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Hi all,
trouble with the water tank emptying device? on inspection the problem is historic, as i can see from below some sort of repair has been done, (not very good). I have no other choice but to remove the tank, and effect a proper repair rather than laying on the ground beneath. Was thinking of removing the original device which seems problematic, replace with some sort of tap system beneath, anyone done this, if so please contact me thanks all.
Gone me Pete
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Hi Marley – the problem with the (fresh water) drain valve is historic.
You will need to try to be more specific about what your actual problem/symptom is.
I would suggest that removing the tank should be avoided if possible!!!!
At this stage I am working from memory and have not trawled through the information that is available – Hein Koops was the first person to post on this many years ago.
There was loads of information on the old site on several threads which is lost, but thankfully the outstanding work done by Tom in producing the’Little Exsis Book’ makes much of that information availible…. also Tom himself became an ‘expert’ in that problem as you will no doubt see in the ‘book’.
The valve at the bottom of the tank seems to pick up dirt/ debris from the open drain underneath which can cause the threads to seize (it’s a good idea to use it frequently (open/close)). The dirt can make it stiff to operate from the wheel at the top of the tank and if it is forced may break the spigot on the end of the rod that fits into the slotted top of the valve at the bottom. There is information on how to make this relatively straightforward repair, but does require some DIY skills.
There may be a problem if the valve is forced that potentially the seal between the inner/outer part could be disturbed, but we have not had this reported as an actual occurrence.
If it leaks it may be the ‘O’ ring that is damaged and this can be replaced by using the sequence to effect the repair above……..or I believe someone has discovered that by removing the circlip in the valve from underneath that the valve head can be screwed right through??? – I may be wrong on this.
One van in the early days had a company replace the old brass valve with a plastic one……not sure if this is in the book, but it is risky.
Thankfully and quite by accident, I avoid getting debris on the threads of the valve by my modification to drain the water to the side of the van, whereby I inserted a short piece of blue water pipe into the base of the valve from underneath……but that’s for another day and not material to your immediate problem.
Best wishes and come back with more info for help/ comments.
Fred
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Thanks for that supportive reply, Fred.
I’ve not approached this problem for all the reasons that Fred has given – it’s a s*d of a job! I, too, would be reluctant to remove the tank, because of all the cabinet work removal that may be needed inside. It would certainly be easier to work on if removed, though.
Have a read through Heinz Koop’s write-up on page 260 of The Little Exsis Book. It might give you all the information you need to save having to remove the tank.
Good luck and, as always, let us know how this went for you, please Pete – with photos too, if possible? Thanks.
Barry
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Well done Barry for the reference the ‘book’ is big thing to scroll through.
There is a lot of info there for Marley starting at 262-272 and then 273-275 with photos of the one complete plastic replacement , which I don’t think that I would recommend because as you can see some metal base has to be cut away to gain access and there is always the danger of not sealing it properly.
From pages 276-287, all aspects are covered including Tom’s ultimate and final fix whereby he replaced the complete rod with a new one.
Really not too technical or difficult.
Fred
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Hi all,
i have looked at all the information on the other site, but non refer to the fixing of the female part of the brass gland.
Because the male and female parts of the gland are seized together, i have had to remove them in there entirety, which brings me to the question of apart from the small threaded part in the tank thickness, what tightens the female part in place in the tank or is that it?, as when the male section is unscrewed it will undo the already fixed female part.? Also is there supposed to be a small section of plastic pipe, protruding from the outlet.?
Something which cropped up while i was effecting the tank repair, i noticed 4 self tapping screws protruding from the gas cabinet, on investigation, it was found that the regulator is screwed through the aluminium panel .When the tank is full, it expands slightly, and presses against the 4 screws, not the best arrangement i think you will agree
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Your last paragraph brings up a very interesting point, Pete – screws going through the gas compartment wall, into the water tank… That’s quite alarming. Even if it doesn’t immediately pierce the tank, it could over time and use. Unless there’s something in between? Builders often insert a piece of plywood or similar where tanks sit against a flat surface (to spread the load? Stop rubbing?)T
The problem here is knowing what’s there and if we all have a potential problem, without stripping out the entire wardrobe…
Barry
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Seems that from lack of responses current owners have no experience of this issue and perhaps longstanding members (like Tom) may no longer own an Exsis.
Marley the male part which I take to be the top part of the valve I am assuming is the bit with the slot in the top that the long rod with the spigot in the end that breaks off slots into. It also has an ‘O’ ring at the seating boss – there is a picture showing this part by Tom between pages 267-287. The rod is rotated by the wheel on the top of the tank and this raises and lowers the valve by allowing it to raise / lower in the slot Ie unscrew(open) and screw (close).
A picture of the Female part that you refer to would be useful for future owners because none of us appear to have removed this part or referred to it in any past posts.
I am assuming it is the part that I referred to in my original response that I thought that some one had unscrewed from the bottom after first removing the circlip.
