Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Prepping to do the dirty deed.
| Prepping to do the dirty deed. [message #224599] |
Fri, 04 October 2013 23:42  |
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Richard Andis
Messages: 261
Registered: January 2013
Location: HELL Paso, TX
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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So I have convinced myself that it has come the the to accept the inevitable and replace both the black and grey water tanks along with all the associated leaking valves and fittings. Will also replace the tank monitoring system with something more reliable.
Last week I filled, flushed, and drained all the tanks till only clear water was flowing. Used a power wand down the toilet to fill it full. Grey water valve is missing it's handle and looks like the PO simply sealed the rod hole and left it permanently open. Black tank leaks around the outlet from damage when the PO high centered the coach. Various other leaks are coming from the top of the tank.
Called an RV repair and their estimate started somewhere around $2000 to replace the two dirty tanks, valves, connectors, all the associated piping, and install a monitor system (SeeLevel II 709-PH).
A couple of local GMCers have offered their assistance and skill in an offer to assist me in replacing the tanks ourselves. We may have the availability of a pit. I figure the material cost of the tanks, valves, connectors, and piping to be around $1000 (plus some steak dinners).
Is this an area I should leave to the professionals? I've worked with ABS piping before and it isn't rocket science. I also have quite a bit of experience in electronics so the monitoring upgrade doesn't scare me either.
We'll be pretty much duplicating the existing system. One of the guys is trying to talk me into a macerator and electric valves. I think the electric valves are a bit much.
Are there any pitfalls or surprises that I should be aware of BEFORE I start this adventure (yeh, I'll flush out the tanks a couple of times more).
Oh, as it states in my signature line. This is dealing with a 78 Royale (Rear Twin) coach.
Here's a couple of pics of the existing system
Black tank Outlet
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/6338/00813.JPG
Black tank outlet
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/6338/00713.JPG
Black Tank Valve
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showfull.php?photo=48428
Grey Tank Valve (Note missing handle)
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showfull.php?photo=48432
Valhalla - 1978 GMC Royale rear twin [SOLD]
Walküre - 1974 VW Thing (Toad)
[Updated on: Fri, 04 October 2013 23:52] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: [GMCnet] Prepping to do the dirty deed. [message #224601 is a reply to message #224599] |
Fri, 04 October 2013 23:47  |
James Hupy
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma: -62
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Senior Member |
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Mascerator, yes. Electric slide valves, maybe not. My opinion, others may
vary.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Or
78 Gmc Royale 403
On Oct 4, 2013 9:43 PM, "Richard Andis" <randis2@elp.rr.com> wrote:
>
>
> So I have convinced myself that it has come the the to accept the
> inevitable and replace both the black and grey water tanks along with all
> the associated leaking valves and fittings. Will also replace the tank
> monitoring system with something more reliable.
>
> Last week I filled, flushed, and drained all the tanks till only clear
> water was flowing. Used a power wand down the toilet to fill it full. Grey
> water valve is missing it's handle and looks like the PO simply sealed the
> rod hole and left it permanently open. Black tank leaks around the outlet
> from damage when the PO high centered the coach. Various other leaks are
> coming from the top of the tank.
>
> Called an RV repair and their estimate started somewhere around $2000 to
> replace the two dirty tanks, valves, connectors, all the associated piping,
> and install a monitor system (SeeLevel II 709-PH).
>
> A couple of local GMCers have offered their assistance and skill in an
> offer to assist me in replacing the tanks ourselves. We may have the
> availability of a pit. I figure the material cost of the tanks, valves,
> connectors, and piping to be around $1000 (plus some steak dinners).
>
> Is this an area I should leave to the professionals? I've worked with ABS
> piping before and it isn't rocket science. I also have quite a bit of
> experience in electronics so the monitoring upgrade doesn't scare me either.
>
> We'll be pretty much duplicating the existing system. One of the guys is
> trying to talk me into a macerator and electric valves. I think the
> electric valves are a bit much.
>
> Are there any pitfalls or surprises that I should be aware of BEFORE I
> start this adventure (yeh, I'll flush out the tanks a couple of times more).
> --
> "Vahalla" - 1978 GMC Royale (Rear Twin)
> "Walküre" - 1974 VW Thing
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
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| Re: [GMCnet] Prepping to do the dirty deed. [message #224603 is a reply to message #224601] |
Sat, 05 October 2013 00:43 |
George Beckman
Messages: 1085
Registered: October 2008
Location: Colfax, CA
Karma: 11
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Senior Member |
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G| James Hupy wrote on Fri, 04 October 2013 21:47 |
Mascerator, yes. Electric slide valves, maybe not. My opinion, others may
vary.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Or
78 Gmc Royale 403
On Oct 4, 2013 9:43 PM, "Richard Andis" <randis2@elp.rr.com> wrote:
.
