Water Leak

Topic: Water Leak (Read 4464 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Water Leak

Reply #50 – October 31, 2019, 08:47:12 pm

Quote from: Roland Begin – October 31, 2019, 08:11:46 pm

I am seeing a leak with the tank at 1/4 full and the water is on the driver's side of the coach. So the overflow hose doesn't come into play.

I'm thinking of cutting the old tank out and installing a smaller fresh water tank. We'll only be using the coach for short trips so a hundred gallon tank isn't necessary.

Roland

I wouldn't trash the old tank it will come out in one piece. You remember my tank leaking at Quartzsite? The 1/2" male fill inlet was cracked across the threads. I pulled it out with no problems and for $20 I had a new fitting spun on in Yuma. I'm sure you can have the tank repaired.

Re: Water Leak

Reply #51 – October 31, 2019, 08:50:54 pm

I had to repair the one in the '81 FT easier to get out than yours but like Doug said it can be repaired. I had one made for my old Vogue when it failed.

Re: Water Leak

Reply #52 – October 31, 2019, 09:01:34 pm

Roland,

Whatever you do, do NOT let water continue to sit in the wet bay--that is death for the rear bulkhead.

Re: Water Leak

Reply #53 – October 31, 2019, 09:42:05 pm

Roland I had the same problem. Chased it for a year. I finally pulled the freshwater tank and found the lowermost tank fitting was a "spun in" style OEM and THAT was where it was leaking. Repaired the connection and no more leak into the basement. Sad to say, next step was rebuilding the basement but, it's done. No telling how many years that slow leak had been weeping.

Re: Water Leak

Reply #54 – November 07, 2019, 06:25:09 pm

I hope this is my final entry on this thread. I removed everything on the hot water heater side, left the hot water heater alone. Replumbed with sharkbite fittings and gasoila on the threaded fittings into the water tank. I filled the tank to the halfway mark and let everything set for a couple hours. Everything is dry. It wasn't the spunon tank fittings that were leaking but the adapters that were threaded into the tank fittings. Foretravel used Teflon tape on those fittings, well someone did, in any case Teflon tape is NOT a sealer and that's what was leaking. Going too let it set overnight and if it is still dry in the AM I will call it fixed.

A hundred and fifty dollars in parts for a $.50 fix. I believe gasoila on the original fittings would have taken care of the leak. However the fill valve under the cabinet in the bathroom was leaking. I installed two Sharkbite shutoff valve for the outside "shower" faucet, (was always nervous with the handles on those faucets) replaced a bad expansion tank and installed new Sharkbite shutoff valves and a new water pump (had a spare and figured it was a good time to replace the ten year old pump).

Now I have to replace the flapper in the Microphor toilet and re-install the toilet Oh the Joy of it all.

Roland

Re: Water Leak

Reply #55 – December 03, 2019, 02:30:49 pm

Everything was just fine until I filled the water tank to get maximum head pressure on my fittings. You guessed it I had a leak. I believe however that I overtightened the inlet fitting and broke it. Wasn't leaking there before is now. Called a place in Phoenix that does spin welding but they wanted most of my retirement income to do the job. And I had to bring the tank to Phoenix leave it and go back so I said scr#$ this I'm going to fix it myself.

The first picture shows the pressure/leak test on the assembly I fabricated. The assembly is a piece of plastic from cutting board I purchased at Walmart. The through fittings are hose fittings that I purchased from Amazon . The sharkbite fittings are two that I already had in my spare parts.

The second picture is my executed solution.

The third picture is the system I used to bond my assembly to the water tank.

I will fill the tank and if I have a leak from the assembly I will weld the perimeter of the assembly. I may weld it if it doesn't leak haven't decided yet.

I will post my results when I completed the leak test.

Roland

Re: Water Leak

Reply #56 – December 03, 2019, 07:10:39 pm

Roland where did you get the sealers etc
JohnH

Re: Water Leak

Reply #57 – December 03, 2019, 08:41:59 pm

Quote from: John Haygarth – December 03, 2019, 07:10:39 pm

Roland where did you get the sealers etc
JohnH

Quote from: John Haygarth – December 03, 2019, 07:10:39 pm

Roland where did you get the sealers etc
JohnH

I bought the bonding system from Amazon after a bunch of research. It's a three step process. Tech - Bond is the manufacterer

1 spray both pieces with the Poly Prep and let dry....dries quickly
2 spray ONE surface with Activator/Accelerator and let dry. And apply heat with a hair dryer.
3 Apply the SI Blue to the other surface.

Then you put the two surfaces together and hold them for them for fifteen second and that's it.

According too their literature the adhesion is at a molecular level. I've seen demonstrations on YouTube where they adhered a silicone rubber piece to polypropelyne. I do know that my piece of cutting board is adhering well at this point. Going too fill the tank tomorrow and see how it goes.

