How To Easily Lubricate Your RV Dump Valves
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- čas přidán 13. 02. 2018
- This short video will show you how to easily lubricate your RV dump valves without having to disassemble the plumbing pipes and valves. A very simple and inexpensive procedure is used that takes about 5 minutes to perform. You can lubricate your valves over and over again on a regular basis with this method.
A 7/64ths inch drill bit and a #8x1/2 inch stainless steel screw works best to plug the hole.
You don't have to use lithium grease, you can use any lubricant that you think is appropriate and one that will not damage the valves in your particular system, which may be different than mine. Please do your due diligence when deciding which lubricant to use. - Jak na to + styl
Great video blast from the past Tom
Thanks, Bill. You don't want your RV valves sticking. I've seen a person with a full black tank and a stuck valve, and it's not pretty.
Ive been RVing for a long time. I'm both happy and mad. Happy I found this video and mad that I never thought of it myself. You should have a million views on this.
It took me 14 years to figure it out. Thanks for the comment, Rob!
Thanks Tom worked like a charm. We were amazed!
Glad it worked for you, Rosalind! Thanks for the comment.
Brilliant idea sir, I’m gonna give it a shot right now! Thank you much!
It's been working great for me. I give the valves a quick shot once or twice each year. It doesn't take a whole lot of lube and you can always add more if needed.
Thank you!!!! Did this today & it worked perfect!
You're welcome. My valves are due for their yearly treatment as well.
This is the best simplest repair I have ever made in my life. Made what otherwise would not be a fun job a piece of cake. Thanks Tom! About a one minute repair.
Thanks for the comment! My valves are still working great.
Einstein said, "You don't have to know everything, you just have to know where to find it". YOUR you tube presentation is right where to find how to solve the problems. Genus ! Thanks so much for your time.
Haha, listen to Einstein. Thanks for the nice comment, Joseph!😁
Just found this Video by chance. My valves were getting sticky when near closed/barely open. Tried this and it worked like a charm. Thanks for posting!
You're welcome. I give mine this treatment about once a year, and they are working great. Glad that it worked for you!👍👍
A great idea as mine are getting hard to operate, am going to try this and like the way you sealed the hole.
Thanks, it's pretty simple and works well. I'm going to lube mine again for the first time since I made the video 7 months ago.
Great tip Tom. Thank you
You're welcome, it's been working for me. Thanks for watching.
Great video. I don't have an RV but I've been interested in getting one and I know if I do this video will help me out. Thanks for sharing.
You're welcome. It works for me.
Great tip. Ours seem to be getting harder to work each time. I’ll give this a shot. Thanks
It works well.
Great concept, but White Lithium Grease will harden up and become sticky in about 6 to 8 months time. Just like it does a on fifth wheel plate. I tried this and am now replacing my 3rd valve due to lithium getting sticky. Better to use a silicone grease or similar.
That has not been true for me, but, do your own due diligence on the products you want to use. My valves are working great after three years of treating them with the spray grease twice per year. Thanks for your input, Jesse.
Hi Tom, Nice clean job the I way Iike it. Thank you . Now I am off to purchase a 7 /64 '' drill bit and a stainless steel screw .
Thanks, Paul. This has been working well for me. Good luck on your mod.
Nice video, great tip. Thanks for sharing
You're welcome, Jim.
Brilliant!!!!
*then I checked out your channel and love your content! Subscribed!!!
Thanks much. We appreciate it.
great video simple and easy job love it .. thank you for the add tom safe travles :)
JOHNNY EXPLORES Thanks for watching and commenting, Johnny. I appreciate the support as well!
Thanks for the great idea!
You're welcome, Jeffrey. It's been working great for me.
Great idea! Very simple and effective solution!
Thanks, Jenny. It is pretty simple and has been working for me.
Clever. Thanks for sharing.
BluegrassBushcraft Thanks for the comment!
