Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 12, 2025 ...

tank leak

May 12, 2011, 08:15:14 pm

Does anyone have a good understanding of the tank arrangements on the U240?  I noticed some evidence of water intrusion from above down through the left rear bulkhead but assumed it was due to previous owner not repairing a bad check valve that gushed water into the water/sewer/electrical compartment whenever the hose is disconnected.  Water would migrate to the opposite side of the coach and flood the battery compartment.  I replaced it but it still does it so I added a short piece of hose with a quick connect so that disconnect is under the coach.  I thought everything was ok and drying out nicely until I noticed a few drops coming from the curved cowling under the aft end of the water/sewer/electrical compartment.  You can reach a couple fingers in from the wheelwell and feel wetness.  I can see where there is the remnant of a bead of silicone along the curved edge of this area as if to direct water to the open end at the wheelwell.  James Trianna doesn't know why this would be so previous owner must have done it.  Brett Wolfe told me to add food coloring to both grey and black tanks but so far I'm not seeing colorant in the water.  I put a bowl under and collected about 1/4 cup (at most) over about 12 hours (prior to adding the colorant) with fresh tank full, black and grey minimal but not empty (though still reading empty on the audit) and not hooked up to city water with pump off.  I'm wondering if the fridge doesn't drain to this gutter under the compartments for discharge at the wheelwell.  I can see a clear tubing going down behing the fridge but can't see where it goes.  I don't really understand the tank arrangement other than I can see the ends of the grey and black tanks at the discharge piping connections in the water/sewer/electrical compartment.  I can also see a tank or tanks behind the batteries on the opposite side of the coach.  My fresh water overflow is under the front of the coach and the fill valves are between the front seats.  I can also detect while driving that the front feels heavier when the fresh tank is full but this could be my imagination.  I know it feels heavier when the fuel tank is full.  If anyone has any experience working on the tanks in an older U225 or U240...please tell me about it.  I've got to find the source of this water before repairing the water extrusion damage at the left rear bulkhead.  It is a small area about from the outside edge about 1 foot in toward the center of the coach and the lower aft section of the compartment wall near the openning in the water/sewer/electrical compartment is swollen and bulging in a little but not enough to effect the door or create a visable gap or obvious bulkhead separation.

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Re: tank leak

Reply #1 – May 12, 2011, 08:24:45 pm

Yes, the potable water tank is forward on center between the front seats.

I have not seen any OE refrigerator condensate drain on the U240 that went below the refrigerator shelf area-- sure worth exploring if you have one.  If there is one, it likely comes through the back of the "full width" basement compartment.  Remove the driver's side cover for the back of the water check valve and look there.

Brett

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Reply #2 – May 13, 2011, 09:22:11 pm

I found my leak and I do mean "my" leak.  I had replaced the check valve / fresh water hook up and checked and double checked for leaks before putting the cover back on.  It started leaking.  Turns out the threads are bad so I replaced it with another new one and fixed the leak.  However, I connected and disconnected the water line to the house so many times I now have it leaking.  Tried teflon tape but no good.  Tried liquid teflon and didn't have time to check it but I don't have a good feeling about it. This type of fitting shouldn't need teflon tape.  This is mobile home plastic plumbing which I'm sure they haven't used in uears and I'm wondering if I should go to a mobile home parts store to replace what I have or try to cut it off and adapt cpvc or pex.  I'm sure everyone knows what I'm talking about but I've attached a photo anyway.  Not much of a plumber so suggestions welcome.

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Re: tank leak

Reply #3 – May 14, 2011, 07:55:03 am

Dwayne,
Ours had a tapered rubber gasket that seals off the fitting. We were able to go to a local plumbing supply company and get some new ones. Check the plastic nut for cracks from age or overtightening too.

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Re: tank leak

Reply #4 – May 14, 2011, 09:42:32 am

Dwayne, check with John at Rv Medic on Bush Blvd, and ask for a Seatech series 35 adjustable elbow, this is a quick connect fitting, I have used these and they work great.

