fresh water leak in my Attitude 26' toy hauler

[Dan_Diego]

My last camping trip to Ocotillo Wells produced a leak in one of my fresh water tanks. The leak is at an area of high stress so in addition to fixing the leak, I plan to re-engineer the weight distribution of the fresh water tank(s). The weight of the tanks is supported by 2" angle iron roughly at mid height of the tank (See link - side view). The tank then has an unsupported lower section of the tank. The stress from driving with full tanks for boondocking and without adequate support resulting in what is currently a small crack where the lower section and the upper section meet (x marks the spot).

Similar design tank by Americart

My first task will be to repair the leak. I bought the $17 Harbor Freight Plastic Welder. Given the plethora of youtube videos, I do not believe this to be too challenging.

My second task will be to add some support system to help distributed some weight to the bottom of the tank thereby removing some of the load from the current upper section of the tank. The plan I have decided on at this moment is to weld some eyelets on to the angle iron that currently support the upper section of the tank and use those eyelets to run supporting ratcheting straps under the bottom of the lower section of the tank. I am a novice welder in every sense of the word so this will be a big task for me.

The third task was realized when I removed the leaking tank. The bottom of the tank is not simply flat but instead has a bit of a belly. I was surprised at the amount of water that remained in the tank after it was drained. I plan to install another drain valve at the low point of the tank in order to drain the last several gallons of water that the current drain is unable to account for. I assume that there must be a valve assembly that will be appropriate for this application. I will not be able to thread any kind of nut inside the tank for this supplemental drain. There must be a sleeve that compresses when tightened.

Please let me know if you have any thoughts or guidance you would like to share.

[Y-Guy]

Dan Diego, thanks for the follow up. Keep us in the loop!

[Dan_Diego]

Thanks all for the help. I just wanted to update the thread with my action and results.
I was able to weld the crack without any issues using the cheap harbor freight plastic welder (large soldering iron looking thing). Having no previous experience with it, I practiced on some other plastic I had laying about the garage. If I have to do again, I will pay extra attention to make sure that I have sufficiently melted the tank plastic for a better bond. The tank is Medium Density and my welding rods were Light Density. After one trip, post repair, the weld is holding.
I was able to support the bottom of my fresh water tanks in the same manner as mhamershock. I fastened a piece of 3" x 3" angle iron the leaf spring mounting brackets. I then ran a 1" x 3" length of tube steel under each of my fresh water tank, supported by the angle iron. I was fortunate with the layout of my leaf spring brackets with respect to the location of the fresh water tanks. The tanks do not sag anymore so I not longer concerned about fashioning a lower drain valve.
Final note. Neither support is directly under the center of the fresh water tanks for a couple of different reasons. As a result, I will be watchful to see if the current support creates a stress issue elsewhere. If I do run into an issue with the current repair, I will likely utilize a longer length of the 3" x 3" angle iron and then run two steel tube supports under each tank, twelve to eighteen inches apart.

[Dirtclods]

Dirtclods

Newport Beach

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Posted: 02/08/18 10:30pm
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judelaurenzo25g wrote:

Dirtclods wrote:

07 19 Ft" Eclipse Attitude cracks around the spin weld for both of the fresh water tanks. I had to get repaired @ https://ronco-plastics.com/


When it was new or recently?



2014 front fresh water tank then recently 2nd fresh water tank. Poor design right where the spin weld is at the fitting there's the curve on the bottom of the tank it's the weakest and thinnest part of the tank and it flexes.
https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/29543173/gotomsg/29557822.cfm#29557822

[Vw_triker]

I have tried the plastic welders, advise you to practice with it before you try it on the water tank, if not careful, you can do a lot of melting and not get anything welded, it does work pretty well, but I would not go right to something pretty important before I understood how it worked. I made that mistake.

[nayther]

Dan Diego wrote:
Dutchman, thanks for the idea but not sure that will work for me. After a little more thought, it seems to me that the holes in the tank currently are spin welded fittings. I may have to determine just how badly I want a full drain on the tanks.

Yes, they are spin welded. Since you're in So Cal and don't have to winterize I don't see any reason to get the tank completely empty

My last trailer split a seam and I found a ABS repair kit on line, took a couple of trys but it worked. You can probably go back through my old posts and find the name of the kit.

Adding supports is a good idea, most are just held up like yours in stock.

[Dan_Diego]

Dutchman, thanks for the idea but not sure that will work for me. After a little more thought, it seems to me that the holes in the tank currently are spin welded fittings. I may have to determine just how badly I want a full drain on the tanks.

[mhamershock]

I did this to the rear tank in my CBG27 Attitude. I put in a new tank (http://www.incaplastics.com/contact.htm) and supported it frame to frame with a piece of unistrut bolted to the spring shackle. There's a hole in the spring shackle in the perfect spot for this already. No welding needed. Tank stays nice a flat now at full 50 gal load and drains well - you won't need another valve.

Rock solid now.

[DutchmenSport]

Maybe something like this for your drain plug? Click here.

[Dan_Diego]

Hi Jeff,

I did not think we would cross paths again so soon but, wow, it is a small world. Thanks for the advice. I will have to take another look. I like your idea right away because I believe that would remove the need to weld below the trailer which my original plan required. Also, I would not need to remove the forward tank. My concern is that the belly of the tanks hang below the top of the axles so it would require some creativeness. I would post some pictures but have not seen the ability to do that on this forum.

[Blackdiamond]

Dan,

This is Jeff, we met this weekend and almost camped together. I was wondering if there is a way to extend the bolts holding the angle iron and then add a second set of angle iron for the lower section. So it would be upper section with long bolts (or threaded rod) with the supporting the upper section tightened with nuts and then the bolt extends down to lower section with another angle iron support (and maybe even some marine plywood) for the lower section.

Hard to give advise without pics.