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Tom13 · 05-30-2015, 03:39 PM

Hello Campers!

Newbie here could use some help. We are preparing for our first big trip in our first RV. We are fixing and cleaning and preparing for our departure in about 14 days. I brought the RV home yesterday from getting some windows fixed, and they told me the RV was leaking water when they brought it into the bay to work on it.
Odd, it wasn't leaking before, it wasn't leaking when we had it inspected months ago...hmmm. Sure enough, when I looked under the coach, its dripping water at a noticeable rate. Looking in where the freshwater tank(s) are, I noticed something odd. It looks like there are wooden cleats screwed to the floor to hold the tank in one spot...but the aft end is about 6 inches away from the cleat, and the leak appears to be coming from under the forward end of the tank. My guess is that somehow the tank shifted on the drive, like when I had to stop quickly, and broke the forward cleat and either cracked or ripped on a sheered off screw.

The RV is a 2006 Fleetwood Southwind 32VS, the tank is 44 1/2 x 16 1/2 x 8 1/2, not sure what that is, but maybe 40 gal? There appears to be 2 tanks, and its advertised to have a total of 80 gal freshwater capacity.

I can do basic residential plumbing and carpentry, and used to fix aircraft when I was in the military. I need to get this thing fixed in a hurry. Is removing the water tank doable by the average handy RV owner? Has anyone had this happen and fixed it themselves? Is the bottom of the tank flat or is there a hidden fitting underneath that will make removing it myself difficult/impossible? With the tank sensors and fitting locations unique to this coach I'm assuming that repairing the tank with a polyethylene patch kit or spin welding would be faster than ordering an aftermarket replacement and trying to locate new fittings...thoughts?

any advice would be greatly appreciated
-Tom

ps. the pic of the forward end of the tank shows the only visible rigid pvc lines, they didn't break, but the tank wall is flexed where the fittings go in to the tank. All the other lines are flex lines that just moved with the tank.

Ray,IN · 05-30-2015, 04:01 PM

The tank cannot be repaired while it is wet inside. If you can get to the break, and are handy with a plastic welder, that's the ultimate repair. Most auto-body shops have a

plastic welder

, and someone who can use it well, if you don't want to tackle it yourself.

But first the tank must be returned to it's original mounting position, and new blocking installed. Then determine the exact material of the tank.