Roland

Re: Water Leak

Reply #58 – January 23, 2020, 02:28:48 pm

Final entry on this issue. I still had small leaks after soldering the seam of the cutting board to the water tank. Tried many times to resolder the areas that were leaking with no results. I only succeeded in making a mess of already messy attempts at soldering the seams. Kent Speers recommended applying 3M 5200 Marine adhesive sealant to the problem areas. I covered the entire area with the 3M sealant, let it cure for ten days. Today I put a hundred gallons of water in the tank and no leaks. Photo shows the application of the sealant as well as my testing method and results. Thank you Kent.
Roland

Re: Water Leak

Reply #59 – January 23, 2020, 02:58:47 pm

Sounds like a good product to carry a little 3 oz of. If it is used to seal thru hulls on a boat, it sounds like an excellent sealer, as long as it is not something you might have to remove easily later.

3M Marine Adhesive Sealant 5200, PN05203, White, 3 oz Tube Amazon.com: 3M Marine Adhesive Sealant 5200, PN05203, White, 3 oz Tube:...

As an Amazon Associate Foretravel Owners' Forum earns from qualifying purchases.

Re: Water Leak

Reply #60 – January 24, 2020, 07:58:40 am

I carry the 3M 4000, 4200, and 5200. Covers most anything I should need.https://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/document.do?docId=510
John

Re: Water Leak

Reply #61 – January 25, 2020, 11:37:34 am

I try to buy the smallest tube. The tips always glog up and making it difficult to use the next time. Anyone have any preventive storage secrets they would like to share?
John M.

Re: Water Leak

Reply #62 – January 25, 2020, 03:09:37 pm

John,

I have used 5200 for over 35 years and have never found a way to keep it from "glogging" up after it has been initially used. What I have done is, after the top part of the tube has solidified, cut a slit in the side of the tube to get one last use out of the tube before throwing it away.

If someone else has a good way of preserving it, I would love to know.

Richard

Re: Water Leak

Reply #63 – January 26, 2020, 02:40:19 am

Quote from: Jan & Richard – January 25, 2020, 03:09:37 pm

John,

I have used 5200 for over 35 years and have never found a way to keep it from "glogging" up after it has been initially used. What I have done is, after the top part of the tube has solidified, cut a slit in the side of the tube to get one last use out of the tube before throwing it away.

If someone else has a good way of preserving it, I would love to know.

Richard

This might help keep it from getting hard as fast.
The removeable tips I put a zip tie ( big end) in the back side of the tube and let it dry that should make it easier to pull out with a pair of pliers. On tubes that the tips are not removeable, instead of putting a screw or nail in the tip, I use duck tape cover the end and it will help keep most of the air from getting in.
NO guarantees
Just my two ccents

Re: Water Leak

Reply #64 – January 26, 2020, 09:13:14 am

I wear the disposable gloves when working with sealants-- get plenty from my bother, a dentist.

When finished, I pull off the little finger part of the glove and use tape to hold it firmly over the tip. Does a good job of keeping air out.

Re: Water Leak

Reply #65 – January 26, 2020, 09:19:51 am

Also, my boat partner taught me a trick when working with SikaFlex or 3M products or any thick caulk like sealants, especially ones like 5200 and Sikaflex - he masks off where he wants the sealant to stop - and smooths the sealant down from what the joint he is sealing to the edge of the masking tape. After he has the sealant looking like he wants and before it sets up he removes the masking tape and the clean up is almost nothing, while the job looks nice and tidy.

Try it, you may find it simpler and less messy.

Re: Water Leak

Reply #66 – March 01, 2020, 04:22:04 pm

Thought I'd post a couple photos. This is the position I had to get into to hook up the water tank sensors. I did not want to remove the hot water heater as it works and does not leak. Another ten pounds and I wouldn't fit.

Roland

Re: Water Leak

Reply #67 – March 01, 2020, 05:40:41 pm

Quote from: Roland Begin – March 01, 2020, 04:22:04 pm

This is the position I had to get into to hook up the water tank sensors.

Your water heater setup looks similar to mine. When faced with the prospect of attaching SeeLevel strips to my fresh water tank, I decided it would be nice to have a "inspection port" allowing access to behind the water heater. Made the job MUCH easier!

Behind the Water Heater Access Port

Re: Water Leak

Reply #68 – March 01, 2020, 06:54:38 pm

Chuck I like your solution, would have made the job an awful lot easier. Will have to keep it in mind in case I have to get back there again.

Roland

Re: Water Leak

Reply #69 – March 02, 2020, 12:45:55 am

Quote from: Roland Begin – March 01, 2020, 04:22:04 pm

Thought I'd post a couple photos. This is the position I had to get into to hook up the water tank sensors. I did not want to remove the hot water heater as it works and does not leak. Another ten pounds and I wouldn't fit.

Roland

On the bright side you can skip the yoga class this week! Sorry we missed you in Puerto Peñasco!

see ya
ken

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