Yellow Flapper Valve(YFV) alternatives for Tab 400.

DaveC · June 2023

Has anyone tried to find a way to drain Alde without tearing your bed apart after every trip? This seems like design flaw, given that all other drains/plumbing valves are very easy to access. Don't have the answer, but have considered the following:
1. Move or add flapper valves under trailer on the YFV drains.
2. Cut an access hole from the Nautilus panel.
3. Add a push/pull rod to the yellow handle with small access holes under trailer.
4. Some electrically controlled valve (seems like overkill).
5. Just drain the fresh, cold and hot water drains and leave the small amount of water in the Alde tanks.
Looking forward to hearing more ideas/comments from the TAB brain trust.

marleecamps · June 2023

Following!! I LOVE LOVE my 2021 400 but this is a point of frustration for me, especially since I added the wonderful exped mattress. Unlike earlier model years, I cannot use the external drain valves to empty the Alde, so I go through the mattress weresting match upon each trip return. Which is every other week from mid-May to mid-October for me.

Binghi · June 2023

I only drain the Alde tanks in our 2021 400 at the end of the travel season when I winterize the trailer. On the road, every time we change the sheets (which approximates the recommended 10-day interval), I pull up the portion of the bed platform that covers the Alde equipment and open each of the yellow flapper valves for 10-15 seconds to renew the air cushion in the Alde water tanks. It’s a pain, that’s for sure.

Some day I’m going to install hinges on the outboard edge of the platform so I can open it with one hand and flip the valves with the other hand. That should speed up the process.

DaveC · June 2023

Majority opinion is that it is not necessary to drain Alde tanks after each trip. I will use fresh, hot and cold drains during the season and rip the bed apart when I winterize. Also, if the fresh, cold and hot drains get most of the water out of the Alde tank, will that refresh the "air cushion"? I really don't want to tear my bed apart on the road!

manyman297 · June 2023

I’ve thought of drilling an access hole in the right side of the Nautilus panel but even then I’m not sure I could reach the valve to the rear of the trailer.

I don’t drain the alde after every trip…maybe every other and I also don’t screw that panel down. In the event of an emergency I didn’t want to worry about unscrewing that panel.

dsfdogs · June 2023

@DaveC I drain after each trip, but like you, wonder if opening and closing the hot water drain will suffice to refresh the air cushion as I'm not going to tear the bed apart while camping!

DaveC · June 2023

Does anyone know exactly how the air cushion works? Is it in the Boiler or the Flow, or both. If there just has to be some air in the Adle Boiler/Flow, then it seems that draining the fresh, cold and hot valves would work. When I did this, there was a little water in the Boiler/Flow, but they were not full. If there is some third-water mystery to the air cushion, it might not do the job.

ssheets9 · June 2025

Since I have a 3" mattress topper over the factory cushions, I decided to cut an access panel above the drain valves. I centered the cut between the Froli bed supports. I do have to crawl under the factory cushions to get to the access panel, but I do not have to tear down the bed or remove the full plywood panel.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/my/htrfoi5exht2.jpeg

marleecamps · July 2025

@ssheets9. Brilliant.

Tabaz · July 2025

Regarding draining the Alde boiler after each campout using the yellow flap, I had to replace my entire Alde unit because I didn't follow this procedure. The owner's manual specifies that the boiler should be drained after each outing. Just a word of caution for your consideration.

Yellow Flapper Valve(YFV) alternatives for Tab 400.

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