Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Holding tank replacement or repair
| Holding tank replacement or repair [message #343453] |
Sat, 18 May 2019 15:45  |
Scott Nutter
Messages: 782
Registered: January 2015
Location: Houston/San Diego
Karma: 4
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Senior Member |
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I noticed I have a small/medium leak in my black water tank. It is a 78 Royale Center Kitchen. This unit has 2 separate waste tanks (black water and gray water).
I have read post where plastic welding would be the preferred method of repair. But being the original tanks, maybe it's time to replace?
Couple of questions on replacement,,,,
1. Should I just go with a large single tank?
2. If I replace both tanks, will they come already cut/drilled for the sinks, shower, and toilet?
Thanks, Scott.
Scott Nutter
1978 Royale Center Kitchen, Patterson 455, switch pitch tranny, 3.21 final drive, Quad bags, Dave Lenzi super duty mid axle disc brakes, tankless water heater, everything Lenzi. Alex Ferrera installed MSD Atomic EFI
Houston, Texas
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| Re: Holding tank replacement or repair [message #343497 is a reply to message #343453] |
Sun, 19 May 2019 23:33  |
timthenomad
Messages: 63
Registered: June 2015
Location: Austin, TX
Karma: 5
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Hi Scott,
I recently parked my coach for the winter over the top of one of those concrete parking slabs. When the air in the bags went down it lowered the black tank down right on top of it. I patched it up using this kit and a little bit of fiberglass cloth.
https://www.amazon.com/West-System-Epoxy-Adhesive-Repair/dp/B002IZBM4I
Patch is strong, leak free, and I am really happy with the results. While I was under there I noticed that PO had done a similar patch on the same crack. It had lasted at lest 5 years and would have gone longer if not for my unfortunate parking job. Before I patched mine I read a lot threads advising to bite the bullet and get a new tank. Now I think of it like this. Somewhere out there right now is a rock/ speed bump / retread / antler with your black tanks name on it. If it busts a hole in the one you spent $400 and a whole day installing its a tragedy. If it busts open the one with $25 patch job you just shrug and pull out the unused part of the patch kit. Your cost per snakebit black tank is now down to $12.50.
--Tim
Tim Taylor
Austin TX
Philadelphia PA
76 Birchaven (SB)
76 Triumph TR6
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| Re: Holding tank replacement or repair [message #343498 is a reply to message #343453] |
Mon, 20 May 2019 05:52 |
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Matt Colie
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
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Senior Member |
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Scott Nutter wrote on Sat, 18 May 2019 16:45I noticed I have a small/medium leak in my black water tank. It is a 78 Royale Center Kitchen. This unit has 2 separate waste tanks (black water and gray water).
I have read post where plastic welding would be the preferred method of repair. But being the original tanks, maybe it's time to replace?
Couple of questions on replacement,,,,
1. Should I just go with a large single tank?
2. If I replace both tanks, will they come already cut/drilled for the sinks, shower, and toilet?
Thanks, Scott.
Scott,
If you order the tank from JimK, you might be able to get one that is ready to install. Otherwise, I think it would be a slim bet.
Welding may be the preferred method of repair, but the tank is either polypropylene or polyethylene and this is not something that is likely to be successfully welded at home and for sure, not in place. I know, I used to weld it when I worked at Thetford about a lifetime ago. I tried it on my own black tank and ended up taking the tank to a plastic shop for repair. (Twice, but that is a story in its own.) This was before G-Flex.
The kit Tim called out is not normal epoxy. It is West Systems G-Flex. This is an epoxy that is flexible when cured. It will still require that you "flame treat" the area that needs to have the epoxy bond to it. This is an interesting process. It requires that you run the flame of a propane torch over the area. This changes the surface of the tank material to something that is not poly-whatsit but that material is still part of the tank.
We had a demonstration of this material and process at an international a while back.
Matt
Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
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| Re: [GMCnet] Holding tank replacement or repair [message #343499 is a reply to message #343453] |
Mon, 20 May 2019 05:51 |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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Scott,
I
I wouldn't even THINK about replacing the gray and black water tanks with a
gray+black tank! Without even considering that it would be much more
difficult than replacing them individually. I simply know that over the
past 60+ years of RVing, I've never had reliable level indication until the
gray water appeared in the bathtub. Thank goodness it's never been
combined water! :-)
Since it's been over 20 years since I replaced both tanks in the
X-Birchaven, I don't remember whether the hidden deterioration justified
the effort.
Ken H.
