Electric waste tank valves

[Creek Jenkins]

Just picked up our new (2024) 310rl. Not our first camper but first with electric valves. Dealer instructions a bit abbreviated and I didn’t think to ask about the valve controls. Why are there three positions? Owner’s manual is pretty useless - out of date and not model specific.
Cheers,
Creek

 

[BryanValRox]

Just picked up our new (2024) 310rl. Not our first camper but first with electric valves. Dealer instructions a bit abbreviated and I didn’t think to ask about the valve controls. Why are there three positions? Owner’s manual is pretty useless - out of date and not model specific.
Cheers,
Creek

What do you mean by 3 positions? Open, close and ???
Are they Valterra Valves?
They have open and close on the main switch and a what appears to be a resettable breaker below the main switch.
Any pictures?

 

[2 Allies]

We have the electric valves on our '24 385FL. There are 3 positions on the switch, the middle position is idle(no contacts). Mine rocks to the bottom to open and to the top to close. I will have to investigate whether it should be placed in idle when not operating as there were no instructions.

Hope this helps

 

[2 Allies]

Bryan,

They are LaSalle Bristol Motodrain valves.

Regards

 

[BryanValRox]

Bryan,

They are LaSalle Bristol Motodrain valves.

Regards

Bruce, thank you for letting me know who the manufacturer is on this valves.

 

[2 Allies]

Creek Jenkins,

Please se answer from Alliance Servce below:


"Thank you for reaching out. I have received your request information regarding proper use of the 3-way switch for the Motordrain waste valve system. If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact us. Have a great day and happy camping!



To open the valve: press switch to up position

Once the valve is open, put the switch in the middle position

To close the valve: press switch to down position

Once the valve is closed, put the switch in the middle position"

Hope this helps,

 

[Creek Jenkins]

Thanks! I didn’t realize they changed suppliers. All I got on the valves was the installation manual and I couldn’t find anything in it about operation. Not labeled on the switch either. Dealer never mentioned it, just a vague wave and “there are the waste tank valves”.

I wonder what happens if you leave it in the closed or open position? Solenoid constantly energized? Must not be good if they have a neutral.

I’m all set now thanks to you guys, I appreciate it!
Cheers,
Creek

 

[justdee]

I will have to try the middle position. My black water tank 'leaks' to the main drain. I put on a clear extension with manual gate valve. My tank was empty, or so I thought, this morning when we left on this trip and the main tube was free of any liquid, clear or dirty. I stopped 30 minutes down the road and did a walk around and noticed that there was now dirty water in the line at the dump valve. This is not the first time this has happened. I assumed it was due to something blocking the electric valve as it closed? I will start putting them in the middle position and see if that prevents it.

 

[KCAlis]

I will have to try the middle position. My black water tank 'leaks' to the main drain. I put on a clear extension with manual gate valve. My tank was empty, or so I thought, this morning when we left on this trip and the main tube was free of any liquid, clear or dirty. I stopped 30 minutes down the road and did a walk around and noticed that there was now dirty water in the line at the dump valve. This is not the first time this has happened. I assumed it was due to something blocking the electric valve as it closed? I will start putting them in the middle position and see if that prevents it.

This is the first I heard the requirement to leave the rocker in the middle position. I have an open order with Alliance Customer Service but am making no progress. They informed me a "cup or two" of "residual" liquid is normal. Not with my previous trailer that had manually operated valves!

My backstory: First trip home from dealership and liquid drained from dump connection when the cap was removed. I shrugged it off as a fluke. Another return from the dealership after warranty work. Again liquid behind the cap, only more this time. I have had this experience each time I pull on site and hook up the slinky. There is no way to open the cap without liquid spilling even though I connect to the shore drain and hold the hose under the trailer dump when I turn the cap.

We do not put TP down the toilet nor anything else we don't eat so unlikely to be gate valve blockage. Sometimes the drain fluid appears to be gray water. Again, we are careful to not put even coffee grounds down the sink drain. The trailer has been level and all flow has stopped each time I have drained in preparation for moving.

I'm afraid I'm going to have to add a gate valve at the drain if it's just "residual". Which begs the question of why the piping is holding "residual" fluid. We know "it" doesn't flow uphill. Or is the valve out of adjustment? It appears from the installation manual that there may be a stop setting on the actuator. Is anyone doing QC on this new product or just installing as it comes from the supplier?

I hope this can be solved as I really dislike having spillage on both me and the site pad.

 

[Todd F]

This is the first I heard the requirement to leave the rocker in the middle position. I have an open order with Alliance Customer Service but am making no progress. They informed me a "cup or two" of "residual" liquid is normal. Not with my previous trailer that had manually operated valves!

