I think I really caused a big problem for myself today. This is my recently purchased 5th motor home, but I never had a problem like this before. Each of my other motor homes had an overflow on their fresh water tanks. This morning I connected my hose to the water tank fill port and waited to see water coming out of an overflow under the RV when the tank was full. Apparently this one (2003 Southwind 36B) is different. I doesn't have an overflow. When I checked to see if the tank was full I heard a slight popping noise followed by water coming out of seams around the tank enclosure under the RV.Now I don't know how I can access the tank to see what needs to be done to make a repair. Any suggestions?Thanks in advance.

All tanks have a vent. Whether yours was open is unknown. You'll need to access the top of the tank to check the operation of the vent. You may have gotten lucky and popped off a clogged hose or some such. Inspection is needed.

Admittedly, I might not know what I'm talking about: BUT, water can't be compressed. Therefor, it either came out an overflow, or a vent, or would have backed up and out of where you were putting it in. The tank could never hold more than its capacity and it can't build up pressure, so how could you have ruptured it? I would bet that it overflowed and the water is seeping out of the enclosure. Personally, I would do nothing and see if the excess water stops draining in a day or two. Also, I have never heard of a water tank without an overflow of some kind, even if it comes out the vent.

I have had a most unusual event where the flow tube to the actual vent hole just where you put the hose in came loose in the back off the plastic connector. When I filled the tank, finally water would flow up the tube, then spill out behind the wall and onto the floor. I finally figured that one out by finding the tube with my hand, and feeling the water coming out.Once pushed back on, all went well again.I have learned to take my digital camera on close up, and take pictures inside places where my hands can reach but my eyes can't see. That system works very well.

Congrats on your new camper.The "pop" you heard could have been the threaded overflow being spit from the water tank. Can you guess where the tank is by where the water is dripping?You might also want to find your low point drain. Your water tank could be in that vicinity. And if you know where your water pump is, you can see where it gets water from and follow that line to the fresh tank. I've not heard of a fresh water tank not having an overflow. Maybe your SouthWind is special. :)

You might be able to find a replacement tank here.Tank-Depot.comIt does sound from your description that you pressurized the tank, and might have ripped a seam open! That would be bad. If you where hooked up to 60 PSI + water pressure to the city inlet to the RV, and open a valve to fill the fresh water tank, yes you could have 60 PSI in the tank, and over a 30" X 30" sidewall of the tank, that is 900 square inches, or well over 5,000+ pounds of pressure against the sidewall of the tank! Good luck with this problem. Start looking in all the basement compartments. Look for a panel that can be removed. It might be covered with carpet, or whatever the inside of the basement is covered with. I found them in the 'center' of the basement, over the steel chassis of the RV. This helps weight distribution a lot, so they locate two each tanks, that are 'wedge shape' so you can fit in one, then the other to the space, and take them out without disassembly of the RV. Fred.

I think I ruptured my fresh water tank | Good Sam Community

20 Replies

GMandJM
Explorer
Sep 11, 2015
Cool. Thanks for the update.

Always nice to know - especially when things turn out well.
Ro646a
Explorer II
Sep 11, 2015
I'm the OP on this thread. Thank you all for your comments and advice.
I ended up pulling out both tanks. I pressurized them both with air and found no leaks. What I did find was the drain pipe was just VERY loosely turned into the threaded port on the front tank. I was unable to see where it connected to the tank to see if that was where the leak was. Hard to explain, but apparently it was never tightened at the factory and only the pipe dope was keeping it from leaking until I accidentally overfilled the tanks and put an excessive amount of pressure on the system.

Anyway.....I was able to fix it myself. Thankfully!! :) :)
Blazing_Zippers
Explorer II
Sep 07, 2015
I just got our trailer back with a new fresh water tank installed. The bottom part of the tank near the dump valve just sort of sagged down to the point where it had a two inch split on a corner.
The rv dealer rolled the belly back, removed the defective tank, placed a new tank, and buttoned up the belly. It ONLY cost $722.00!
I looked into doing the job myself, but the trips to the hospital, pizza, beer, eye wash, bandages, and skinned knuckles probably would have added to more then the dealer cost.
Sometimes, stuff happens and we have to roll with it. Good luck.
Chuck_thehammer
Explorer
Sep 06, 2015
there usually have a water Fill hose... a water holding tank.. and an Air Vent hose... and some have a bug screen at the end of the Air Vent hose.

Fill hose is loose or split
Air Vent hose is split or blocked.
Water tank split. (lease likely)

I found I have a small crack in my Water Fill Hose.. its just getting to it.
mine stops leaking at the 1/2 full mark.
Ro646a
Explorer II
Sep 05, 2015
Thanks for all the comments. I have the rear tank out now and it is fine. I don't know how to post a picture.....but the leak is not from the top of either tank, nor is it from any of the hose connections. The water seems to be emanating from somewhere mid point along the driver's side of the front tank, where I can't see. It holds water up to about the 3/4 mark.

Thank again....

Oh...and unfortunately, now that I have the rear tank out I can see that the front tank is about twice as long as the rear and is the full width between the frame rails.....so I will not be able to maneuver it out the small access hole where I removed the rear tank.......This does not look good.
2gypsies1
Explorer III
Sep 05, 2015
What does your fresh water gauge show? Full? If you have water in your tank you did not rupture it.

We always filled ours by watching the gauge and turning water off just when it read full - not waiting until it came out of the overfill.
beemerphile1
Explorer
Sep 05, 2015
Ro646a wrote:

...My next move is to drain the tanks and start trying to remove them.

My logic would indicate to me that if I have to drain the tank, it didn't rupture. A ruptured tank would be self draining.
John_Wayne
Explorer II
Sep 05, 2015
Can you see where the water is coming out before you start pulling tanks. It could just be coming out an over flow.
GMandJM
Explorer
Sep 05, 2015
I'm having a bit of trouble following your written description. Is it possible to post photos of what you're seeing.

I'd never tell a guy (or gal) how to wrench on their MH, but removing all the tanks seems a bit drastic if you're just looking for the overflow or a possible leak in one tank.
korbe
Explorer
Sep 05, 2015
My fresh water tank is filled from a non-hose threaded hole. I stick the hose in the hole and start filling the tank - on the slow side. When the water backs up the fill tube, it's full and ready for some campin.

If your tank is filled through a threaded hose connection, a vent would need to be working or no water would replace the air in the tank. In that case you would pressurize the tank with both air and water.