Black water Drain

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Our 1988 Casita has major issues with ground clearance (DUH!), and I've replaced various drain parts over the years as they have been damaged, usually while backing into our driveway:steer.
This time the drain for the black water tank got kinked enough to fracture the bottom of the tank:bh.
<img src=http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/uploads/3f3055924e309Casita blackwater drain for posting 2.jpg/> <img src=http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/uploads/3f3055a9e30dfCasita blackwater drain for posting 1.jpg/> <img src=http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/uploads/3f3055bc07542Casita blackwater drain for posting 3.jpg/>
Has anyone found (or made) a drain fitting and valve that is more compact, or telescopes, or swings up so that it is further from the ground and protected by the trailer frame? If I can't find a satisfactory permanent solution, I may give up and install a Porta-Potti instead of replacing the tank.
Any ideas?:chin
Dale:drums

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A couple of ideas...
make some skids out of metal tubing with a chamfer in front that would bolt to the crossbar in front and attach to several cross members going back ...
a couple of those metal rollers that are used to protect hitches that drag bolted/welded to each corner where the tongue meets the frame.
Use a close nipple instead of the threaded PVC coupling to attach the drain to the bottom of the tank and run the release handle towards the back. (It won't fit out the front if it is up a couple of inches)
I lost my plumbing in Mitchell S.D. and am still puzzling with a fix.
The egg remains behind the garage with it's nose in the air awaiting a solution.
Maybe some of the moe experienced members have a "mod" that works.

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Sam, do you also have a picture? nothing works better with getting people to help then a picture of a forlorn trailer in need of repair. :) Suz just worked on hers, but I think it was the gray, not the black though.

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It won't fit out the front if it is up a couple of inches

My '89 isn't at hand at the moment or I would take a picture of it.

I'm not absolutely certain that mine is higher than yours, but I believe that it is. The release handle is located in the front. It travels in between the frame and the angle iron and stops just inside the tongue. Does that makes sense?

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It appears to me that yours was made that long so that it would clear the side frame. You could easily shorten it and give yourself a couple more inches clearance. Using your picture, I drew an arrow showing the area where my release handle goes through toward the front.

<img src=http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/uploads/3f310326ea67088plumbing.jpg/>

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Hi Suz,
That might be the best solution. There's a plywood platform in the way (where the former owner mounted the generator), but since we're not using a generator, I can remove all or part of the platform.
I'm also checking out another option--somewhere I saw a valve with a knob that turns instead of the pull handles. Not sure if it would save space or not.
On a related topic, were you the one who installed a rubber trap on your grey water drain? If so, where did you obtain it? Thanks again for your help.
Dale:drums

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Not sure if it's worth the trouble or not, but you can get a 12 volt electric drain valve, then you don't have to reach underneath, just push the button

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Joe:

So ya just push the button, but ya don't reach under there and connect the sewer hose...........ech! :)

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My guess is you wait until you're going down the road, then push the button.....

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Orginally posted by Patricia Baxter

Hi Suz,
On a related topic, were you the one who installed a rubber trap on your grey water drain? If so, where did you obtain it? Thanks again for your help.
Dale:drums

I'm not sure if I'm the one you're refering to, but I did do a number on my 'J' trap under my shower very recently, so I had to replumb everything from the shower to the vent pipe (closet). I originally got one of those gray floppy 'J' traps (you can get them at Home Depot), however, I removed that. Reason is, it was so thin that I felt a good rock or two, or a close call, and it would rip right open. I did use some of those black heavy rubber couplers instead of gluing it back together in hopes that it would give me more flexibility. I am still looking for the heavy black rubber 'J'.

Another warning about those gray floppies: They are made and measured for inside plumbing. They may say you can trim it to fit on 1 1/2, but the OD on the black pipe is too large for it. If you have the 1 1/4'' black PVC, it might work on that. Most of the black PVC under my tariler is 1 1/2 OD. It can be done, though. I just wasn't happy with the results, so I went back to the old way with a few modifications.

It's good. It works. It's sturdy. I've used it and it tested fine. However, I'm still working on improving it.

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by PineconeDon
So ya just push the button, but ya don't reach under there and connect the sewer hose...........ech!

Orginally posted by pjanits
My guess is you wait until you're going down the road, then push the button.....

You two. :lol too funny. but I know neither one of you would really do that. :wak

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Allright, allright, I guess that unless you dump in an open pit, you still need to connect a hose, but it might give you the clearance you need.

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you can do what I did: Raise it two inches, knock off the plumbing, then go back and have it raised two more inches. :o

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A SeaLand parts distributor quoted me a price on a replacement holding tank:

:o $281.00!:weep

So, I says to myself, I says, "Dale," I says, "maybe Casita gets a price break on these things." So I talked to Jay at Casita and found out that the holding tank is now incorporated into the bathroom floor--cost: $305.00.

Cost of a Porta-Potti: $85.00 to $200.00.
Cost of fiberglass to repair old tank (if possible): $10.00.

Who'd have thought there would be this much entertainment value in fixing a drain?
Dale:drums

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There are a number of manufacturers on the net who make tanks, just do a search for holding or black tank, there is also the option of a place like Arizona RV Salvage?

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Thanks for the info about online & salvage......Dale hadn't thought of that, and I've been pushing for a porta-potty as I'm tired of all his whining about drains........Oh well, every King deserves his own throne!