Thank you Tom - this worked really well. I used stainless screws. I'm sure they would have broken had I not got them done as they were getting very difficult to move.
Glad you were successful, Marvin. You really don't want to break a valve, especially on a full black tank, which is when it happens.
We just got a new rv. Went to go dump black water and got about 5 gallon of $#!! On me. Im sure the factory used the appropriate lube.
But great idea sir!
Good idea.
Sorry for the above, this is my first comment on youtube!
This really works well. Our black tank valve was so difficult to move I was concerned that I was going to break the pipe, but this mod fixed it. Thanks.
You're welcome and thanks for the comment, John.
Thank you
You're welcome. It works great for me.
Thank you.
You're welcome, Terry. Thanks for commenting.
Thanks!
You're welcome, Linda. Thanks for watching!
I Subscribed and like !
Thanks, Retman!
Definitely going to try this. It looked like you had some lithium spray on the screw you put in the hole?
That's just a little overspray from when I sprayed the valve. I haven't had any trouble with the screw not sealing and leaking. Thanks for the comment!
good tip
phyllis mulkey thanks for the nice comment.
nice!
M. F.! Nice!!! Thank you!!!
You're welcome, William!
This is a fantastic idea… I am a retired automotive technician of 40 years. I’m not aware of the materials used in the dump valves seals. Some rubber products react to petroleum products and can swell. I’m will try and find out what they are made of and post that info. Until I find out I will use a silicon grease without petroleum carriers.
Yes, do your due diligence before using petroleum products on your valves. Mine are neoprene and are still working perfectly. I lube them twice per year, and they are smooth with no leaking. Thanks for the comment!👍😊
@@TomandJulieMineExploring the same as regular fuel hose.. very cool. Thanks!!
Alright everyone this worked perfectly…. As stated. I used WD40 gel spray and now it works perfectly. The WD 40 gel lube says it’s safe on rubber and plastics.
Thanks for your review. I appreciate it!
Just had this problem I couldn’t open the black tank did this trick and all my shitty problems went down the drain thanks for sharing. I’m sure those crooks ..I mean fine caring people at camping 🌎 would have charged a low low price of 288 dollars to fix this issue haha
Not many things worse than having the valve get stuck on a full black tank. When the handle breaks you're really done. Thanks for the comment!
Nice trick. My problem is that my "stuck" gray tank valve/lever is on a big 5th wheel, with the actual valve is located well away from the external lever and I will first have to drop the under-panel to get at the valve. What a pain.
That is a problem, Dave. The other problem is that this method might not free up a valve that is already stuck. This is something that should be done periodically as maintenance to avoid the valves getting stuck. It is worth a try, though. Good luck!
I love it! How does the Rubber in the valve react to the white lithium grease. Any issues there. I know that rubber doesn’t like certain oils. PS, I just replaced my 23 yr old dump valves. Not fun. But the ultimate fix.
Good question. Most valves don't use rubber, but use neoprene, which is unaffected by petroleum products. You should do your due diligence before using grease on yours to make sure the grease won't damage them. My valves are 21 years old and working great. Thanks for the comment, Fred!
@@TomandJulieMineExploring Don’t know if they are Rubber or neoprene. They are black and like a shiny rubbery appearance. It is a well known brand “ Valveterra or something like that.
Excellent video - thank you for making it. Question, does the tank have to be empty before drilling the hole? Do you really need the screws to close off the holes?
Thanks for watching and commenting on the video, Marvin. I would recommend dumping the tanks first and using the screws to plug the holes.
I am not sure I am brave enough to drill the hole, but I will definitely try the trick of spraying with the hose off. Mine are very difficult to operate at times.
Pidasian Hippie yes they can definitely be difficult to operate at times and if you happen to have a valve stick shut or break when your black tank is full it gets ugly fast. The good news is is that the valves are fairly inexpensive and not too difficult to install.
