Dump Valve Lube - RV-Dreams Community Forum

RickandJanice · RV-Dreams Family Member

Dump Valve Lube

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

RickandJanice wrote:
Just wanted to share this tip again in case some have not tried this. As part of our winterizing process, I decided to pour vegetable oil into the gray and black water tanks and work the dump valves to lubricate them. Have done this before but had been a little over a year. I had forgotten what a difference this makes, valves work better than new! Decided to leave just a little in the tanks to sit against the valves through the winter to keep them from drying out instead of antifreeze.

That’s at least a 40+ year old trick and a great one to suggest to those who haven’t thought of it. You can do this during the year as well. Just do it right after dumping the tanks so it can get to the valves and not be to diluted.

Safe travels

Bill

GENECOP · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks R and J, I will give it a try......G

RVRon · RV-Dreams Family Member

We've been camping a long time and in several different kinds of camping units having dump valves but have never heard this tip before! Living in Florida we don't put the RV into storage but I'll bet it would help if it sits for a month or so too. Gonna give it a try... thanks for the tip!

Cindy T · RV-Dreams Family Member

Our dump valves are quite stiff. How much veg oil do you pour in?

Cindy T

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

Cindy T wrote:
Our dump valves are quite stiff. How much veg oil do you pour in?
Cindy T

Oh gee, maybe a cup. You just need enough to get it to the valve and it gets diluted even when the tank is “empty,” which the almost never really are.

Some do it 3-4 times a year when the rig is in service as well. This is one of those old RVers tricks that gets you into hour long discussions as to what is best. But the goal is just to keep the valve and gasket lubricated a bit. Eventually some will need to be replaced when they start leaking.

I don’t know if this will cure your problem but it won’t hurt.

That’s my 2 cents.

Bill

Yonnie · RV-Dreams Family Member

Excellent. Will do it next time out.

RickandJanice · RV-Dreams Family Member

Cindy T wrote:
Our dump valves are quite stiff. How much veg oil do you pour in?
Cindy T

For the gray, took the trap loose under the bathroom sink, emptied out the water, reconnected it and poured the vegetable oil down it. Then when done with gray valve, removed oil from trap and used it down the toilet for the black tank valve. For the black tank, just pour down the toilet. After getting the oil in the tanks, work the valves open an closed several times to work the oil into the gate seals until they slide easily. On ours, it took putting about 1/2 gallon of oil in each tank and running it through twice to get them loosened up real good. Did the gray first and then reused it for the black tank and then used fresh oil the second time through for the black. One gallon of cheap vegetable oil (fry oil) at GFS is about $4.50.

Lucky Mike · RV-Dreams Family Member

Bottle of Baby oil (mineral oil) is what I use.......pour 1/2 cup or so in the tank and wipe the pull rod outside with it......also real good for wiping and lubricating leveler shafts after every use to get the dirt off ,keep from corrosion and protect the seals!!!.....(also mineral oil does not congeal in cold weather)

cheap ire dressing and doesnt hurt the rubber is to wipe them with dish-soap after cleaning.....looks nice and makes tire self cleaning during rain storms!!!!!.............LOL!!!

-- Edited by Lucky Mike on Monday 17th of June 2013 03:50:42 PM

-- Edited by Lucky Mike on Monday 17th of June 2013 03:52:04 PM

NWescapee · RV-Dreams Family Member

I know this is an old post, but just wanted to say a big THANKS to this forum. It took 1.5 gallons of vegetable oil, but we finally have the valves where both of us can push/pull them without a huge effort. This is our first rig with the cable pull valve arrangement so this was a new learning for us.

WestWardHo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Love the info we learn on here!! It may be a 40 year old trick but new to us!

Sherry

HighwayRanger · RV-Dreams Family Member

My valves are due for a little lube too. I wonder if I can use 303 Aerospace Protectant liquid down the tanks as well. It is the most popular high-quality rubber protectant, so it should function in a similar way to the cooking oil/baby oil. Only downside is that the 303 is more expensive than either of the others.

Any thoughts?

Roy

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Roy,

I couldn't find much information at the company's website, especially with regards to its chemical make-up. I'm concerned that they spoke of UV protection, but not lubrication. I would think that those were two different characteristics to take into consideration.

But then, I'm not a chemical engineer either. Maybe others will chime in soon.

Terry

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

303 is for UV protection, not lubrication, so it doesn't seem a good fit to lubricate where the sun doesn't shine. As you said, it is expensive, so why not use vegetable oil?

FrazieRVing2 · RV-Dreams Community Member

I'm refreshing this post ~ first time I've seen it and at the most appropriate time. My husband and I are full time RVers but plan to store our home for a couple months this summer. Larry had me search for a lubricant for the gray/black water valves and so glad I found this information. Vegetable oil makes good sense ~ economical too. Thanks much, Rick and Janice.