Apart from getting older, at the moment I am unable to crawl under the van and look at the valve because I am first day out of starting to recover from flu.
A picture of what you have removed would help clarify……..
Yes there are screws that fix the regulator in place that protrude through the gas locker wall into the tank area. You can see these from above with a torch.
Only one owner has ever reported that it has caused a leak. You are right that a full tank could perhaps flex at the sides….we rarely travel with more than a day or two’s water.
When I changed to ‘ Auto- change’ regulator I used shorter screws.
It would be safer to use shorter screws as there is a potential problem if you travel with a lot of water.
We are lucky that the Exsis is a well put together Hymer…….but when you read on other forums about the poor construction of some caravans/ motorhomes !!!
Fred
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Alternatively, if you’re having problems, Pete, just email the pictures to me here, hymerexsis@gmail.com and I’ll put them on here for you.
Thanks.
Barry
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If you’re still having problems, Pete, just email the pictures to me here, hymerexsis@gmail.com and I’ll put them on for you.
Thanks.
Barry
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(Posted on behalf of Marley)
There is nothing underneath the van that fixes the female part of the valve it appears to be just threaded into the tank? you can tell what a pain to get out as can be seen by the scuff marks on the brass. was thinking of using silicone sealer, but if for some reason its a failure how the hell do you get it out again, or clean the surface again?Don’t think Hymer did too much testing on this one? will send a pic of the protruding selftappers.
I am pushing the panel away from the tank for the pic will be placing a barrier down there to prevent any more chafing.
Gone me Pete
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Well done Marley and again especially to Barry for the excellent teamwork – what a lovely bloke.
Wow Marley you have certainly cleaned up those parts nicely.
I am sorry that I seem to be the only person with some idea of the components, but as I said before to my knowledge nobody has ever gone that far!
Marley I just cant imagine how you got that out (female) part as you refer to, what is underneath? Is it just the plastic tank and was there a rubber sealing washer underneath? Do you think the outside thread on that (female) part screws into a plastic thread within the base at the bottom of the tank – if not, then I imagine that it screws into the bottom part of the brass valve body which is under the plastic tank .
If so, then my earliest suspicions may be correct ( which is why I mentioned a warning in an earlier response about using too much force trying to remove the opening top part of the water valve and disturbing the seal at the bottom of the tank.
I am thinking that the (female) part that you have removed is the top part of what I am going to call the valve body. I would imagine that underneath the tank is the bottom part of the valve body. there is probably a rubber washer on top of the bottom part of the valve body (if it wasn’t inside the base of the tank) which seals against the tank and when the top part of the valve body screws inside the bottom part they tighten the washer against the base of the tank and form a water tight seal.
Not sure what to recommend how to get the top and bottom parts of the Water Valve Body back together and probably a good idea to use a sealant – there are some good ones about now that can even be used wet or under water. It would probably be a two person job with someone holding the bottom part in place from underneath – from memory long ago there may be some slots that will help with this.
Maybe the part that you have removed from the bottom of the tank could then be screwed into place using the opening top part of the water valve – using the slots to turn it and tighten the top part of the water valve into the bottom part and tighten to seal against the washer……I imagine that the sealant will hold it in place and a well lubricated thread on the opening part will allow only that to unscrew (open).
I am hoping that I am completely wrong in my thoughts and that you don’t have anything like the problem that I think.
Don’t forget to push some tight fitting pipe ( I used 20mm blue water pipe) into the bottom of the valve underneath and that will stop dirt/debri getting in and fusing the threads together in the future.
Best wishes,
Fred
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Hi Fred,
didn’t have much choice in removing female piece, as they were both fused together so came out as one, getting them apart was a pain, finding a rubber seal for the female to tank is a problem.
Looking from underneath there is absolutely nothing which fixes the female to the tank, must rely on the thread which is in the tank thickness less than quarter of an inch.
Will keep you posted as to how i get on fingers crossed have found the correct O ring for the male to female part so halfway there.
Gone me Pete
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Well done Marley, Well pleased that you are resolutely solving the problems.
it was only a cautionary warning and I realise that you had no option, but I do want to congratulate you on your determined willpower to get it out at all!
Sounds that my assumptions of how the valve body is made up may be wrong – and I don’t quite feel well enough to get underneath yet.
Commonly in plumbing of a tank outlet to a water tank there is a tight fitting hole and similarly tight rubber washer between the flange and the tank and a flange nut on the outside (often using a polythene washer between it and the tank). The two pieces screw together and seal…..sounds as if you have cracked it. By the way I am not a plumber, but not much that I haven’t plumbed.
You are a pioneer for us as it seems nobody has got this far – so some more pictures of the other parts in the future will be very helpful to your fellow Exsis owners.
Thanks for interesting info.
Well done, so pleased that you seem to have it sorted.
Fred
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