I think I ruptured my fresh water tank

Thank you guys for your suggestions. This morning I got under the RV with both front slides out. I was able to locate a removable panel on the side of the water tank compartment. Inside I see a small tank about 30 to 36 inches long connected with a hose at the bottom to another tank to the front of it. The fresh water fill hose is connected at this end. I can't see enough to know whether there are two more tanks or one more tank. About 9 or 10 feet forward of this tank, through my front cargo bay door there is a small hole where I can see the front end of another fresh water tank, where the drain valve attaches. That 30 to 36 inch rear tank that is visible can easily be removed through the access panel that I have open without any problem, but I wonder whether the tank or tanks ahead of it will fit through the same hole???

Has anyone else with a 2003 Southwind 36B or something similar had any experience with this? I have taken a number of pictures by sliding my digital camera around the tank to see that all of the connections on top of the visible part of the tank are intact and dry.

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

Anmacc2 wrote:
I was afraid of that.... I'm one of those Forrest Gump kind of guys where everything I do turns out really really well but the path I take to get there doesn't seem to make any sense to others. They say that God takes care of fools and drunks. Well I don't drink so I guess that narrows it down.

Isn't the saying "fools, drunks and children"? We'll just presume you're a very young Gump. :)

Anmacc2 wrote:

nomad.297 wrote:

Anmacc2 wrote:
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.

This makes absolutely no sense.

Bruce

I was afraid of that.... I'm one of those Forrest Gump kind of guys where everything I do turns out really really well but the path I take to get there doesn't seem to make any sense to others. They say that God takes care of fools and drunks. Well I don't drink so I guess that narrows it down.

If you put water in faster than it can come out, it will pressurize the tank.

nomad.297 wrote:

Anmacc2 wrote:
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.

This makes absolutely no sense.

Bruce

I was afraid of that.... I'm one of those Forrest Gump kind of guys where everything I do turns out really really well but the path I take to get there doesn't seem to make any sense to others. They say that God takes care of fools and drunks. Well I don't drink so I guess that narrows it down.

Anmacc2 wrote:
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.

This makes absolutely no sense.

Bruce

You might be able to find a replacement tank here.

Tank-Depot.com

It 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.

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. :)

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.

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.

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.