bazooka Posted September 21, 2013 Share Posted September 21, 2013 The water has backed up into the shower base,the waste tap was open but water is not getting through.the waste pipe from the tank screws into a metal part with what looks like a ball bearing inside, at the other end a plastic on off tap screws in to the metal part,but no water comes out even if the tap is screwed off.I removed the waste pipe and emptied the tank.I then put the pipe back on and put clean water in.Water still won't come through,any advice would be welcome..Above the metal part there's a plastic cover and a wire going into it.My van is a dreamfinder galaxy on a 2004 lwb Ducato. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Mornin'... So are you saying that the "plastic on off tap" is not operating the actual valve mechanism inside?.. If so, has some part of the plastic components just twisted/sheared?... IF it is just the tap(and the rest of the pipework is clear),for the small costs involved,then I'd probably just be looking to stick a new tap on... e.g http://www.caktanks.co.uk/CAK_Water_Plumbing.htm http://www.caravanparts.co.uk/caravan-water-systems-pipes-fittings-c-68_227.html?page=2&sort=2a Although It may also be worth just taking the tap along to your local plumbers merchants or even somewhere that stocks fittings for ponds etc to see if they stock something that'd replace it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 As you've been able to empty the waste-tank by removing the waste-pipe from it, it would appear that the reason why water won't come from the On/Off tap must logically be because there's a problem within the assembly that comprises the waste-pipe and tap. I'm having difficulty envisaging the draining system fitted to your motorhome (particularly regarding the "ball bearing" reference), but I would have thought that there must be a blockage somewhere in the waste-pipe and/or the On/Off tap isn't actually opening. Both of these options should be straightforward to check. (Have you any idea what the ball-bearing is supposed to do?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazooka Posted September 22, 2013 Author Share Posted September 22, 2013 Thank you Pepe and Derick,the plastic on off tap screws into the metal cylinder valve (eg ball bearing )which i presume should have a hole in it which should line up with the tap when open.there does'nt appear to be anything broken off thetap,it just seems as if screwing the tap in tight should turn the valvebut i can't see how! Ihave decided to buy a new and fasten it on the side of the old one.thanks for your help it would have made more sense if i could have loaded a picture on . Baz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazooka Posted September 22, 2013 Author Share Posted September 22, 2013 Thank you Pepe and Derick,the plastic on off tap screws into the metal cylinder valve (eg ball bearing )which i presume should have a hole in it which should line up with the tap when open.there does'nt appear to be anything broken off thetap,it just seems as if screwing the tap in tight should turn the valvebut i can't see how! Ihave decided to buy a new valve and fasten it on the side of the old one.thanks for your help it would have made more sense if i could have loaded a picture on . Baz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazooka Posted September 22, 2013 Author Share Posted September 22, 2013 Thanks i for the CAK tank link,the valve is on page 20-21 in the catalogue (easy drain electro valve code edv075) Baz (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Oooh..so it's an electric' valve... I've never had first hand contact of the type of valves but it'll give more stuff to check.... Is power reaching it(..if not, what about fuse?)..Maybe look at removing it all, giving a strip down and a good clean(..maybe dirty contacts or solenoid sticking?)and I suppose with it removed, you could run a 12v power source to it and give it a bench test... (The "ball bearing" will be the side of the ball valve when it's closed). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Take the electro valve to bits, basically there are two grub screws hiolding the actuator onto the valve. One clamps to the body of the ball valve and the other to the shaft which operates the ball inside. Separating the two lets you then check if the electro valve actuator works on its own and you can use grips to check the ball valve rotates. If it is the actuator, your choice but you could try taking it to bits test and lubricate or throw it away. If the ball valve is sticking then try and free it off and lubricate and if unsuccesful get a new valve at a plumbers merchant which has same dimensions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ips Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Sounds like a ridiculously complex system to drain water away ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 An electrically-operated drain valve allows a waste-tank to be emptied remotely without getting one's hands dirty. It's particularly useful when the motorhome manufacturer positions the tank in a very inaccessible position, decides that draining should be centrally beneath the vehicle rather from the side or rear, or wants very fast draining via a large-aperture valve. (It also allows an owner to dump the tank's contents while the motorhome is being driven, but that's a questionable benefit ;-) ) There'a a 2009 MotorhomeFun thread here http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/184981-post3.html that refers to a Dreamfinder Galaxy and mentions the remote waste-tank draining feature: "One very useful item that will be appreciated by any owner or hirer of this model is the Auto Drain feature, where you can control the waste tank drainage system from inside the van." What I find somewhat surprising with baz's system is the presence of a plastic On/Off tap. It may be a belt-and-braces addition by a previous owner, but it really should be unnecessary with an electro-valve. Planning to add a 2nd electro-valve seems a peculiar strategy to me. If the existing valve cannot be made to work electrically, then it should (as Brambles suggests) be possible to rotate the 'ball bearing' so that water can pass through the valve. Once water can pass through the valve, then draining the tank could (presumably) be subsequently performed via the plastic ON/Off tap. If it proves impossible to get water to pass through the electro-valve, would it not be practicable to bypass the valve completely and run a waste pipe from the tank directly to an On/Off tap in the usual manner? I notice that Bazooka obtained his Dreamfinder about a year ago and I'm asking myself how he has managed to empty the waste-tank between then and now. If it's been via the plastic On/Off tap fitted to the electro-valve, then the valve's 'ball bearing' must have been in the open position at the time to allow this to happen. It seems from Bazooka's original inquiry that he was not aware that his vehicle was fitted with an electro-valve, which makes me wonder if the valve may actually be in working order and the switch within the motorhome that operates it has been inadvertently closed ay some stage and is not being used to open the valve when it's wished to drain the tank. A new EDV075 valve will cost around £100. This would be a lot of money to spend if there's really nothing wrong or there's a cheaper/simpler alternative to replacing the present valve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazooka Posted September 23, 2013 Author Share Posted September 23, 2013 Th anks Derek and Bramble,as you stated the fact it had been in use before allthough recently only a trickle would come out (all night 5 litres) does make me think the valve had gradually siezed up.There are two switches in the van that i don't know what they do but ikeep them on and havn't had any other problems. I agree the electro waste valve seems to be expensive and pointless.I have now fitted a waste tap and fastened it to the old one it works great! thanks again for every ones input. Baz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.