@@TomandJulieMineExploring Do you have a video on installing new valves? Hope mine doesn't come to that but.....
@@alive-awake I do not have a video on replacing the valves. I have had them all apart for maintenance before and it is not very difficult. Probably the worst part is that you are working with sewer lines and the related yuck factor.
Thanks for posting. Just a thought, but why not put a grease zerk in place of the sheet metal screw so you can just pump some grease in at any time?
I don't want to fill the valve with grease, instead I'm spraying a small amount on the slides, which would be impossible through a zerk. Thanks for the comment!
@@TomandJulieMineExploring That makes sense. Thanks for the reply.
You're welcome.
EXCELLENT! VERY SMART MODIFICATION!!!......THEY COULD INSTALL ZERKS AT THE FACTORY, BUT THEN WE'D STOP WASTING OUR MONEY ON VALVES. THAT WOULD NOT BE FUN!
Thanks! It's been working well for me. It doesn't take a lot, just a couple shots every 6 months or so.
Tom I have a 2005 Sunnybrook Titan my sewage line runs with the cable can I use that same procedure underneath the fifth wheel... Do you have a diagram or a video for doing that to a 2005 Sunnybrook... My sewage job is backing up to the point where it only pulls out halfway now so I need to figure something out fast.
Hi Ray. It's more difficult to access the valves on most fifth wheels. Depending on the setup, you might be able to use this procedure. I don't have any specific diagram for your rig.
Smart!
Thanks, Mark. It works for me.😊
Great Idea. My only problem is my valves are sealed within the belly of the beast. I'll have to drop part of the bottom of the 5er. But going to do this in the spring. Thanks.
It's been working great for me. Thanks for the comment, Paul.
I have the same challenge. My tanks and valves are covered to protect from cold weather. I will need to remove the underbelly cover to access the valves in order to grease. Just another additional step for 5th wheel owners with these types.
@@RD-qc3eb That does make it more difficult to access the valves. It would still be worth doing though, becsuse nobody wants a stuck valve, especially on a full black tank.
@@TomandJulieMineExploring agreed. I did see another option as well with valve cleaner/lube solution that runs through your black/grey tanks to loosen up the valves. Seems most people are utilizing the drill method though. Thanks for the vid. I appreciate it.
@@RD-qc3eb Yes, I think a solution inside the tank is better than nothing. I lube mine once or twice each year and it seems to keep them working well.
Can't find the video but curious about something: how did know the acetone wouldn't melt the baggie? Totally expected a huge meltdown. Would've used alcohol.
Acetone is a better solvent than alcohol and won't damage a polyethylene bag. Not sure how I knew that.
Tom, you said to drill the hole "a little off the center" why is that ?
I was thinking that the slide would be less in the way of the lubricant when you spray it in. It might not make much difference, but, that was my line of thinking. Just make sure you don't drill too close to the edge either so the hole is inside the valve and past the thickness of the plastic. Make sense? Thanks for the comment, James
My dump valve will only open half ways im hopeing this will help .Thanks
If it only opens halfway I'm guessing either the seal is coming apart and catching or somehow something got jammed it the valve housing blocking the slide from opening completely. I guess lubing certainly won't hurt anything. Good luck with your fix.
@@TomandJulieMineExploring Thank you for your reply,i will try the lubricating ,have nothing to lose
Yes, you have nothing to lose. If you have to replace a valve it isn't a hard job, you just have to take everything apart. Just don't get stuck with a full black tank and a bad valve. That's a big mess.
Would this work with an electric waste valve? I don’t want to drill into a wire.
That's a good question. I have no experience with electric waste valves, so I can't answer that one. Good luck, Jeff!
is there any concern that the lithium grease might deteriorate the seal? would it be safer to use silicon spray?
It hasn't been a problem for me so far. I think the silicone might be safer for the seal depending on what you have. It may not last as long as the grease but the procedure is so easy and fast you could just do it more often. Thanks for the comment!