My backstory: First trip home from dealership and liquid drained from dump connection when the cap was removed. I shrugged it off as a fluke. Another return from the dealership after warranty work. Again liquid behind the cap, only more this time. I have had this experience each time I pull on site and hook up the slinky. There is no way to open the cap without liquid spilling even though I connect to the shore drain and hold the hose under the trailer dump when I turn the cap.

We do not put TP down the toilet nor anything else we don't eat so unlikely to be gate valve blockage. Sometimes the drain fluid appears to be gray water. Again, we are careful to not put even coffee grounds down the sink drain. The trailer has been level and all flow has stopped each time I have drained in preparation for moving.

I'm afraid I'm going to have to add a gate valve at the drain if it's just "residual". Which begs the question of why the piping is holding "residual" fluid. We know "it" doesn't flow uphill. Or is the valve out of adjustment? It appears from the installation manual that there may be a stop setting on the actuator. Is anyone doing QC on this new product or just installing as it comes from the supplier?

I hope this can be solved as I really dislike having spillage on both me and the site pad.

It is quite common for there to be residual leakage from either the gray or the black or both. Everyone usually puts a Valterra valve on the end to keep the spillage from hitting the ground or anywhere else and move on with life. If you follow any YouTube or Instagram Rvers, a Valterra valve is usually one of the top ten things to have when rving.

 

[2 Allies]

I agree with Todd, we have a 24 385fl and added the Valterra day one as we did with our previous TT with manual valves. You never know when a valve may leak and the Valterra will give you piece of mind. One day I was leaning into the wet bay pass thru and unknowingly leaned on our electric valve switch, sure glad we had the Valterra because there was more than just a little residual, just saying.
Hope this helps,

 

[Bozo]

Residual maybe normal for alliance but that was certainly not the case with any of my former rigs, the one before this one, I should have kept it but sometimes we got to learn the hard way. Anyhow, put the manual valve on the end, because it is the alliance way.

 

[SKYSKIOC]

can we get a link to the valterra valve so i can purchase one? we have a32RLS and would like to install one at the end of the drain so we don't have any accidents 💩. thanks

 

[Todd F]

can we get a link to the valterra valve so i can purchase one? we have a32RLS and would like to install one at the end of the drain so we don't have any accidents 💩. thanks

Valterra T58 twist on valvehttps://a.co/d/51BxwoN

 

[2 Allies]

https://www.amazon.com/Valterra-T58-Twist-On-Waste-Valve/

 

[SKYSKIOC]

thanks. i just ordered one of them. thanks again

 

[BryanValRox]

https://www.amazon.com/Valterra-T58-Twist-On-Waste-Valve/

We installed a gate as well, not because of any leakage, just as a precaution against it. We took a slight different approach.
I didn’t want to add any additional length that would stick out any further from under the coach. So the way our was originally terminated, I was able to cut off the twist fitting and still have enough pipe to use a glue in place model.
I also added a clear cap, that is equipped with a hose nipple. This gives me visibility and the ability to drain anything
that may have leaked by. My gates don’t leak, so I have never had to use it, but I like the piece of mind knowing I have no surprises waiting for me when I remove the cap.

 

[Lantley]

Yes a gate valve is a better solution vs. a sewer cap. Some residual water is fairly common, A simple twist on gate valve solves residual water issues.
Some sort of clear pipe is also amust have to actually see what going on.
I use a "Flush King" it allows me to see what's coming out and backflush my tanks as required. I believe the Flusk King is more effective than the built in tank rinsers which are basically another one of those feel good RV inventions, intended to give peace of mind, but are a waste of time and effort.

 

[KCAlis]

We moved today. After dumping all 3 tanks to just a trickle, I returned each to the off position, waiting for the light to go out, then left them in the middle/unpowered position.

The result? The most liquid behind the dump cap I’ve ever had. I really dislike gray/black effluent on me and the site pad!

Seems like the extra gate valve is going to be the solution. This seems to be an easy fix that Alliance would offer to anyone with too much “residual” fluid. Wouldn’t even require dealership or mobile tech involvement.

 

[Oregon_Camper]

We installed a gate as well, not because of any leakage, just as a precaution against it. We took a slight different approach.
I didn’t want to add any additional length that would stick out any further from under the coach. So the way our was originally terminated, I was able to cut off the twist fitting and still have enough pipe to use a glue in place model.
I also added a clear cap, that is equipped with a hose nipple. This gives me visibility and the ability to drain anything
that may have leaked by. My gates don’t leak, so I have never had to use it, but I like the piece of mind knowing I have no surprises waiting for me when I remove the cap.

Are you saying you still have leaking beyond the Valterra valve? I think the MOST I have ever seen past the Valterra (when removing the outter cap) is 1/2 a thimble of liquid. Our Valterra valve is a ROCK STAR!!