Fresh water drain valve repair

[kande]

Well, here we go. The valve is broken in the open position so I will launch into my first RV repair. I'm hoping someone has experience with this - do I cut off the old one or is it supposed to screw out? I'm also hoping the RV shop has a new one that will clamp on, or maybe a pex type fitting? The valve is very vulnerable to getting whacked by rocks and so on, IMHO. But I'd really like to flush the plumbing so deal with this first.

Thanks in advance...

[chuckster57]

That’s 1/2” PEX. Save your money and go the nearest box box hardware store. Cut the line straight right above the fitting and simply put a new one on.

Fittings can be crimped on or like yours. There is a tool to tighten the fitting with the screw on type, but I used a pair of pliers for years.

[Javi]

Originally Posted by kande

Well, here we go. The valve is broken in the open position so I will launch into my first RV repair. I'm hoping someone has experience with this - do I cut off the old one or is it supposed to screw out? I'm also hoping the RV shop has a new one that will clamp on, or maybe a pex type fitting? The valve is very vulnerable to getting whacked by rocks and so on, IMHO. But I'd really like to flush the plumbing so deal with this first.

Thanks in advance...

unscrew the nut on the pex line.. pull the fitting out of the pex.. Sometimes a little heat from a heat gun helps soften the pex..

Then either use a sharkbite fitting or just take the old one to a hardware store that sells pex and replace it with another..

[travelin texans]

Agree with both the above. Cut old pipe just above the fitting & use a shark bite new valve, it'll take you a lot longer to go fetch the parts than to do the repair.

[kande]

Thanks guys....I cut off the old one and picked up a sharkbite pex valve and it went on no problems. I got another one just in case the one gets taken out on the road.

Much appreciated!

[zuley]

I purposely cut the pex fitting on all three of my drain valves off and using a sharkbite fitting added ball valves to each drain.

[JRTJH]

kande,

You might consider buying a 4' section of PEX tubing, a sharkbite 90 elbow and attaching that to the tank drain, running it to the edge of your RV and then connecting the ball valve to the end of that tubing. That way you can access the valve without having to crawl under the RV. Makes for more convenience and keeps your knees clean.

[66joej]

I'm thinking these are all newer trailers. My '13 has the drain pipes threaded. I removed the plugs and put on threaded ball valves.

[itat]

That looks like a low point drain rather than the (valved) drain for the fresh water tank? I did the same as 66joej and installed threaded plastic ball valves on my low point drains for both the hot and cold lines.

[kande]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

kande,

You might consider buying a 4' section of PEX tubing, a sharkbite 90 elbow and attaching that to the tank drain, running it to the edge of your RV and then connecting the ball valve to the end of that tubing. That way you can access the valve without having to crawl under the RV. Makes for more convenience and keeps your knees clean.

That's a great idea and seems doable. Thank you.