@@TomandJulieMineExploring Curiouis - what about using WD-40. That seems to be a miracle lubricate from what I've heard. Then I wouldn't have to buy those two other lubricants.
@@alive-awake I don't believe that WD-40 will do any harm, although technically it is not really a lubricant, even though I know many people use it as a lubricant. WD-40 probably won't last as long as the grease. You don't really need both of the lubricants that I used, they are just what I had on hand. Try it and see how it works.
@@TomandJulieMineExploring Thanks for your reply!
@@alive-awake You're welcome!
Doing the shaft is good enough with out drilling
It depends on the blade of your valve. If that is dry lubing the shaft won't do much good. Ideally, you want to lube the whole thing. Thanks for your input, Grant.
I just did this on my valves, seemed to be better but I think the water in the chamber dilutes the white lithium so i'll lube it again later...……………...After doing I was thinking why not install a zerk fitting and use moly lube (molybdenum disulfide) which if im not mistaken repels moisture, heat and anything you can throw at it and is very durable....Maybe you would not need to ever lube it again....but I do not know the internals of the valve but apparently water enters the area we are lubricating.....thoughts?..................…...Note: I've used this stuff in automobile applications, its what they put in CV joints and this stuff is sticky and its difficult to get off your hands with anything,,water doesn't affect it at all
One treatment will last about six months for me and my rig is being continously used. I would be careful about getting too much heavy grease in the valve casing making the valve difficult to operate when the temperture is low. I've seen a grease zerk used by some but a grease gun doesn't spray so it can't easily get the grease to where it's needed. Thanks for the comment!
I have seen where they say to use dry lubricant.@@TomandJulieMineExploring
Instead of drilling, why not apply the grease (1:08) as you do the silicone?
The silicone is only lubricating the push rod of the valve and not the valve slide itself. You need to lubricate the valve slide to prevent it from sticking.
Could you not just spray something on the handle and move it back and forth until it moves better?
No, that won't lubricate the actual slide valves. The only other way to properly lubricate the valves is to start with a clean and empty tank and disassemble the entire sewer outlet the way your manual describes. Don't get in the position of having full tanks and stuck valves. It's quite a mess!
Lubricating your dump valve..probably shouldn't Google that.
OutofDoorsTV haha yeah, it's a little dicey.
People are great!
Great, if they were all that easy to access 🙄 Mine is tucked under the under belly where you would have to cut the cover to get to it.
You must have a trailer of some sort. You still have to be able to access your valves for servicing or replacement. I'm not a trailer guy, but I think you can remove the panels without cutting anything. Good luck, Billy!
Great idea, thank you!! Which lube would be best to spray up into the valve from the big hose opening you last mentioned, please? Is the silicone spray better or the white lithium grease?? Happy Easter Blessings 🐣🪴🐤
Thanks. Some valve material could possibly be affected by petroleum products, so try the silicone first. I think most valves are made with neoprene, like mine, which isn't affected by grease. The drawback with silicone is that it doesn't last as long as grease.
My 24 year old valves work perfectly and not a drop leaks when attaching the hose. Thanks for the Easter wish and blessing. Happy Easter to you!😊
@TomandJulieMineExploring Definitely 👌🙏🏼 and thanks for that caution regarding the possible difference in valve material. I'm guessing spray it with the valves shut?? Then, maybe open and close a couple of times and spray again a little, open and close, then keep closed.
Yes, that sounds like a good procedure. I try not to put too much grease at one time on mine. You can usually feel the lubrication immediately.
We just got a new rv. Went to go dump black water and got about 5 gallon of $#!! On me. Im sure the factory used the appropriate lube.
But great idea sir!
Sorry to hear that, although I'm not sure I understand how that happened. Is your black tank valve not working at all so when you took off the sewer cap it emptied out? Sometimes the black tank valve will get accidentally opened and then closed again while the cap is on then you will get some spillage.