Wanderlodge Gurus - The Member Funded Wanderlodge Forum

Well today I finished oft my cross connection job and replaced both
tank valves and added one for the main pipe.

The old ones were really tough to opperate and that was part of the
reason I installed two new ones. The cost was pretty cheap only around
25 dollars for one set up. So now I can either keep the cross
connection pipe on or take it oft and should have no trouble with dry
camping. Jon

Oops, forgot my entire signature... drat.

-Ryan
'86 PT-40 8V92
Tri-Cities, WA

On 5/7/07, Ryan Wright wrote:
> Hey Jon,
>
> Did you replace the gate valves yourself?
>
> Mine are working "fairly" well, but at least one (and I think it's the
> black - ugh) has a slow leak. When I removed the cap to dump the tanks
> the other day, an awful lot of greenish nasty fluid came out - several
> gallons worth - before I was able to get the drain hose on. Thankfully
> I was wearing gloves, and yes, the gate valves were both closed
> properly. Gunk just seems to be leaking past the valve into the drain
> tube.
>
> So, I'm thinking I should just replace 'em, and wanted to install some
> electric dump valves instead for ease of use. However: They don't look
> easy to replace! How do you get them off and get new ones on? It looks
> like they're all hooked together with pipe dope and one might have to
> replace every bit of drain piping under there, because I don't see a
> way to cut the old ones out and still have enough pipe left on each
> end for new fittings.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> -Ryan
>
> On 5/7/07, Jon wrote:
> >
> > Well today I finished oft my cross connection job and replaced both
> > tank valves and added one for the main pipe.
> >
> > The old ones were really tough to opperate and that was part of the
> > reason I installed two new ones. The cost was pretty cheap only around
> > 25 dollars for one set up. So now I can either keep the cross
> > connection pipe on or take it oft and should have no trouble with dry
> > camping. Jon
>

Hey Jon,

Did you replace the gate valves yourself?

Mine are working "fairly" well, but at least one (and I think it's the
black - ugh) has a slow leak. When I removed the cap to dump the tanks
the other day, an awful lot of greenish nasty fluid came out - several
gallons worth - before I was able to get the drain hose on. Thankfully
I was wearing gloves, and yes, the gate valves were both closed
properly. Gunk just seems to be leaking past the valve into the drain
tube.

So, I'm thinking I should just replace 'em, and wanted to install some
electric dump valves instead for ease of use. However: They don't look
easy to replace! How do you get them off and get new ones on? It looks
like they're all hooked together with pipe dope and one might have to
replace every bit of drain piping under there, because I don't see a
way to cut the old ones out and still have enough pipe left on each
end for new fittings.

Any ideas?

-Ryan

On 5/7/07, Jon wrote:
>
> Well today I finished oft my cross connection job and replaced both
> tank valves and added one for the main pipe.
>
> The old ones were really tough to opperate and that was part of the
> reason I installed two new ones. The cost was pretty cheap only around
> 25 dollars for one set up. So now I can either keep the cross
> connection pipe on or take it oft and should have no trouble with dry
> camping. Jon

Greetings All:

I recently replaced the cores of both Dupree waste valves on my 85 PT.
The gray valve was leaking when closed, and both had been extremely
difficult to operate for the year I've owned the coach. Now either
can be easily opened with just the finger tips.

Examination of the old paddles showed the seals on both to be quite
swollen, and the leak was the result of a chunk missing.

Replacement with either air or electric valves was considered, but
there was no space on my coach. The electric valve in particular
required mounting the handle/coil on top, which was just not possible
in this case.

I chose to replace the valve cores as complete units (from Jeff
Miller, ~$22 each plus shipping.) This should have been a 15 minute
job of removing 4 screws; but, alas, this is a 21 year old Bird.

The gray valve is on the curb side, oriented downward at a 45 degree
angle with no obstructions. It was easy.

The black valve is behind a locked cover on the driver's side, next to
the storage tube for the hose. Only one screw was accessible through
the opening, but at least the head was sufficiently intact to allow
backing it out. The other required removing the access door and door
frame, plus the hose storage tube. Then I discovered the screw head
was so damaged, I could not unscrew it. Eventually, I sawed the
corner off the old cap, and broke enough material away to vise-grip it
out. Next I found the core could not clear the opening, unless I took
the handle off. The new core had a screw retaining the handle to the
shaft, but the old one was pinned. It was horizontal, so punching it
out was impossible--back to the vise-grips. Reassembly was much
quicker. (Next time I'll get new screws with the new cores.)

The moral of the story is to go ahead and replace the manual valve
cores, and plan to pull them to re-lubricate the seals from
time-to-time. Dumping requires kneeling to connect the hose anyway,
so I'm satisfied with the renewed manual valves.

--M.R.Kane
'85 PT40
currently Isle du Bois Unit, Lake Ray Roberts SP, Texas

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Ryan Wright"
wrote:
>
> Hey Jon,
>
> Did you replace the gate valves yourself?
>
> Mine are working "fairly" well, but at least one (and I think it's
the
> black - ugh) has a slow leak. When I removed the cap to dump the
tanks
> the other day, an awful lot of greenish nasty fluid came out -
several
> gallons worth - before I was able to get the drain hose on.
Thankfully
> I was wearing gloves, and yes, the gate valves were both closed
> properly. Gunk just seems to be leaking past the valve into the
drain
> tube.
>
> So, I'm thinking I should just replace 'em, and wanted to install
some
> electric dump valves instead for ease of use. However: They don't
look
> easy to replace! How do you get them off and get new ones on? It
looks
> like they're all hooked together with pipe dope and one might have
to
> replace every bit of drain piping under there, because I don't see a
> way to cut the old ones out and still have enough pipe left on each
> end for new fittings.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> -Ryan
>
> On 5/7/07, Jon wrote:
> >
> > Well today I finished oft my cross connection job and replaced
both
> > tank valves and added one for the main pipe.
> >
> > The old ones were really tough to opperate and that was part of
the
> > reason I installed two new ones. The cost was pretty cheap only
around
> > 25 dollars for one set up. So now I can either keep the cross
> > connection pipe on or take it oft and should have no trouble
with dry
> > camping. Jon



