Last year I got inspired by reading of Don n Tys wetbay remodel. Ours was a simple project but required lots of attention to clearances in a small space. I'm posting a description of entire process. Please someone let me know if this isn't appropriate forum etiquette. Thanks.
Design Notes: I used an old 2002 CAD program to layout the new waste manifold in 3D. We removed the existing fiberglass panels and used 1/8 aluminum sheet with 90 bends to create structural strength. The panels are attached with stainless screws and aluminum angles to the bulkhead walls. There are three panels: Top with Paper towels, coax, 110v outlet, and (space for a second Seelevel control, not installed yet). Vertical side panel contains all the water connections and switch for electrical shoreline reel. The bottom panel has the Valterra handles and supports the storage shelf. Each panel is a sub assembly so that maintenance can be done without removing the others. (This came in handy as initially there was a fitting leak on the shower valve. My wife removed the 5 panel screws, panel and valves as a unit, I redid the connection back at the house and it was reinstalled the next day. Easy fix.) Each panel was cut out after downloading the CAD dwg file into a friends plasma cutter. He then bent the edges to spec in the drawings, After the initial install, everything went to be powder coated. Braided hose and Shark bite fittings were used for water connections to OEM Pex piping. The OEM heating ducts are behind the new panels. The wood shelf is two pieces 3/8 ply cut to fit tight against the bulkhead and opposite wall. The pressure/friction holds shelf boards in place. Space was left at the rear of the shelf and behind the water valve panel to allow air to circulate from the heating ducts.
We will be using a DrainMaster sewer hose, keeping it connected to the waste water manifold and storing it on a shelf in the wetbay. The Drainmaster comes with a shut-off valve and donut at outlet end of hose which works well with a third valve on the manifold to close off both ends of the drain hose when not in use. We gained space for the third valve by removing the OEM tank sensors and replacing the OEM 90 degree DWV ABS fitting at the gray water tank exit with a 90 degree PVC street elbow. (For waste plumbing this substitution does not meet code. A 90 Street will have more flow restriction than a 90 DWV sweep. However, we have seen no reduction in speed of draining of our gray tank. In my opinion the most significant restriction to gravity draining of waste water, gray or black, is in the corrugations in the sewer dump hose. But, I don't have engineering data to back this assumption up).
All the Valterra valve nuts and bolts were changed to stainless socket heads with washers and nylocks. Silicone lubricant used on the valve blade and seals. Threaded pipe connections and rubber couplings allow removal of valves in sections if repairs are needed. Multipurpose cement used on all glued joints. Butyl sealant and stainless hose clamps used at the holding tank nipples, (Same as what FT used).
For the black tank internal flush I had a 1/2 pipe nipple welded to steel plate. This gave me a solid place to mount a quick disconnect. (The quick connect isn't in the photos.)
Installed a Delta shower valve for use as a fresh water faucet. This made a secure mount for a quick connect with its own ball valve shut off. This permits quick changes between a garden hose or the OEM spray wand. (I may make up a 12" length of hose to connect when needed between the water faucet and the black tank internal flush. Contamination of our fresh water system would be prevented by the existing check valve in the black tank flush and using the ball valve to isolate this 12" black flush line from the shower valve before removing it.). Installed a new water filter between the hose reel and the check valve. Coach did not come with one.
Thus far haven't needed extra hose but if we do it we can add a length between coach and Drainmaster. We have 4" and 3" threaded fittings with clips that hold the Drainmaster hose/donut securely in any standard park sewer hookup. No weights are needed. More pictures of these fittings and finished wetbay coming.
Nicely done! ^.^d I am looking forward seeing the finished product as well.
Don
One thing I would have added to mine is an inspection port. Something big enough to get a snake camera in to the inside to check for leaks or any thing else. Once you close it all up it is hard to do any checking or service work.
Wow!
Very nice
Mike J,
I see you have a camlock fitting on one of the pipes in picture 4. Is it a Waste Master or did you find another source.
Been looking for a 3" camlock source but the only ones I've found are stupid expensive.
I'm getting sick of bayonet fittings. They ALWAYS leak eventually!
see ya
ken
Hi Roger, I agree regular inspection is important. The totally enclosed OEM FT setup didn't allow for that. That is one of the reasons I wanted an opening like Don created on his. On ours the entire shelf above the waste valves pops out for inspection, maintenance/repair if needed. It fits snug enough I didn't need any fasteners. It also provides access to the incoming H2O supply check valve. After everything was installed we checked every few travel days at first just to make sure nothing was leaking. So far so good.
Ken, You're correct, this camlock is a Wastemaster. I wanted a different source but was unable to find one. We leave ours connected all the time. Occasionally we loosen the locks to rotate the hose if it needs twists taken out when extending the hose to a dump location. After dumping our gray we close the valve at end of hose and leave the 3rd valve and gray open until hose is completely stowed. Once hose is completely compressed and stowed, we close the valves.
I recently replaced a gasket on the downstream side of the gray water valve. It had gotten skewed and pinched when I did my wet bay and would drip a bit while emptying. While I had it all apart I put in two aluminum sheet cake pans (13x20) under the valves. If anything leaks it will get trapped in the pans and will be easier to clean up.
When I had it all apart I couldn't help but think of a more serviceable arrangement. Maybe just two 3" pipes coming straight out, one for gray and one for black. It would certainly be easier to reassemble.
I like your solution of having a tray under the valves to contain/check for leaks. I could probably slip something under ours as well. One way we keep an eye on wetbay leaks is whenever we dump, we tip the coach sideways to assist tank drainage. The area beneath our camlock sewer hose fitting is open to the valves/manifold behind. Anything leaking there will become visible as it runs out towards the small utility door in the basement floor when the coach is tilted. The original FT wetbay had a rubber sheet sealed around the OEM sewer hose connection thru the vertical fiberglass panel which the valve handles were mounted in. It wasn't a water tight seal but enough to keep things from becoming visible if a small leak were to occur.
I too wanted straight pipes out of the tanks but there is so little room to "Y" them together. I compromised by using rubber sleeve couplers on both the gray and black pipes. It was easiest on the gray using a 3" street elbow at the tank and a rubber sleeve coupler instead of a glued joint to the valve. The black tank has a 3" nipple into the tank and the threaded end into the black valve. Both gray and black valves can be removed without disturbing the pipes that are connected to the tanks. My setup does allow valves to be serviced separately but after testing this procedure, my preference is to remove the entire manifold should any valve needed servicing.
If removing the entire manifold including gray and 3rd valve, the black valve needs to be disassembled first. Disassembling one valve is better than all of them. The best news is regardless of which valve needs servicing I don't have to disturb the piping connections that are at the tanks themselves.
Try :http://www.camlock-fittings.com/