Electric Sewer Valves

[The Gritz Carlton]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

If you could dump your tanks while being chased by Law Enforcement...

First issue...you gotta get going fast enough to break the law.

[Bob Denman]

I could always fail to yield the right of way... or maybe even run a stoplight!

[Bob Denman]

I just opened up my " Family RVing" magazine...
They listed exactly what you're looking for! www.drainmaster.com/rv. should be able to set you up. "

[bry899]

Originally Posted by bharrisv65

I'm interested in adding electric waste valves to my MH so I can dump from inside rather than having to brave cold, mud, etc. I was wanting to see if anyone had any experience, has done this or what opinions may be. Please don't flame me if this is a well-worn topic, I did try to search but didn't find anything. If you know of a thread and could provide the link I would be appreciative. I'm not lazy at all and it's not a lot of trouble but I like to upgrade and have as many things as possible to make RVing more smooth. Thanks for any input or info!

Learned this from an oldtimer:
When I am at a campground with sewer hookups I usually leave the grey valve open. I route the sewer hose so it drops (3-4") and then up (3-4") this creates a trap for sewer gases. As long as the hose is below the tank it will drain like at your house.
When the black tank needs to be dumped I then lift the dropped section and empty it. Usually the day before I empty the black tank I will close the gray tank. Then I use the Gray tank as a flush for the hose.
I usually only have to physically empty the black tank once every 2 weeks.

[revjeffrey]

....Maybe Dave Matthews can give you some pointers on installing?
Ten years ago, Dave Matthews' tour bus ejected 800 pounds of septic waste into the Chicago River. Really, what more is there to be said? If you haven't heard the story before, bless you for remaining pure in the face of the Internet. If you haven't, there's not much more to it: Hundreds of pounds of sewage got dumped into a river, soaking a boat with approximately 100 people on it in human waste.

[Popfla]

[bry899]

How to keep gray valve open, then dump black as needed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dslcXoydeY4

[fhenn]

I had one installed on my Black tank. every 6 months I was going through a black tank cable. My switch is in the basement where I can keep an eye on it

[WoodcarvingGypsy]

Ok, now that you've been "dumped on", I'll give you my firsthand experience with those.

I have a 2010 Crossroads Seville that came equipped with manual dump valves connected to the utilities closet with 8' wires. Those were just a problem looking for a place to happen so I decided to replace them with electric sewer valves.

Doing a bit of research, Valterra and Drain Master make electric valves. Valterra was the lesser cost but after seeing those at a RV surplus store, I wasn't impressed. The Valterra units were plastic gears and sliders so there was at least a couple of possible failure points.

I eventually went with Drain Master Pro-Series as those have stainless gears and solid-state electronics. They also have the capability for 2 sets of controls (think inside the coach and at the dump point)

I've had them installed for a couple of years now and since we spend the winter in the coach, I've got to see how those work if it's cold. At this point, I'm pleased with their operation to the point that when we finally reach home in April, I'm going to add a second set of switches in both the inside and at the utility closets so I can monitor the open/closed state.

I need to contact Drain Master on Monday since they called this weekend following up on how I like the product. I need to pose a question on just having an indicator light on the black valve since it's only controlled in the utility closet. The grey can be controlled from inside or outside since it tends to fill quicker.

Hope this helps. If there are any questions I can answer, please let me know. I'd recommend calling Drain Master and talking to them.

[Bob Denman]

Thanks for the first-hand knowledge.
I'm glad that I mentioned them in a previous post...

[roy stone]

All the above answers are good advice, ho lee schitt, trying to cut corners with the waste water system can cause embarrassment, fines, pain, and a whole host of other problems. It would be an ugly site and smell to later find that your electric system failed just because you wanted to stay warm. Sell your RV, get a SUV and stay at motels or other lodging facilities.

[Bob Denman]

I agree!
You don't want to find yourself saying:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbtUC9oVThg