>
> We'll be pretty much duplicating the existing system. One of the guys is
> trying to talk me into a macerator and electric valves. I think the
> electric valves are a bit much.
>
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I agree with Jim on the Macerator. Best thing you will ever do. You can empty a tank in a couple of minutes and never touch anything yucky.. Massaging "blackwater" down an accordion pipe is an idea I will never understand. Besides our coaches are pretty low. (no dental floss down the drain after you install a macerator!)
'74 Eleganza, SE, Howell + EBL
Best Wishes,
George
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| Re: [GMCnet] Prepping to do the dirty deed. [message #224606 is a reply to message #224599] |
Sat, 05 October 2013 06:24 |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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Richard,
I think your materials estimate may even be a little high, even including
macerator(s). I certainly would not bother with the expense, complication,
and possible unreliability of electric valves.
Since you have both gray and black water tanks, you may find the plumbing
arrangement easier if you use a separate macerator for each tank. I
originally had only one, but found that I could simplify and improve
dumping by that change. Both of mine are tee'd into a single drain hose so
I can still clear it with gray water after the black water dump. For
periodic cleaning of the black tank, I included a home-made flusher which
directs multiple streams of water from the top front of the black water
tank toward the tank outlet. A quick disconnect on the rear crossmember
makes connection of a water hose quick and easy.
Because the tanks empty so much better with the rear of the coach lowered,
I added momentary toggle switches at the rear (behind the license plate)
which open the suspension dump valves. After I'm done, I have another
momentary switch, connected to an independent compressor, which feeds, via
check valves, directly to the air bags, allowing me to quickly restore the
height of the rear.
With all that located right together at the rear, dumping is a quick,
clean, almost automated, operation.
Ken H.
Americus, GA
'76 X-Birchaven w/Cad500/Howell EFI & EBL
www.gmcwipersetc.com
On Sat, Oct 5, 2013 at 12:42 AM, Richard Andis <randis2@elp.rr.com> wrote:
>
>
> So I have convinced myself that it has come the the to accept the
> inevitable and replace both the black and grey water tanks along with all
> the associated leaking valves and fittings. Will also replace the tank
> monitoring system with something more reliable.
>
> Last week I filled, flushed, and drained all the tanks till only clear
> water was flowing. Used a power wand down the toilet to fill it full. Grey
> water valve is missing it's handle and looks like the PO simply sealed the
> rod hole and left it permanently open. Black tank leaks around the outlet
> from damage when the PO high centered the coach. Various other leaks are
> coming from the top of the tank.
>
> Called an RV repair and their estimate started somewhere around $2000 to
> replace the two dirty tanks, valves, connectors, all the associated piping,
> and install a monitor system (SeeLevel II 709-PH).
>
> A couple of local GMCers have offered their assistance and skill in an
> offer to assist me in replacing the tanks ourselves. We may have the
> availability of a pit. I figure the material cost of the tanks, valves,
> connectors, and piping to be around $1000 (plus some steak dinners).
>
> Is this an area I should leave to the professionals? I've worked with ABS
> piping before and it isn't rocket science. I also have quite a bit of
> experience in electronics so the monitoring upgrade doesn't scare me either.
>
> We'll be pretty much duplicating the existing system. One of the guys is
> trying to talk me into a macerator and electric valves. I think the
> electric valves are a bit much.
>
> Are there any pitfalls or surprises that I should be aware of BEFORE I
> start this adventure (yeh, I'll flush out the tanks a couple of times more).
> --
> "Vahalla" - 1978 GMC Royale (Rear Twin)
> "Walküre" - 1974 VW Thing
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
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| Re: Prepping to do the dirty deed. [message #224614 is a reply to message #224599] |
Sat, 05 October 2013 07:57 |
Larry
Messages: 2875
Registered: January 2004
Location: Menomonie, WI
Karma: 10
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Senior Member |
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Unless your tanks are cracked open in several places (as mine were) I would think you could take things apart and repair them, There has to be something out there that you could use to "glue" the thing back together. When I did mine about 8 yrs ago, I completely eliminated the 3" manual dump system hooked the two tanks together and went to macerator only. Placed a gate valve between the macerator and the tank in case I needed to do repair work on the macerator. Had to do that once, and turned out to be a simple hose clamp problem,,,not a faulty macerator. FWIW, Here is what I did. see this pic and others in that album.
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/macerator-install/p6697.html
Larry 
78 Royale w/500 Caddy
Menomonie, WI.
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