91 Winnebago - Drain Valve Replacement

[Ctgriffi]

I know this has probably been covered a few times and could be solved a couple different ways… but the drain valve on my fresh water tank recently broke internally (the pull-ring portion broke away, leaving no way to open/close). Obviously I’ve got the original polybutylene lines everywhere, and there’s not a ton of extra room to work with between the tank and the hole cutout in the floor, where the valve drains out. What’s the best/easiest way to fix? Replace this section with Pex? Cobble together something else entirely?

 

Appreciate the tips and ideas!

 

Edited January 13 by Ctgriffi

[MaineJed]

Take the old one off at the couplet and put a new shark bite on and use pex, 15 minute job.

[Ctgriffi]

Thanks for the help, Jed!

 

So, I'm not aware of any shark bite fittings that can transition from PB to pex, with an angle stop valve... sounds like I would need a shark bite transition from PB to pex, followed by a short piece of pex, followed by another shark bite angle valve. I wonder if there's enough room for all that, and can I possibly make it all line up with the large hole already cut through the floor?

[fred heath]

If I’m looking at the correct area in the photo(circled in white) why don’t you just remove the flare fitting at the “T” on the water heater. You can then run a completely new drain setup  of your choosing. The fittings on the tank appear to be standard brass much like residential plumbing. No need to make it more complicated than it needs to be.

If the “T” fitting is some type of composite, you can do the same thing. Just be careful when you remove the flare nut to support the “T”.

Edited January 13 by fred heath

[Ctgriffi]

Hi Fred, thanks for your input. This is a standard, plastic fresh water tank, and the t-fitting you mentioned is gray polybutylene like all the rest of the system. Just trying to get a firm plan in mind with exact parts (and possibly links!) needed to get a fix in place for the broken valve, circled in the photo. 
 

It is just a drain line that I’m concerned with, before the pump, so not under pressure… which means I’m probably overthinking 😁

Edited January 15 by Ctgriffi

[fred heath]

If you don’t want to fool with the flare at the “T” you could gently cut the pb pipe about 2” from the flare fitting and attach something like a shark bite mini ball valve with a hose barb fitting going into a flexible hose and down through the floor. Would be a cleaner setup than what you have now. Just brainstorming. Good luck. Fred

[extech]

is the broken drain valve leaking?  if not, just use the drain after the pump to drain. the pump isn't a positive pump so water will flow thru

[Ctgriffi]

Great idea, Fred! I would like to go this (simple) route if I could just find a shark bite valve intended for PB!

 

Extech: Also a good suggestion, but I think that the tank would not drain as completely, using just that valve…more of an uphill situation. 

Edited January 15 by Ctgriffi

[linda s]

Something here should work. Some even have cut offs. Just run the next out the hole in the floor

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=sharkbite+polybutylene&adgrpid=158440290854&hvadid=693079995289&hvdev=m&hvexpln=68&hvlocphy=9032371&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=8202900920512413020--&hvqmt=e&hvrand=8202900920512413020&hvtargid=kwd-378551720355&hydadcr=7644_13654235&tag=hydsma-20&ref=pd_sl_ol8gvmf4j_e_p68

Linda S

[Ctgriffi]

Seems like NONE of the shark bite stop valves are made to accommodate polybutylene, and I've been searching high and low, believe me! I'm going to reach out to the company directly and inquire because I'd rather do this with just one simple fitting, than jam a couple things together in a small amount of space. I don't like mickey-mouse looking stuff, if I can avoid it...

[fred heath]

The flare nut on the “T” might be your best bet. I’ve attached a link to the fitting you’ll need to make the transition. I’m guessing you have 1/2” pipe. Then you can build out from there with otc plumbing products.

 

Spray that flare nut with penetrating oil. Be sure to support the “T” when removing the nut. If you don’t have a flare wrench, you might want to cut the pb pipe close to the fitting, then use the correct size socket and remove it that way.

 

https://a.co/d/h3JdtTm

[Homer]

Have you tried the big box stores like Home Depot or Lowes ?

Better yet I found a neighbor that is a plumber and  fixed mine. But it was a line of PB and had split
He used a cutoff valve and fastened it to where the PB split. This was behind the commode and leaked and soaked the carpet and ran out in the hall and got carpet wet there. Took me a while to ever find it  and had to rip up the carpet and box over the drain line. It was the cold water line to the shower. We never use the shower so I unhooked both the hot and cold lines. Hope this helps you or someone.

Edited January 16 by Homer

[Ctgriffi]

I'm not terribly happy with the result, but I feel like it was always gonna be a slightly janky situation. Probably would've been better if I'd gone the full Pex route, but I'm not ready to buy the crimping tool yet, until I redo the whole system (yeah, no way I'm buying shark bites for everything!).

 

Basically, I had some good 1/2" clear tubing around, so I bought a brass female-flare-to-male-barb 1/2" fitting (in the ballpark of what Fred recommended, thank you sir!), and then a brass inline ball valve with barbs, and then a 90º brass elbow with barbs to go down through the floor. Definitely needed some "flex" in it all to make the slight turn, over to the existing drain hole. The ball valve handle was far too big, initially, to be operable in that limited space—I removed the handle and shaved it down with cutoff and flap discs on my angle grinder, to about half its original length... still easy enough to open/close. Used new stainless clamps on everything, secured the line to prevent movement and kinking, and sealed around the drain hose opening with caulk.

 

Should be fine for a no-pressure drain line. Thanks for the help everyone!