Gray-dump handle Q

[Andy Illes]

Hi all...

Has anyone rigged an extension for the gray-water handle so you don't have to get on your knees, bruise a knuckle and use foul language to work the stupid thing? I emailed Dupree this morning and got a reply from Randy already... he doesn't make/have one.  Gonna post in tech too.

Thanx... Andy

[Horst]

I've seen them, but they looka bit flimsy.

Just do pull-ups thre times a week, and in a month you'll open that grey water valve with no problem......
heh heh

Horst (who struggles with his too - but greasing the shaft regularly helps quite a bit)

[susan-y]

Andy, Just had mine into the shop.  They said they really couldn't see a way to replumb or make an extension.  If they did angle and extend the new handle it would of been quite low to the ground.  Not a good thing.

[Andy Illes]

Thanx Horst and SY/KJ... so I guess it comes down to moving somewhere it's legal to own really powerful little midget slaves, huh?

I just put these in last spring, and Randy (Dupree - the mfg) sez to pull the paddles every year and spray or grease 'em with silicone - not any petroleum-based stuff.  I do have to say they were effortless when new (and factory-smeared with silicone), so I guess that's what I do... but I'd still rather not have to reach way under there.  Oh well.  Btw... new ones were really cheap... about $30 for the pair, if I remember correctly, and it's a no brainer... 2 screws on each and they pull right out (just don't lose a screw in the grass like I did... it's an oddball thread).

I saw a post on the Woodall's site about some stuff you just dump into the holding tanks to lube the paddle seals and asked Randy.  He hadn't heard of it and said it sounded like snake oil to him.   Hmmmm... know what?  Think I'll log into woodalls (they have great forums) and see if I can find it.  I'll post what I find back here.

Thanx again y'all... Andy

[Conrad]

I recall that the club had an alternate configuration for the waste lines.  Seems like I remember that on could buy the whole shebang for around $60.  I need to dig through my old club info, stuff I got before this website was created.  The config moved the handles closer to the side of the coach.  I don't know how it did it but it seemed like a better setup than the original.

Any one else remember something similar?

[bigray]

I saw somewhere that you could get the electronic ones for 90 buck a piece. While that works for some people, I don't dislike getting on my knees that bad.

I'm connected right now at a local state park. We had to come home to attend a party for my niece and one for my son's classmate. Back to back parties and then we are heading back to the park with my wife and two kids. Good thing the park is only 30 minutes away.

I said that to say this. I ain't looking forward to emptying the tanks when we return home on Sunday.

Did I mention that I love my Clipper!

I hope everyone is having a great weekend.

[Andy Illes]

Thanx Conrad, I'd really appreciate that... I sure haven't been able to find anything other than air or electric valves.  Air ones are out since I don't have air bags/compressor, and I've not heard good things about electric ones.

Where are ya, Ray?  Maybe the reason you don't mind is you only do it occasionally.  Don't forget, I'm fulltiming at the moment... with a leaky vacuum break in the new potty, at that, and I keep forgetting to turn the pump off.

[lmgoodwin]

Of all the good things the Clippers had for their time. Putting the dump valve two feet under the coach wasn't one of them.

I don't mind getting down there to pull the valve. Getting back up is the problem.

I saw electric valves at Camping world the other day. Also there was a member who posted a note that he had changed his to electric. This was some time go.

Len

[Andy Illes]

Hiyya Len.   So you're getting creaky like me too, huh?   LOL

All I can figure is Irv Perch must have really, REALLY long arms.

I've asked around about the electric valves, a lotta RVs have 'em, and nearly everyone that uses theirs a lot and have ones over about a year old have had troubles with crud getting into the selenoids.

I can get mine open... given enough grunting and the right "words"... but can NOT close the inner one without pulling away, sitting down and using a foot.  I'm pulling the paddles and lubing 'em tomorrow, but geeze.

Andy

[bigray]

I just got back from my trip and dumping the value wasn't too bad.

Andy, I forgot that you were fulltiming in your Clipper. I guess that would be a pain if I had to do it that often. Mine wasn't that bad; however, I did have to sit flat on my butt to dump the gray water. To close it I had to push it back and forth a little. All along the way, I praying that nothing was stuck in there. Then I thought to myself there nothing that could be in the gray water. Duhhhhhhhh!

[Andy Illes]

Geeze.... talk about timing.   I decided I'd pull the paddles and lube 'em today, so I pulled up to the dump station and could NOT get the gray one open.... kept tugging, and WHAM..... the whole damned thing pulled out... screws and all   :shock: Thank God I'd just dumped Friday, so there wasn't much in the black tank, cuz it backflowed some.... yeccchhhh!!!!

Turns out the bind was in the shafts, not the seals like I thought.  Cleaned the shafts, silicone-greased 'em... cleaned everything else up, also silicone greased, and now I have easy-opening valves again....  :lol:

[Robert P. Anderson]

The new kit the club sells is the best thing since Carted invented little liver pills.
The kit has all the pipe, fittings, new style valves, and glue.
The new style valves are about 1/3 the price of the ones that came with the our Cli[ppers. They are like the ones all new RV come with.
Both valves are rearanged so you can get to them very easily. ( out front )
The valves both work with about 1/2 the effort of the old ones. The price is about the cost of repair parts for the old valves.
Everyone is raving about the new setup that have installed them.
The kit is a easy installation

[Andy Illes]

Really??    Why isn't Mel telling us this???   Bad, BAD Mel!!!  Didn't see that in the bulletins..... I wouldda gotten 'em.   As is, with my Dupree (OEM) valves lubed now, they work fine.... no effort at all.... nada.