External Drain Tap for main water tank.

Has anybody experienced this tap breaking in their hand? I have just tried to turn the tap to drain the tank for winter, and the handle snapped off, the plastic being very brittle I guess. I have managed to turn the tap sufficiently with pliers to open and allow water out. Are replacements readily available, and are they easy to fit???

If its like ours its a 5 min Job, its onto ribbed hosing and held on by a jubilee clip and some silicone to help seal the joint. When replacing it keep the outlet angled slightly towards the rear of the van as it stops dirt getting fired up into it from the wheels.


ours is like this

http://www.motorhome-accessories.com/water/fresh-water/fresh-water-tank-tap/


.

Quick answer Geoff - yes, got mine from Spinney they had them in stock, Marquis at Preston dont have a shop/spares dept.

We were on our way on a trip otherwise I think I may have got one of the CAK Valves I fitted to the Executive and other vans as they are more substantial and being straight
through empty quicker. Its a grey body with a red handle and they do it in 2 sizes

roli wrote:
We were on our way on a trip otherwise I think I may have got one of the CAK Valves I fitted to the Executive and other vans as they are more substantial and being straight
through empty quicker. Its a grey body with a red handle and they do it in 2 sizes

Have you a link for where you would get those Roli as the standard ones are very prone to leaking with regular draining use. wee bits of grit slip up inside and score the soft platic seat and they start dripping. The one we have on the van at the moment has a inner piece half way across the outlet just up a bit which does help. The last one was totally open from the valve itself and lasted no time.

Hi Geoff,
Common problem, i replaced mine with a tap from a home brew stall, they are more exspensive than the flag type, its more of a knob so wont snap more solid affair, cost £4.50.
Pete

I removed the stupid beer taps and put two of these on, I used the original adaptor that the beer tap screws into to connect the gas tap to the tank hose, they have the same thread.

The one Pug boxter illustrates would be a better bet being durable and also matching the waste valve but have a look at:

http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1w86o/2012CAKTanksCatalogu/resources/index.htm?referrerUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.caktanks.com%2FCAK_Water_Tanks_Accessories.htm

Its they grey valve with the red handle, very durable and I have fitted to quite a few vans on both tanks

Hi All,
One trouble with the CAK plastic taps is that if they freeze up the tap lever will break off, I think they go brittle in cold weather the metal one should bend first which means it can be bent back again though I carry a hot air gun with me in the winter so that as long as electric is available I can defrost things.

Brian2

I replaced mine with this one..

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/280978211148?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

On the Symphony it's the waste drain as the fresh drain tap is on the tank itself but if both your fresh and waste are on the end of a hose then this type will do either.

Pug boxter wrote:I removed the stupid beer taps and put two of these on, I used the original adaptor that the beer tap screws into to connect the gas tap to the tank hose, they have the same thread.

Same taps used here Pug Boxter..... Would never have any other kind of tap fitted after using this type and they should be fitted as standard. With regards the CAK taps I personally don't recommend them as we had one fitted by Spinney motorhomes and it was total rubbish, way too stiff and just as likely to break as the daft water butt type taps fitted as standard.

Anyone requiring these full flow type taps might be interested to know that forum member Dago can supply these to members so give him a shout, (think the price was around a fiver including postage?) but couldn't find his post advertising them in the classifieds sometime ago so check with him first.

CC

Those gas taps, with a decent yellow metal handle, look substantial. However, how do you fit them to the hose? Compare them with the tap mentioned by Paulmold above - which has a serrated tapered fitting to push into the hose. I'd be happy to go for the gas tap if only I knew how to connect to the hosepipe. Adivce please!

Cymro wrote:how do you fit them to the hose? Compare them with the tap mentioned by Paulmold above - which has a serrated tapered fitting to push into the hose. I'd be happy to go for the gas tap if only I knew how to connect to the hosepipe. Adivce please!

Hi Cymro... our waste tank was already fitted with one of the lever type taps when we got it and Auto-Sleeper fitted a blue handled one to our fresh water tank on a visit to the service centre while having other work done... So cant advise on the fitting but Pug Boxter suggested it's easy enough

Pug boxter wrote:I used the original adaptor that the beer tap screws into to connect the gas tap to the tank hose, they have the same thread

The blue coloured lever is ideal for fresh water, but is a slightly smaller tap than the one fitted to the waste tank and although it has a smaller bore it is still much more efficient and durable than any previous taps I've used.