On Sat, May 18, 2019 at 6:26 PM Scott Nutter via Gmclist <
gmclist@list.gmcnet.org> wrote:
> I noticed I have a small/medium leak in my black water tank. It is a 78
> Royale Center Kitchen. This unit has 2 separate waste tanks (black water and
> gray water).
> I have read post where plastic welding would be the preferred method of
> repair. But being the original tanks, maybe it's time to replace?
> Couple of questions on replacement,,,,
> 1. Should I just go with a large single tank?
> 2. If I replace both tanks, will they come already cut/drilled for the
> sinks, shower, and toilet?
> Thanks, Scott.
> --
> Scott Nutter
> 1978 Royale Center Kitchen, Patterson 455, switch pitch tranny, 3.21 final
> drive, Quad bags, tankless water heater, everything Lenzi. Alex Ferrera
> installed MSD Atomic EFI
> Houston, Texas
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
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Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
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| Re: Holding tank replacement or repair [message #343503 is a reply to message #343453] |
Mon, 20 May 2019 07:34 |
Tilerpep
Messages: 404
Registered: June 2013
Location: Raleigh, NC
Karma: 7
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Senior Member |
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My 1978 Coachmen Royale has ABS tanks which are easier to repair with proper ABS supplies than the poly whateversomething the GMC upfits have.
1975 Glenbrook, 1978 Royale rear bath
Raleigh, NC
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| Re: Holding tank replacement or repair [message #343504 is a reply to message #343453] |
Mon, 20 May 2019 07:36 |
jhbridges
Messages: 8412
Registered: May 2011
Location: Braselton ga
Karma: -74
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Senior Member |
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My Norris 23' didn't even have gauges. You could see the end of the water tank in a closet and the black and fresh tanks were the same size. When the supply gets low, go dump. Keeps it out of the tub. Propane had a gauge on the tank, no remote.
--johnny
Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
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| Re: Holding tank replacement or repair [message #343507 is a reply to message #343453] |
Mon, 20 May 2019 09:41 |
lqqkatjon
Messages: 2324
Registered: October 2010
Location: St. Cloud, MN
Karma: 5
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Senior Member |
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just fyi- single replacement tank is not that large. I am pretty sure my oem was 35 gallon, the new one I installed is 30 gallon. the correct tank replacement came all drilled and was simple to install. the only difference was the valve mounting. but on your coachman, I cannot comment on those talks as I have never had to deal with the 2 talk systems.
I have seen the same number of tanks repaired that leak, that no longer leak. all varies on repair methods used and the person doing the repair. I have also seen people buy new tanks only to find out it was a simple tank fitting that fell apart, and others who thought it was a tank fitting and there talk was garbage.
Jon Roche
75 palm beach
EBL EFI, manny headers, Micro Level, rebuilt most of coach now.
St. Cloud, MN
http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/
[Updated on: Mon, 20 May 2019 09:43] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: [GMCnet] Holding tank replacement or repair [message #343523 is a reply to message #343507] |
Mon, 20 May 2019 16:47 |
jimk
Messages: 6734
Registered: July 2006
Location: Belmont, CA
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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Scott,
Sice you have two seperate tank, keep it that way.
Flush the black first and followup with gray.
Regular RV are set up with two tanks.
Repairing the tank is lot easier than installing a new. We do sell them,
but hate to see people spend time if it is not necessary.
On Mon, May 20, 2019 at 8:33 AM Jon Roche via Gmclist <
gmclist@list.gmcnet.org> wrote:
> just fyi- single replacement tank is not that large. I am pretty sure
> my oem was 35 gallon, the new one I installed is 30 gallon.
>
>
> I have seen the same number of tanks repaired that leak, that no longer
> leak. all varies on repair methods used and the person doing the repair.
>
>
> --
> Jon Roche
> 75 palm beach
> St. Cloud, MN
> http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
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--
Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
jimk@appliedairfilters.com
http://www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
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Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC
jimk@appliedairfilters.com
www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
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| Re: Holding tank replacement or repair [message #343538 is a reply to message #343453] |
Tue, 21 May 2019 09:05 |
Scott Nutter
Messages: 782
Registered: January 2015
Location: Houston/San Diego
Karma: 4
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Senior Member |
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Thanks all,
I think the smart money goes to Tim's repair kit via Amazon. It stays flexible and works on all tanks.
I'll just keep repairing till the tank becomes unrepairable. Then replace.
Scott.
Scott Nutter
1978 Royale Center Kitchen, Patterson 455, switch pitch tranny, 3.21 final drive, Quad bags, Dave Lenzi super duty mid axle disc brakes, tankless water heater, everything Lenzi. Alex Ferrera installed MSD Atomic EFI
Houston, Texas
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