Community Forums

rtc · 05-29-2017, 07:48 AM

hi everyone, we have a 2015, 34IKE excel. love it!! the black water tank has a leak in it. i am in the process of dropping the tank.i have alot of questions, but my first one is, i read that rarebear used HD rubber pipe couplings to put his plumbing back together. i wondered how they worked out for him?

rockintom · 05-29-2017, 01:46 PM

Welcome to the Excel Forum. Are you sure it's the black tank? The grey tank is usually the one that fails first. Just sayin'. There have been several posts on this forum, so do a search and you should find lots of info. The couplings you describe work very well. The biggest part of the job is getting the belly blanket back in the rig. I've done it by myself and I recommend having an assistant to help you. Good luck!

rtc · 05-29-2017, 03:21 PM

thanks, ya, its the black tank. now that you told me the rubber coupling work well, i am going to start cutting pipes. looks like i mite run in to a problem with the gray tank being over top of the black tank at the middle lip. looks like i will have to lower the grey tank also, so i can slip the black tank lip by it. wish me luck.

rockintom · 05-29-2017, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rtc

thanks, ya, its the black tank. now that you told me the rubber coupling work well, i am going to start cutting pipes. looks like i mite run in to a problem with the gray tank being over top of the black tank at the middle lip. looks like i will have to lower the grey tank also, so i can slip the black tank lip by it. wish me luck.

That's interesting. My black lip was on the top, so when I went to work on the grey, I had to drop the black down a little and finesse the grey by the black....if that make sense. Just the opposite of yours. Prolly could be either way just depends on who installed it on assembly and what day it was! Ha. Good Luck. Are you planning to attempt to repair or replace the tank? Did you overfill the tank with the flusher?

Be honest now!!!

dix39 · 05-29-2017, 03:41 PM

It may be too late, but if you can see where it's leaking you may be able to patch it. I did that with a black tank that had been damaged by a rock or something and was leaking. I could see the leak and got some epoxy?? or something in a kit from a local RV place that worked well for many years. That was a long time ago, but it may be worth checking on.

Of course I dumped and flushed it first.

Best of luck.

Steve

rtc · 05-30-2017, 06:39 AM

HA!! HA!! yes, i mite have over filled the tank! WOW! it feels good to get that of my chest! the leak is on the upper front of the tank. i wont know if i can repair or replace until i get it out. if the rain ever lets up today, i will get it out.

Kennzz05 · 05-30-2017, 06:52 AM

Poop less drain more. Lol

JDT · 05-30-2017, 03:27 PM

A few years ago I discovered that if I overfilled the black tank it would leak. The solution, never overfilled it again. No more problems. I usually dump when the cheapo tank level indicator says full but it really isn't. Also, the sound of the water running into the tank when flushing makes a different sound as it fills up but usually don't let it get that high. I have no idea why it leaks when totally full but I think it was Tom who suggested not overfilling it instead of fixing it. He's a smart man.

One of these days I'll tackle it but one of these days hasn't come yet.

rockintom · 05-30-2017, 04:06 PM

Yeah Jim, the tanks usually split/crack out at or near the top seam on younger rigs when overfilled with flusher and valve closed. I have seen them crack in other area, but that's been in older units (the ABS material gets less flexible with age). There are so many variables that cause the tank failures I won't get into them now. But a few of them are a combination of a marginal quality tank, straps retaining the tank, tank mounting issues, roughness of road driven, amount of liquid in tank when traveling, ect, etc, ect.

C.Martin · 05-30-2017, 04:14 PM

Plasti-Mend Black

If you can work the area...you can layup the area with plasti-mend

rtc · 05-30-2017, 06:25 PM

i got the tank out today. it has a major crack, top to btm, up front of the tank.i am going to replace it. i talked to Ralph at the excel repair center in kansas in march and he said he had a tank. does anyone have the number handy of the excel repair shop in kansas. i looked for it a little today and couldn't find it. i would like to call them in the morning and get a tank heading my way.

JDT · 05-30-2017, 07:44 PM

785 686-3080, you're welcome.

Tom, not sure where or why mine leaked but it wasn't due to the flush valve. I always have the gate open when I flush it. So, who knows.

rtc · 05-31-2017, 07:38 AM

thanks for the number JDT. i am going to get my list together and call.

rockintom · 05-31-2017, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDT

785 686-3080, you're welcome.

Tom, not sure where or why mine leaked but it wasn't due to the flush valve. I always have the gate open when I flush it. So, who knows.

Jim, yours has prolly split at or near the top seam. If you have real high water pressure and volume while flushing, leave the holding tank valve closed and forget about it.........it's possible to have a vertical split down the side. Kinda rare but it can happen, even with a newer tank. Just sayin'.