Leaking Gray and Black Tanks At Outlets

Right, I may not be able to find replacements with the same fitting outlets. Not that that scares me, but I don't want to get into that level of work at this point.

As for what I used, I cleaned everything with acetone, and used ABS glue. For the first layer repair, I just used the ABS straight from the can. The second layer repair, I took an ABS pipe piece, created shavings and mixed it in a jar to make it a thicker consistency.

Everything I read, said that the ABS doesn't work well with other materials like adhesives or epoxy.

leeper wrote:
You need new tanks! They both need replacing.

That might not be a choice.

Your repairs look well done. I'd be interested in what you used for the ABS tanks. I have a pinhole leak somewhere in my waste system and may need to do the same thing.

You need new tanks! They both need replacing.

Thanks for the help! It didn't look like anything could be turned or tightened.

I found a video on youtube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2rVLU3bDMY

I also referenced this - http://rvsandohvs.blogspot.com/2012/09/holding-tank-repairs.html

I felt it was best to do the ABS repair suggestion first, rather than have something I try fail, and have to then deal with getting the attempt off.

I cleaned everything very well with acetone and discovered way more than what I thought. There was a small hole in the gray water tank and cracking all around the flange. The Black water tank had cracking all around the flange. Both seemed glued into place, and I wanted to see if this gluing fix would do the trick. Granted, it's more tricky when it's around a flange, and not on a flat surface.

I drilled where I saw the cracks heading to the ends of the cracks.

The tanks were emptied on our first trip, there was some residual in the gray, I should have parked on more on an incline - hind sight - 20/20

I found I needed to replace the gate valves, so I haven't tested anything yet.

Will post the results as soon as I get the valves in.

Gray Before
Gray After

Black Before
Black After

Jimmer,

I would hope Lakeside is right, but approach it gently. I believe that what he thinks is a lock ring are just the lugs in the male adapter.

If you could, please take and post another picture from the side to show how the pipes actually connect to the tanks.

Matt

Awesome, thanks!

I'll clean what's there and see what I can do with trying to turn them out.

Will keep you posted, I'll be working on it this weekend!

Looks like a locking ring on black tank outlet. Gently turn counterclockwise until pipe releases from tank. Clean up pipe threads, apply pipe dope AND Teflon plumber's tape to threads and reconnect. Do not over tighten or threads will strip.

Good luck.

Keep us posted.

Lakeside

OK Jimmer,

I know what your problem is and I know how to fix one.

The problem is that the dump pipes are screwed into the tank. That wasn't bad when they were new, but they aren't new any more.

The gray can be fixed by tightening. It should be removed from the tank and cleaned and coated with new thread sealant and put back in GENTLY. You don't want to crank it home because it with cause the tank fitting to crack. If you can't turn the whole pipe, go to a big box and get a rubber coupling and cut the pipe as close to the tank as you can and still have a stub left to put the rubber coupling on.

That can work for the gray, but it looks like the black was done with a street ell right out of the tank. If you can figure out how to do it, the same trick could work there. You may end up replacing the whole black run.

Matt