Fresh water tank drain

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   Just to repeat my warning, whatever fix you go with, if you can get those female threads cleaned up and get a male pipe thread engaged in them and not leaking, then don't mess with it after that. You will likely never get a new fitting to seal in that tank if the existing one gets damaged, the tank is polyetheylene and its really hard to repair, nothing adheres well to that stuff. Either add a separate cap  to a permanent nipple, a valve, or a valve at the pump inlet. 

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offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Topic: Fresh water tank drain Posted: 07 Dec 2020 at 5:15pm
	Just to repeat my warning, whatever fix you go with, if you can get those female threads cleaned up and get a male pipe thread engaged in them and not leaking, then don't mess with it after that. You will likely never get a new fitting to seal in that tank if the existing one gets damaged, the tank is polyetheylene and its really hard to repair, nothing adheres well to that stuff. Either add a separate cap to a permanent nipple, a valve, or a valve at the pump inlet.
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yelvington Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 05 Nov 2020 Location: GA Online Status: Offline Posts: 18	Posted: 09 Dec 2020 at 10:21am
	I located the threaded plug in a drawer in the trailer, and it looked pretty rough. I thought the threads were trashed ... then discovered it was nothing more than dead teflon tape shards, which I removed carefully and replaced with a fresh wrap, and it screwed into the drain port easily. I'll keep my eye open for a low-profile valve solution next time I'm in Lowes. (This is a Hood River Edition so I have lots of ground clearance, but no sense tempting fate).

geewizard Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 16 Apr 2017 Location: Spokane Online Status: Offline Posts: 347	Posted: 09 Dec 2020 at 6:00pm
	Yours is just like mine and I've been taking that plug out at the end of each season to drain the tank. I don't use teflon tape when I put it back in. I've never had a problem with it in three years. I would NOT put any kind of extension in the threaded hole. It will be more of a lever and lead to damage if it gets hit or it hits anything. Just use the supplied plug and put it in hand tight plus a quarter turn. Polyethylene tank fittings are bonded to the tank using friction to melt the plastics together. It's a very common method and involves spinning the tank fitting at high speed in the hole cut for it.
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Pod People Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 22 Sep 2011 Location: Chapel Hill,NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 1067	Posted: 09 Dec 2020 at 8:21pm
	One caution-- since it looks like there has already been a repair, the area is suspect. be very careful screwing the "whatever-plug/valve/etc" into the fitting and try NOT to cause any rotation of the female unit in the tank. Rotation could cause a separation between the tank and the fitting since it appears to be bonded somehow with ????? Be carefuland put something there that does not have to be removed. Vann
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geewizard Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 16 Apr 2017 Location: Spokane Online Status: Offline Posts: 347	Posted: 10 Dec 2020 at 8:48am
	What you see in the OP photo is how spun-in polyethylene fittings look after being done. I don't see any evidence of a repair. Mine looks very similar. See these links for how it's done: https://vintagetrailersupply.com/spin-weld-fittings-vts-344/ https://sciencing.com/spin-weld-water-tank-7973830.html And a video of it being done: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMdLWAYr7Ck Doveryai, no proveryai.....which applies to a LOT these days.
	2021 Winnebago Micro Minnie 1708FB 2017 R-Pod 177 (Blue) HRE SOLD 2004 Outfitter Apex 8 camper 2014 Toyota Tundra DC

mcarter Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 07 Apr 2016 Location: Greenbrier, TN Online Status: Offline Posts: 3419	Posted: 10 Dec 2020 at 3:45pm
	+1, not seeing repair either, looks exactly like mine, minus cap.
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