black tank leak in travel trailer?

[Superdawg]

I have a 2000 Jayco Eagle 5th wheel. Today, while flushing the black tank multiple times to clean it, I walked away for a bit while it filled, leaving the drain valve closed (I know, I know). When I returned, water was dripping from under the trailer, appearing to come from the seam where the top half of the tank is attached to the bottom half. I quickly pulled the drain valve open and shut the water off. The inside of the bathroom was dry.

Where is that water coming from?

The seam at the top and bottom half of the black tank?

The top of the tank connection to the toilet?

The vent pipe connection?

I am going to have to drop the tank and take a look. At least it's pretty clean now and empty... ... I started this process today to clean the tank in preparation to start using the natural bacteria instead of chemicals. Oh well... Two weeks before the next trip.

Anyone else have a tank that the top half is attached to the bottom half of the tank, similar to the lid on a tupperware container?

thanks,

Tom

 

[GAmes]

I can't help you with the tank, finding a leak by long distance is pretty difficult. I can tell you that if you are planning on using something like Rid-X for your tank, forget it. The black tank will never work like a septic tank. Plain old fresh water for flushing the tank works just fine. When the two of us were full timing, once a week worked well in our 5er. Drain and flush using a spray fitting two or three times. If you are going to drop your tank and don't have one it would be a perfect time to install. Chemicals are a total waste of money.

 

[jelag]

A couple of thoughts... . when we run down the road... especially when we're headed to home we put 10-12 gal of water in the black tank and a cup of laundry soap... . let it slush around for 200 miles or so and hit a dump station and change it out... . we charge it again and don't use it until we're headed out for the next trip..... this has always worked for us... .

My BIL in his wisdom connected a hose to the spray nozzle in his black tank and later walked around the trailer with water coming off the roof... . seems his system was so sealed that the water wouldn't go through the seal in the toilet and was coming out the roof vent..... of course your told not to use that spray with the valve closed but he knew better... ... .

BTW... . you can weld the tank with it out on the ground... I've never found an adhesive or patch that would hold on a tank... . but a piece of plastic... PVC, ABS, or what ever it happens to be. . will weld it... I found rod at a wholesale autobody supply... . and welded a friends fresh water tank... .

 

[GTSimms]

Could be leaking where the tank spray nozzle is attached to the sprayer hose. Maybe put some food coloring in the tank, turn on the sprayer then catch some of the water and see if it is clear or has a color. Just a thought.

 

[B.G. Smith]

Jelag may have hit on something, if the tank completely filled the water could have run back down the outside of the vent pipe to the top of the tank and ran off the sides. The vent is loose at the top inside the vent cap. With the help of another person to watch the level in the tank i would refill ontill at least almost full and see if the tank is actually leaking. I fixed a leak in a trailer I have where the drain comes out of the tank with the bondo/fiberglass type stuff from local auto parts store. There are specific repair kits for the tanks, ABS plastic I believe. bg

 

[Superdawg]

Well, I dug into it today. I cut the vent line about a foot above the bathroom floor and was able to lower the black tank about 4 inches. It would not lower further because it was still attached to the main toilet connection and I wasn't about to remove that. The flange where the 1 1/2" vent line mounts to the top of the tank was a little loose and wet. It appears that when I overfilled the tank during the flush process, it leaked out of the vent flange at the top of the tank and flowed to the edges.
During my travels with a 1/2 to 3/4 full tank, I have never noticed the tank to leak. I decided it is good enough and not worth digging into further. I will replace the tank valves as those were overdue for replacement.
thanks for your suggestions.
Tom

 

[jelag]

If you can clean around where it's damp... and than get some abs glue to that point. . the abs glue will melt and fuse the two parts together... I've tried to fiberglass with resin and cloth to both an abs and pcv plastic... is just a temporary fix... But a good hot air gun will make it soft and workable with a putty knife... and I've taken some abs scraps and have melted them into the base material to seal up a crack... . you sort of work it like concrete... using the putty knife like a trowel... my issue was along side an edge... I think had it been in the center just the weight of the abs material and making it hot would have made it sag...

 

[Superdawg]

Thanks to all.
I want to try the natural bacteria treatment. If I camp once a month or once every two months and drain the tank in between, will that not be enough to support the bacteria in the tank? Or will I need to "feed" the bacteria every week or so?