To say that the waste gate valve on your RV has an unpleasant job would certainly serve as a grave understatement. If you see that it is malfunctioning, you know that you have a dirty job ahead, but one that is no less necessary to do. While you are installing a new waste gate valve, it may be worth it to offer it a bit more protection to prevent a malfunction in the future.
Adding an insulated underbelly to your RV waste gate valve is a smart way to protect your RV’s tanks. It will take a few extra steps to install, but it will be well worth the time and effort.
When you install an RV waste gate valve with an insulated underbelly, you will first have to remove the underbelly cover that is already present. Next, begin cleaning the flanges before installing and lubricating the flange seals. Once you install the wastegate valve itself, you are ready to hit the road.
How To Install An RV Waste Gate Valve With An Insulated Underbelly
The Tools You’ll Need
Installing a wastegate valve with underbelly insulation it’s not something you can do empty-handed. You’ll need to gather a few materials first, and set enough time aside to get the job done.
Necessary materials include:
- The waste gate valve,
- flange seals,
- a battery drill,
- an angle grinder,
- nuts and screws,
- a bolt wrench,
- gel lubricant
Step One: Remove The Underbelly Cover
Depending on your RVs model, your waste gate valve may not be below the insulation. If yours isn’t, skip ahead to step two. As many RV owners prefer their insulation covers to enclose the valves as well, this step is crucial.
Remove the rivets all around the cover. This will be a tedious, long wearing step, as there are a litany of nuts and bolts below the deck. Attach the flap disc to your angle grinder if you like, as it will be faster than using a battery drill. However this is a matter of preference.
Using a sharp object remove the fiberglass. You could potentially use a gardening fork for this step, but anything pronged will usually do the job.
Finally remove the panels and set them aside for reinstallation. You should have an easy pathway to access your waste gate valve now.
Step 2 Install The Flange Seals
In your rv, the flange seals are responsible for keeping your valve together. First, thoroughly clean the flanges of any debris or rust that may have accumulated there. Next, attach the flange seals.
This shouldn’t be excessively difficult, as flange seals are made of rubber, meaning there is nothing for you to screw or bolt into place.
A layer of gel lubricant over each seal will help the valve attach properly. Add your gel lubricant to the slide truck as well. This will keep the sliding smooth, and easy to work with later on.
Don’t have any gel lubricant on hand? You can use petroleum jelly instead.
Step 3 Install The Valve
With the flange seals in place, you’ll begin installing the gate valve. Spread the flanges widely apart so that you can easily slip the valve between them. This will ensure that your seals will not become dislodged during the installation process.
Slide the valve into place between the seals. This is a straightforward step, and you should be able to easily determine the correct placement by checking the spacing. Ideally, the space is between the valve and the two flanges should be completely even. If they are, you have placed it correctly.
Tighten this with bolts and nuts using a wrench; take care that they are not excessively tight. Once you’re done with the nuts and bolts, set aside an extra minute here to check the spacing again. It’s quite possible that you could have moved the valve without realizing it as you installed the nuts and bolts. Ideally, the spacing should still be even.
Now, all that is left to do is ensure that the valve is working. Operate the slide once or twice. If you can find that it is sliding smoothly without any resistance, then you can rest assured that you have installed your waste gate valve without error.
Does My Waste Gate Valve Need To Be Replaced?
If you are noticing an unpleasant smell emanating from your RV’s waste gate valve, you need to replace it. You will be able to notice the strong, foul odor, even when the RV is parked.
Even worse than rank odors polluting the air, there may be liquid dripping from the coach. This could cause a substantial mess, and may get you in trouble with any campgrounds you may be currently staying on.
Causes
Understanding what causes these issues will help you to avoid them when you are installing a new waste gate valve with an insulated underbelly.
Improper Installation
No one likes to deal with their RVs black tanks. It seems as if many would like to finish the job as quickly as possible without further dirtying their hands. However, a rushed job, by part of the owner or by the original manufacturer, can lead to mistakes. If the waste gate valve has not been properly secured, it will damage easily.
Clogs
Flushing larger objects, or ones that cannot break down in the pipes, down your RV’s toilet will inevitably lead to a clog. Once something has jammed itself inside the tank it will prove problematic for the entire system. That clog could potentially impact the waste gate valve, leading to its degradation.
Wear And Tear
It is a commonly accepted fact by RV owners that simply nothing lasts forever. Even the most well-maintained and tended to two pieces of machinery and hardware will eventually begin to break down over time. Especially something like the RVs plumbing system, which will likely see daily use.
Does My RV Waste Gate Valve Need Underbelly Insulation?
It may seem like an unnecessary extra step to install underbelly installation in your waste gate valves. You may find that there are actually many benefits to doing so.
As the name implies underbelly insulation will protect your wastegate valve from freezing temperatures. As you drive further into cold areas, or as winter settles over your RV, keeping all of the components and working order despite the low temperatures is vital. Especially if you live, or drive, somewhere with freezing temperatures, your RV is not immune to that kind of damage.
Underbelly insulation acts as a coat. It keeps the RV’s underside from becoming dangerously frosted over. This will preserve the condition for much longer.
One of those benefits is the protection against debris or dirt. Apart from freezing temperatures, underbelly insulation will provide an added layer of armor against debris. The harsh wear and tear that your RV goes through as it rolls down the road will eventually have a noticeable impact on the delicate undercarriage.
How Do I Maintain My Waste Gate Valve?
Of course, it would be preferential to not need to replace your RV waste gate valve with unnecessary frequency. The best way to ensure that you do not have to do this often is to maintain your valve system.
One thing you can do is greasing the pull handle shift once in a while. Some RV owners recommend doing this every few months. A silicon spray, sold at your local hardware or RV supply store, will do the job.
Conclusion
Installing an RV wastegate valve with an insulated underbelly is not a dreadfully difficult process. Once you’ve taken over the tedious task of removing the underbelly cover, the rest is a simple fix. Install the flanges seals, install the valve, and replace the underbelly insulation.
An insulated underbelly will protect your RV from freezing temperatures, and ensure that your waste gate valves continue to work well for as long as possible.