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Reply #5 – May 14, 2011, 12:06:34 pm

thanks

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Reply #6 – May 14, 2011, 04:48:57 pm

FYI for anyone needing one of those rubber cones...the big box stores no longer carry this item.  They are no longer code.  The guy sold me a 3/4" water heater hookup with a compression fitting on one end and a pex style on the other along with a 3/4" to 1/2" adapter for the water inlet.  Luckily I remembered an old hardware store on my way to the coach and they still had some of the cones.  I think I got it fixed.  I allowed the pump to pressurize the system (then turned it off) and will check the floor of the compartment for wetness tomorrow.  If it is dry I will return the stuff Home Depot sold me.  I wasn't too keen on cutting the water line to the house and making a retrofit.  Incidentally RV Medic didn't have the other part and also advised me to get one of the rubber cones.  I should have bought a spare cone but then again the first one lasted almost 20 years and still wouldn't be leaking had I not messed with it.

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Re: tank leak

Reply #7 – May 15, 2011, 06:23:40 pm

About to pull my hair out.  When I get the leak to stop on the brass check valve / inlet side it starts again at the compression fitting to the house and visa versa.  Wondering what to do next.

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Re: tank leak

Reply #8 – May 16, 2011, 03:01:20 pm

Home Depot now carries Pex fittings,tubing and tools. At least in the San Diego area.

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Reply #9 – May 17, 2011, 01:32:15 pm

I gave up on getting this to stop leaking.  Home Depot told me to use a brass fitting 3/4" on one end and 1/2" on the other end to screw into the 1/2" inlet and hook up a sharkbite flexible hose with a 3/4" compression fitting then just cut the water supply line and snap the sharkbite end of the hose to it.  Before I do that I've gotten a brass extension to screw into the inlet and I've used liquid teflon on it.  I'm going to let it set good and tomorrow I'll hook the existing hose supply line to it and check for leaks.  If that fails, I'll go with Home Depot but I'm leary of the sharkbite as it seems too simple and I just don't have any experience with the PEX plumbing (aside from using it as conduit for the electric wire I ran from above the mirowave through the cabinets to the TV overhead.

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Reply #10 – May 17, 2011, 04:05:53 pm

Dwayne, I have used and am still using sharkbite or similar type fittings ( Lowes is Gator Bite and Sea tech is another brand ).  The trick is to cut off the pex absolutely square with no rough edges or burrs.
On my water heater fittings that leaked and are similar to yours I put a street EL on the brass fitting from the tank, and used braided covered 1/2 by 1/2 hose to a 1/2 shark bite fitting on the cut off PEX. This gave me a lot of flx in putting the WH back in and made it much easier to hook up,
No new problems.

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Re: tank leak

Reply #11 – May 18, 2011, 08:46:59 pm

This comedy of errors continues.  I'm a little familiar with plumbing.  Put in new toilets and sinks in all my bathrooms at home and have done various PVC jobs (pool discharge line to driveway) but this little simple job has become a nightmare.  God has a sense of humor and is getting a good laugh at me.  I put this together three times perfectly but can't get the very slow leak to stop.  It is dampening 1/2 a sheet of paper towel over night while pressurized.  Yesterday I cleaned it all up and used liquid teflon on both the 1/2 male extension and a little on the plastic nut with the rubber cone.  This time I used a brass extension but it must have been a little longer than the plastic because I couldn't get the plastic nut to line up properly and when I was able to get it started and got 1/2 through I noticed that it was crooked.  I then got mad and since the plastic threads were probably torn up I just kept going getting it good and tight.  I didn't have time to check it until today when I stopped by to take it all apart again.  For the heck of it I turned the water pressure on and nothing.  No leak.  Checked it at the end of the day again after remaining pressurized and still bone dry paper towel under it.  On the way home I took the 3/4" stuff back and bought a braided faucet hookup with 1/2" compression fittings on both ends, a sharkbite style adapter for one end and a new brass extension for the other and will just put it all behind the fiberglass cover and fix it over again if and when it starts leaking. 

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