Water tank drain tap help

[baj25]

Hi all, we managed to smash the drain tap on our water tank last time out (Mrs baj put a levelling chock in a dumb place and it flipped up).

It is on a 1990 autosleeper conversion. Can anyone recommend where to get one from (are they all same size?), and tips on how to fit please?
Cheers, Bri

[Ian Hulley]

These things are normally just 3/4 bsp taps BUT it will have a plastic lock nut inside the tank you would have to get into to undo. Maybe the turning part will push out and a new one push back in ?

As mine is a Screwfix Special conversion I have a stainless 3/4"bsp lever ball valve on my tank, pointing outwards so the kids could wash the sand off their feet when they were little.

Ian.

[baj25]

Thanks Ian, 3/4 BSP sounds about right, they look pretty common so should get one no prob. Yeah, I think it has a nut on the inside of the tank, the whole thing spins in the tank (it is cracked where it enters the tank, but that doesn't show in the pic). Just hope there is an arm sized hole in the top of the tank for me to get to the nut!. Cheers, Bri

[Ian Hulley]

Thanks Ian, 3/4 BSP sounds about right, they look pretty common so should get one no prob. Yeah, I think it has a nut on the inside of the tank, the whole thing spins in the tank (it is cracked where it enters the tank, but that doesn't show in the pic). Just hope there is an arm sized hole in the top of the tank for me to get to the nut!. Cheers, Bri

There will be .... although a weedy, vegetarian Southerner-sized arm hole. I had to recruit a 14 year old female arm the last time I messed about with my tank.

Ian

[slippy8v]

B&Q
Water butt tap

[scottbott]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^,that is what I have but the tap takes a while to drain,no problem though

[Mr Bean]

If push comes to shove and you need to get a male fitting inside the tank don't forget the vacuum cleaner, cotton wool ball and string method.
Explanation available on demand.
Cheers
CS

[baj25]

Are you deliberately trying to get on the 'take it out of context' thread CS!

[Mr Bean]

Are you deliberately trying to get on the 'take it out of context' thread CS!

No I have suffered a similar problem in one of my previous vans where the threaded insert in the tank was stripped. So I tied a ball of cotton wool to a piece of string and lowered it into the tank. I then attached a piece of rubber tubing to my Vax machine (Recently died of smoke exhalation after 30 years of faithful service - respect please) and poked around through the thread-less hole until I captured the cotton wool ball. The appropriate (male) fitting was then attached to the string at the vent end taking care that the string passed through the fitting from the back* and was pulled though the tank into position.
*As the string passes through the fitting from the back the threaded end will pass through the hole without being impeded by the string.
As the Hex is inside the tank the fitting can be held using two nuts locked together while the external nut is tightened.

A bit tentative but still on topic yes?