables are up against the stop nut. Even with quality valves they sometimes don't get closed all the way due to debris. As previous posts indicate, invest in a manual inline valve at your outlet and all these troubles disappear. Just remember to take it with you when you trade in that unit for another. I just about forgot to do just that 2 months ago, wife remembered while backing in at the dealership to pick up new trailer....

[raygreg]

I don't know about your model , but mine has a 2nd gray tank that has a valve that is not accessed in the convenience center. It is in front of the tire and a little hard to reach. I put the valtera valve on as shown in another post and just leave that hard to reach valve open.

[DQDick]

We've had that problem on every Monty we own and all of them got a knife valve added to the end of the pipe. Now when we hookup nothing comes out until I pull the handle on the that valve.

[beeje]

Originally Posted by raygreg

I don't know about your model , but mine has a 2nd gray tank that has a valve that is not accessed in the convenience center. It is in front of the tire and a little hard to reach. I put the valtera valve on as shown in another post and just leave that hard to reach valve open.

When I installed all new Valterra valves I installed a longer cable and moved the pull handle forward and mounted it in an extra hole on the level up leg in front of the tire.

[Montana Man]

The twist on valve is good insurance but if your pipe is filling up, it isn't leftover from dumping the tank. The valve is leaking. Not draining the tank completely along with a leaky valve can cause this.

[Josh_713]

Thanks for all the input. I went ahead and bought the Valtera valve that twist on the end of the main outlet. I shall call this ‘the last line of defence’!! HA As mentioned, I was just glad it wasn’t the black tank contents that was waiting behind the sewer cap.

It sure sounds like the cable valve at the mouth of the grey tank wasn’t installed properly at factory. I always drain the tanks until the last trickle but I understand there is still some fluid that sits in the low points in the tank. I do keep both tank valves closed to allow for fluids to accumulate, then use the grey to follow the black when dumping. Obviously the accumulated fluids in the tank are getting by an imperfect valve...

Put this issue to bed, now in to the next.... Gotta love working the bugs out of a new unit!!

[Camp CA]

Originally Posted by Josh_713

...............I have removed the sewer cap to connect the hose, I’m met with a surprise flow of grey water (I’ll take that over the alternative). Both valve handles are in the fully closed position .............Curious if anybody has had a similar issue? Can these shutoff valves be adjusted??......

Ditto Cal n Susan.....used to happen all the time, unless I was absolutely sure each drain line was fully drained. So installed a "end of pipe" Cameo sewer shutoff valve with a clear adapter for $20.

Camco 3-inch Sewer Gate Valve with cap Built-in Clear Adapter 3-inch Sewer Fittings | Ready to Use Construction (39053)

[beeje]

Our unit has the sewer boom on it which I really like since we rarely hook up to sewer and only dump when we're ready to leave.. I've had one of those valves for years and haven't really investigated a way to put it on continuing to use the sewer boom

[Carl n Susan]

My 3700RL also has the sewer boom. I use the Valterra valve with it. There is room, on my RV, to hang it on the end and still connect the sewer hose with the corrugated cover and everything. I can swing the boom 180 degrees. But some models mounted the pivot point forward of the sewer outlet and that limits the swing to about 90 degrees.

[beeje]

Originally Posted by Carl n Susan

My 3700RL also has the sewer boom. I use the Valterra valve with it. There is room, on my RV, to hang it on the end and still connect the sewer hose with the corrugated cover and everything. I can swing the boom 180 degrees. But some models mounted the pivot point forward of the sewer outlet and that limits the swing to about 90 degrees.

Thanks Carl I'll have to look into doing that.

[Dave W]

The last two TTs and 5er plus this one have had the Valterra end of line valve. I even replaced the two front tank valves on this 5er and there is still a dribble even though I left the pulls a bit long. I leave the Valterra valve on 24/7/365 but also carry a spare one, just in case the one on the dump outlet gathers walk away legs. Oh and a large worm drive clamp (Home Depot, about a buck fifty) around the attaching lugs will hold it pretty solidly in place, too so you don't twist it off at the wrong place and time.

[beeje]

For the life of me I can't figure out why people treat this as if its nuclear waste or something. I have a friend of mine who's been in the grinder pump business his entire life. This is gross but he has stated on multiple times he has had other people's used corn in his hair and he still living to this day.

The point being if you spill a little bit at the dump station or wherever just flush it out with some water and be done with it. If you get some on you wash your hands maybe use some hand sanitizer and be done with it. It's really not that big of a deal

[rohrmann]

Most of the time, when setting up the rig, the sewer hose is connected at the drain inlet at the park, and the last connection is the end of the hose from the boom to the hose coming from the drain in the park. I just pick up both ends of the hoses above the level of the tanks, pull the cap off the hose coming from the rig and make the connection, and then lower to the ground. We rarely have any fluids drain from the hose doing this. I even have a five foot hose for when we are pretty close to the drain in the park so I can avoid the left over fluids in the hose.

[Dave W]

Originally Posted by beeje

For the life of me I can't figure out why people treat this as if its nuclear waste or something. I have a friend of mine who's been in the grinder pump business his entire life. This is gross but he has stated on multiple times he has had other people's used corn in his hair and he still living to this day.

The point being if you spill a little bit at the dump station or wherever just flush it out with some water and be done with it. If you get some on you wash your hands maybe use some hand sanitizer and be done with it. It's really not that big of a deal

Agree. Yes, it smells, but just remember who and where it came from.


If you really want a wake up to reality, work at a waste to energy plant in Maine - you know, that state where all those lobsters and other sea critters go to die on a dinner plate, leaving their carcasses. My job for about 2 years at one of those facilities was plant engineer for the builder as the operator. Nothing more interesting then a hot August Monday afternoon after the trucks started dumping their weekend well 'perfumed' surprises