60's dump valve upgrade

[Safari Tim]

My 1960 Ambassador has a rubber tube hanging out the bottom of the trailer where their should be a connection for a sewer hose.

It looks like the piping is two inches. I'd like to update it to a modern Valterra setup, but don't quite know where to start. I'm not sure the tank is ok but visual inspection that I can get to from the top and bottom it looks ok.

Here is a couple of photos.

[Shacksman]

Tim, here's the tank out of mine. Believe it or not it has an overflow pipe in case it fill up. Different times I guess. It's made of fiberglass and I'm going to just cut out the old drain and glass in a modern replacement. I'll cover over the overfow and add a vent pipe.

[markdoane]

I think I agree with Doug about glassing in a modern 3" nipple. Here is a picture of the inside of mine, where you can see a bunch of radial cracks around the original 2" brass fitting.

Click on the photo to view full size.

[overlander63]

Tim, I made the same upgrade. PM me, and I will be happy to let you know what I used, where I got it, and even how much it cost. Here is a picture of the almost finished product:

[bhayden]

I wonder if the overflow could be used responsibly. I'm assuming that it "drains" near the top level of the tank where (hopefully) we're taking about fluid. If the overflow goes into the gray water tank is there going to be an odor issue with it coming up through the shower drain? I'm thinking normally you dump the gray water and black water tanks down the same drain anyway. Granted you have contaminated the grey water tank and it would have to be disinfected before you would consider dumping it anywhere other than a site OK for the black water. You'd also want to make sure there was no way for solids to end up in the gray water tank so a screen would need to be installed.

I guess the only advantage is slightly increase black water capacity. I suspect most people fill the gray water before the black water tank. It would be handy to be able to do the opposite (divert gray water into the black water tank except the black water is higher that the gray tank in our Argosy). But there may be places that you can find a spot to drain gray water but wouldn't want to dump the black water tank.

-Bernie

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by bhayden

I wonder if the overflow could be used responsibly. I'm assuming that it "drains" near the top level of the tank where (hopefully) we're taking about fluid. If the overflow goes into the gray water tank is there going to be an odor issue with it coming up through the shower drain? I'm thinking normally you dump the gray water and black water tanks down the same drain anyway. Granted you have contaminated the grey water tank and it would have to be disinfected before you would consider dumping it anywhere other than a site OK for the black water. You'd also want to make sure there was no way for solids to end up in the gray water tank so a screen would need to be installed.

I guess the only advantage is slightly increase black water capacity. I suspect most people fill the gray water before the black water tank. It would be handy to be able to do the opposite (divert gray water into the black water tank except the black water is higher that the gray tank in our Argosy). But there may be places that you can find a spot to drain gray water but wouldn't want to dump the black water tank.

-Bernie

Bernie, I have done this with our Overlander. The kitchen sink now drains into the black tank. The only thing that we have to put in the blue tank is the shower water, and water from the bathroom sink. Here is a photo of the kitchen sink diversion pipe:

[Safari Tim]

Really? An overflow. Yuck! I'd assume it was a vent.

Can you guys explain the glassing process a little to add the 3" nipple?

Has anyone actually done it yet?

-Tim

Originally Posted by Shacksman

Tim, here's the tank out of mine. Believe it or not it has an overflow pipe in case it fill up. Different times I guess. It's made of fiberglass and I'm going to just cut out the old drain and glass in a modern replacement. I'll cover over the overfow and add a vent pipe.

[scottanlily]

Hello Safari Tim ,

My 60 trdwnd has the same thing exactly .I actually rebuilt the brass valve
shaft assembly ,with new packing/o rings .No leaks .I replace the 2" corroded
pipe section with a brass replacement with new drain hose 1" connectors
made of copper . Works like original and I used a rubber sewer adapter from a plumbing store ,then installed the thetford fitting into the rubber adapter .On end is smooth so it goes right in to the rubber adapter ,the other end now accepts standard sewer connections ,and termination caps ,elbows and
hoses .Now if I had my black tank out for floor repair ,(didn't need any)
I would update probably .That brass gate valve is available at home depot
and other plumbing stores .Turns out it is a common part .Ive seen them in person so Im sure about them .Any way I have to turn the valve on the shaft
and so on ,but it no bother .I don't have any plumbing pipes and sewer fittings hanging down under the trailer either .I remove the rubber adapter/
thetford fitting and stow it ,then put on a 2" rubber cap ,also available easily from a plumbing outlet .Its old school but I am vintage oriented so It works for us pretty well. I thought inland Andy had a glass in replacement for these old tanks ,involves cutting off old fitting etc. I would check with him for all new updating of your system.

Good luck there

Scott

[Shacksman]

[quote=bhayden]I wonder if the overflow could be used responsibly. I'm assuming that it "drains" near the top level of the tank where (hopefully) we're taking about fluid. If the overflow goes into the gray water tank is there going to be an odor issue with it coming up through the shower drain?


The overflow on this tank is a pipe that picks up water from the top of the tank and drops it directly outside on the ground. the picture showes the bottom of the tank. The big pipe is the drain and the smaller pipe is the overflow. It has been caped off long ago. Imagine camping beside this one.

[markdoane]

Originally Posted by Safari Tim

Can you guys explain the glassing process a little to add the 3" nipple?
-Tim

There are lots of ways to do it, depending on how fancy you want to be.

First, decide how you want the valves, elbows, and other accoutrement to be arranged. You can get flange fittings from Valterra. http://www.valterra.com/RV/rv-main.htm

You can glue the flange fittings to the tank with epoxy fiberglass, using this product from any RV store: http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/c...repair-kit.htm

Be sure you provide plenty of support for the valve.

Another option, one that I use, is to glass in, using epoxy and roving, an aluminum flange that matches the flange fitting sold by Valterra. Then I bolt the plastic flange to the glassed-in aluminum flange, with a gasket to seal between the faces.

I can easily replace the plastic part if it breaks, or gets scrubbed off by a curb.