Galley tank leaking

[mrsbryant]

I'm wondering if there is a way to find out what replacement tank I need before opening up the underbelly.

I have to replace the waste valve on the black tank as the handle pulls but the valve does not slide open. Since I have to open up the underbelly to do this I want to repair or replace the galley tank at the same time.

I'd like to order all the parts ahead of time so I can open up underneath once and take care of everything at the same time, but I have no clue what tank I need to order.

Any advice besides just open it up and look?

I tend to not have a lot of time and don't want to open it and leave it open for an extended period until I can get parts in and have time to come around to work on it again.

[chuckster57]

I don’t know of any easy way other than visually looking. All the information your looking for should be molded into the tank near the outlet. You might be able to remove just enough screws to have a good look, that’s what we do.

[chunker]

It could be that the cable has come off the waste valve and all you need to do is reinstall it. Opening up and looking will answer whether that's the issue. I'm confused why you want to replace a galley tank because the black tank valve is leaking.

I had to potentially replace a black tank on the GFs SOB 5th wheel and the parts people said I needed to pull the tank and get numbers off the top. That would define where the holes for the inlet, vent, and outlet would be. Turns out tank was OK and they just had to re-seat it along with the repair to the outlet pipe.

[mrsbryant]

Originally Posted by chunker

It could be that the cable has come off the waste valve and all you need to do is reinstall it. Opening up and looking will answer whether that's the issue. I'm confused why you want to replace a galley tank because the black tank valve is leaking.

I had to potentially replace a black tank on the GFs SOB 5th wheel and the parts people said I needed to pull the tank and get numbers off the top. That would define where the holes for the inlet, vent, and outlet would be. Turns out tank was OK and they just had to re-seat it along with the repair to the outlet pipe.

I have two different issues.

The galley tank is cracked for sure. I was dumping at the end of a trip and after I drained it I filled it completely up with fresh water to clean it out and it burst. I heard it crack and a flood of water started running out from under the trailer. That was a few years ago and I never took care of it, but it for sure needs to be replaced. It has nothing to do with valves.

Fast forward to a bit more recently, and I had a family member stay in it for a few weeks this summer during Covid. I also have been using it as my classroom since fall as I have been teaching from home and its better for me to get out of the house where the hubby isn't bugging me while I work. The black tank is now full. It's not leaking. When I went to dump it, I pulled the handle but the valve won't open at all. It's not a cable, it's a rod and I'm fairly certain the part that holds the rod in is cracked. The rod moves in and out easily but the valve doesn't slide open. It was tough to get it to open the last time I had dumped it. I'm assuming it's not connected anymore, but it doesn't just screw back in, I'm pretty sure I will have to replace the whole valve.

Once I open things up I'll know more, but after 16 years that plastic gets brittle and I don't forsee it being a simple fix. I fully expect I will learn that the valve has to be replaced. I've already read several threads about cutting in to the valve cover and using vice grips or needle nose to pull it open so I can dump and flush the tank in order to replace the valve. I'm also expecting it to be too tight like everyone else found and plan to buy the rubber plumbing coupler so I can cut out a small section in the gray pipe near where the two y together to gain the necessary clearance to get the new valve and seals in properly.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by mrsbryant

I have two different issues.

The galley tank is cracked for sure. I was dumping at the end of a trip and after I drained it I filled it completely up with fresh water to clean it out and it burst. I heard it crack and a flood of water started running out from under the trailer. That was a few years ago and I never took care of it, but it for sure needs to be replaced. It has nothing to do with valves.

Fast forward to a bit more recently, and I had a family member stay in it for a few weeks this summer during Covid. I also have been using it as my classroom since fall as I have been teaching from home and its better for me to get out of the house where the hubby isn't bugging me while I work. The black tank is now full. It's not leaking. When I went to dump it, I pulled the handle but the valve won't open at all. It's not a cable, it's a rod and I'm fairly certain the part that holds the rod in is cracked. The rod moves in and out easily but the valve doesn't slide open. It was tough to get it to open the last time I had dumped it. I'm assuming it's not connected anymore, but it doesn't just screw back in, I'm pretty sure I will have to replace the whole valve.

Once I open things up I'll know more, but after 16 years that plastic gets brittle and I don't forsee it being a simple fix. I fully expect I will learn that the valve has to be replaced. I've already read several threads about cutting in to the valve cover and using vice grips or needle nose to pull it open so I can dump and flush the tank in order to replace the valve. I'm also expecting it to be too tight like everyone else found and plan to buy the rubber plumbing coupler so I can cut out a small section in the gray pipe near where the two y together to gain the necessary clearance to get the new valve and seals in properly.

Reading this I understand that your dump valve is operated by a handle connected directly to the valve via a an extension and not a cable. If that's the case, pull it all the way out and look at the end of the extension rod. They are thin aluminum tubing with internal threads. They are easily stripped or cracked. If that's the case you could get that operational easily until; you get the opprotunity/weather to replace the gray tank.