CC

Cymro wrote: However, how do you fit them to the hose? I'd be happy to go for the gas tap if only I knew how to connect to the hosepipe. Adivce please!

My van had the little beer taps on, the ones that get sticky then crack. The adapter used to connect those to the hose also fits the gas tap. I removed the adaptor and took it to a local plumbing supplies to make sure I got a valve it would screw into, the adaptor then fits inside the panel, and the gas tap on the outside, the join between the two sandwiches the panel.

I'll get a photo of one on my van tomorrow. The valves cost me about £3.50 ish I think, it was a long time ago though.

The valves above will be 1/2" or 3/4" bsp fitting. 3/4 isnt a small valve and not that light, must admit though ive been tempted to fit these if our current valves give bother either waste or fresh water. One thing to bear in mind with these is that the handle nut is rather prone to becoming loose ( I use these regular with other work) so if you install them a bit of thread lock on the nut wouldnt go amiss.
Our van has seperate water for the loo and the drain is just a rubber bung inside the chemical waste container housing and if just pulled out the water will run down inside the van good thinking by autosleeper there.
I need to get a proper valve installed in there and some tubing so when the clean water needs drained it will all run outside the van

Or something like:

This

Tonyt wrote:Or something like:

This

very discreet

The Tap fitting one looks good, though for the exit to face down it may leave the handle in an aquard place, the normal valve with right angled outlet bend might be handier as the bend can be positioned to face in any direction

Drained down again today, so just thought I'd take a couple of pics of the waste and fresh water taps as fitted on our Nuevo

The Cotswold hasnt got an instep like that on the side panel, the waste comes from under the bottom of the skirt. I like your setup better and thats defo the best valve option for that van, I may of been tempted to have an 90deg eblow on it.

Hi Robbie

We noticed a few Auto Sleeper models at the Willersey service centre earlier this week that had the same cut outs in the skirts yet had no taps fitted within the recesses which just didn't look right at all in my mind... one was a Stanton on the Merc base and the pipes were visible from behind and are fitted behind the recess along the bottom of the skirt, if Auto Sleeper were not using the recess these should have been blanked off with an infill as it just doesn't look right.

No need for an elbow as when we pull over a waste point drain it comes out perfectly and aims straight into the drain albeit with tremendous force

CC

I maybe able to help. See this link from another thread.
https://www.autosleeper-ownersforum.com/t1989-drain-valve-replacements#13868

Whilst I can't advertise on here under my Dago name. I think that my business might be able to help with your valve problems & we also help the coffers of ASOF. (no pressure then )

Seriously, send my firm an email or PM me, if you think we might be able to help?

Peter

I like the better coated handle, better than my flat steel ones that have gone rusty.



Has anyone found a source for the plastic adaptor that is on the van originally, or even a metal version?

Pug boxter wrote:


Has anyone found a source for the plastic adaptor that is on the van originally, or even a metal version?

here's one http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-2-BSP-12MM-O-D-PLASTIC-HOSE-TAIL-/360111396389?pt=UK_Campervan_Caravan_Accessories&hash=item53d84fd625

The hose fittings my company stock, are this grey sort.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-4-BSP-25MM-O-D-BARBED-HOSETAIL-X-1NO-/360361342978?pt=UK_Campervan_Caravan_Accessories&hash=item53e735b802

They are made in Polypropylene so are quite robust for plastic. We can also do them in brass, if you prefer?

All sizes depending upon your hose size.

Dago wrote:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-4-BSP-25MM-O-D-BARBED-HOSETAIL-X-1NO-/360361342978?pt=UK_Campervan_Caravan_Accessories&hash=item53e735b802

They are made in Polypropylene so are quite robust for plastic. We can also do them in brass, if you prefer?

All sizes depending upon your hose size.

£3.75 postage on that one, blimey they must be sending it from Aussie, love the way some sellers on ebay try to rip people on the postage. £1.50 max would cover p&p on that