If your old valves are like mine and you haft to twist the handle to
get the valve to open than I just cut those valves out by cutting
next to the valve itself and installing the new valve on the old
drain pipe. Really very strait forward job but you will need to clean
up old pipe so that your new pipe glue will addhess itself to the new
valve. Jon (the new valves work great and nice and easy!)

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Jon" wrote:
>
> Well today I finished oft my cross connection job and replaced both
> tank valves and added one for the main pipe.
>
> The old ones were really tough to opperate and that was part of the
> reason I installed two new ones. The cost was pretty cheap only
around
> 25 dollars for one set up. So now I can either keep the cross
> connection pipe on or take it oft and should have no trouble with dry
> camping. Jon


On those pipes that might haft to be cut, you can get a few 3" PVC
coupling and pretty much cut where you want. I had enough room
underneath my coach to just cut oft next to curved pipe that leads to
the tank and installed the new ones.

Jon
78 Bremerton
Washington
>

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Ryan Wright"
wrote:
>
> Hey Jon,
>
> Did you replace the gate valves yourself?
>
> Mine are working "fairly" well, but at least one (and I think it's
the
> black - ugh) has a slow leak. When I removed the cap to dump the
tanks
> the other day, an awful lot of greenish nasty fluid came out -
several
> gallons worth - before I was able to get the drain hose on.
Thankfully
> I was wearing gloves, and yes, the gate valves were both closed
> properly. Gunk just seems to be leaking past the valve into the
drain
> tube.
>
> So, I'm thinking I should just replace 'em, and wanted to install
some
> electric dump valves instead for ease of use. However: They don't
look
> easy to replace! How do you get them off and get new ones on? It
looks
> like they're all hooked together with pipe dope and one might have
to
> replace every bit of drain piping under there, because I don't see a
> way to cut the old ones out and still have enough pipe left on each
> end for new fittings.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> -Ryan
>
> On 5/7/07, Jon wrote:
> >
> > Well today I finished oft my cross connection job and replaced
both
> > tank valves and added one for the main pipe.
> >
> > The old ones were really tough to opperate and that was part of
the
> > reason I installed two new ones. The cost was pretty cheap only
around
> > 25 dollars for one set up. So now I can either keep the cross
> > connection pipe on or take it oft and should have no trouble
with dry
> > camping. Jon

RYAN! I was talking to a friend this morning about my installaion of
my valves and he said you can rebuild those older vlvs. I would try
to see who knows where to get those repair items on this site. I only
replaced mine as the little tits that stick out of flange for
connecting the saftey spill cap were broke oft. I did open up my old
vlvs and it is a cake walk as to repairing these of valves. Jon
Jon
1978 Wanderlodge
Bremerton Washington

Ryen Wright.

Before you go to the trouble of cutting the old valves out and trying to
replace, which might end up being a plumbing nightmare, you should try replacing
just the inerts of the valves. The original valves on your bird should be
Dupree (brand name) valves. Internal replacement kits are available. If you do
a
Internet search for Dupree products you should find Jeff Millers website.
Replacing the paddles and shafts makes all the difference. (There is also
probably a link posted in the links section of this forum and on the homepage of
Bird Connection dot com.)

Steve Anderson
79 FC 35
Poulsbo, Wa.

> Hey Jon,
>
> Did you replace the gate valves yourself?
>
> Mine are working "fairly" well, but at least one (and I think it's
the
> black - ugh) has a slow leak. When I removed the cap to dump the
tanks
> the other day, an awful lot of greenish nasty fluid came out -
several
> gallons worth - before I was able to get the drain hose on.
Thankfully
> I was wearing gloves, and yes, the gate valves were both closed
> properly. Gunk just seems to be leaking past the valve into the
drain
> tube.
>
> So, I'm thinking I should just replace 'em, and wanted to install
some
> electric dump valves instead for ease of use. However: They don't
look
> easy to replace! How do you get them off and get new ones on? It
looks
> like they're all hooked together with pipe dope and one might have
to
> replace every bit of drain piping under there, because I don't see a
> way to cut the old ones out and still have enough pipe left on each
> end for new fittings.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> -Ryan



************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Thanks for the info, Steve. I'll look into doing that. Certainly would
be easier and cheaper... On the other hand I really want electric
valves. I'll have to weigh the options and select one or the other.

Appreciate it!

-Ryan

On 5/12/07, ebirder2000@... wrote:
>
> Ryen Wright.
>
> Before you go to the trouble of cutting the old valves out and trying to
> replace, which might end up being a plumbing nightmare, you should try
replacing
> just the inerts of the valves. The original valves on your bird should be
> Dupree (brand name) valves. Internal replacement kits are available. If you
do a
> Internet search for Dupree products you should find Jeff Millers website.
> Replacing the paddles and shafts makes all the difference. (There is also
> probably a link posted in the links section of this forum and on the homepage
of
> Bird Connection dot com.)
>
> Steve Anderson
> 79 FC 35
> Poulsbo, Wa.
>