grey water tank leak
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Forum Name: I need HELP!!!
Forum Discription: Perplexed/need help with a problem - ask here
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14144
Printed Date: 28 Apr 2024 at 3:57pm
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Topic: grey water tank leak
Posted By: jaydub
Subject: grey water tank leak
Date Posted: 20 Oct 2020 at 11:58am
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I promised an update on my grey water tank leak. This is a 'no-progress/solution' message but may be helpful for anyone sharing this problem. Since I do not have the means to elevate the Pod to remove the grey tank, nor the technology to seal any holes, I have delivered the Pod to a dealership to examine. Also, the Canadian winter is setting in and minus temperatures do not encourage such work outside! They are backlogged and it will be 2 to 3 weeks before they even look at it. The technician I talked with told me that attempts at sealing often result in further leakages and frustration. The likelihood is that I may need a new tank. The problem then becomes delivery time as shipments from the U.S. are unreliable and can take up to 10 weeks. Well, Snowbirding to Arizona is out for the foreseeable future, so repairs may have to wait until Spring. I will update sometime in the future (if I live that long!!!). Cheers! ------------- Jaydub |
Replies:
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 20 Oct 2020 at 1:23pm
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If you are planning on snowbirding in AZ.. why not just go, and have it looked at there? The parts from the USA issue is resolved, the RV mechanics are in high gear in snowbird areas, and most will come to you for a small fee, if any at all.
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Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 20 Oct 2020 at 1:31pm
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The land border is closed to nonessential travel due to Covid. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 20 Oct 2020 at 7:27pm
| dang.. I thought it was open.. stupid plague. |
Posted By: jaydub
Date Posted: 20 Oct 2020 at 8:41pm
Yeah, everything is on hold. I maybe will never return to the U.S. as things stand. If they get Covid under control plus a vaccine, then there is hope. Yet, my lady may still be unwilling to go. Our health insurance rates were around $900 per person a month last year and I havn't even checked if they cover Covid. I feel sorry for the vast numbers of businesses down there that rely on us Snowbirds. But then, I feel even sorrier for Me!  . Cheers.------------- Jaydub |
Posted By: mjlrpod
Date Posted: 21 Oct 2020 at 3:23pm
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If it's just a hole in the tank, I would drill it out, and tap it with a pipe tap, and screw in a plug. ------------- 2017.5 Rp-172 2020 R-pod 195 2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl I'll be rpodding |
Posted By: jaydub
Date Posted: 21 Oct 2020 at 8:28pm
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Sorry, but nature of leak is not known at this time. I do not believe the remedy you suggest would work. These tanks will not take adhesive, caulk, whatever, and a plug would surely not last. The repair shop made it clear that only a replacement would be a long-term solution to the leak but we are awaiting the tank being dropped and inspected. Cheers. ------------- Jaydub |
Posted By: mjlrpod
Date Posted: 22 Oct 2020 at 11:57am
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I am talking about actually drilling a hole and tapping (cutting threads into the tank, that would allow a plastic, or brass plug to be screwed in and permanently seal it) it, if it's a hole. The threaded plug will last as long as the tank, as thats what it has in it now. But hey, it's your choice on how to fix it. Since you don't know what the leak source is, who knows if it would work. ------------- 2017.5 Rp-172 2020 R-pod 195 2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl I'll be rpodding |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 22 Oct 2020 at 3:35pm
Tapping a hole is an interesting solution for a material which is very difficult to get an adhesive to stick to. You'd probably need at least a couple of threads engaging for it to hold. If you use NPT standard threads 1/2 inch thread pitch is 0.071 inches and 1 inch is 0.87 inch. So your probably want the tank wall thickness to be at least 0.15 inch thick for a half inch plug and 0.18 for a 1 inch plug. Anybody know how thick the tank walls are? ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: jaydub
Date Posted: 23 Oct 2020 at 9:22am
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Well, they are quite flexible, so I am going to lay a guess of !/8 inch maximum. There are some opinions on the Forum that the tanks are ABS which would make for threading, I think. However, unless Forest River has changed the material, I don't think this is true. I am told it is polypropylene . I will report back when the RV repair shop gets to look at it. Cheers. ------------- Jaydub |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 23 Oct 2020 at 2:33pm
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I don't think its polypropylene, The FWT is LDPE, low density polyethylene. Those are milky white in color typically. Opaque black colored tanks are generally ABS, I suppose it could be LDPE with carbon black in it. If its polyethylene it can be difficult to adhere to but not impossible. ABS is easier. Hobie Kayaks are polyethylene and I repaired some cracks in mine successfully. I first stop drilled the cracks, then sanded the cracks and surrounding surfaces. Then, very important, I flame treated them, which activates the surfaces and greatly improves adhesion. You just wave a propane torch over the area. Then I used gflex epoxy from West Systems. Good stuff, much more flexible than standard epoxy. My cracks were in high stress areas and stayed closed. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |