Need Advice - look at used RV, possible freeze damage
I've got a deposit on a 2011 Airstream Avenue class B van. I'm too far away to inspect the unit so I hired a mobile RV tech to help me look over the van.
The biggest worry he found was that the black tank sensor showed 2/3 full. The tech had no way to dump the tank to see if it was actually full (dump station blocked by customer RVs).
The dealer says that they winterized the unit and the black tank sensor is just picking up toilet paper stuck to the sensor. I looked up the sensor in the owners manual and it is a capacitive sensor, mounted on the outside of the tank with no parts inside the tank. I thought this kind of sensor could not be thrown off by stuff stuck to the side of the tank.
The van is in North Carolina, where evening temperatures have been as low as 4 degrees F at night (but usually in the 20s). The recent big storm sent temps well below freezing for over 36 hours straight.
My concern is that there really is 2/3 of a tank (7 gallons) of black water in the black water tank. I'm worried about freezing damage to the tank and the drain valves.
If there is damage to the drain valves, will it be hidden because the macerator pump will keep any water from dripping out?
The dealer says that he will rinse the black water tank and everything should be fine.
I need advice from someone more knowledgeable about this than I am. It's a 21 hour plane flight to the van for me. Is this a deal breaker? How would I inspect the van for freezing damage? I'm a little worried because one of the other problems was a leaking shower faucet - which could have been caused by freezing damage.
Thanks in advance.
The biggest worry he found was that the black tank sensor showed 2/3 full. The tech had no way to dump the tank to see if it was actually full (dump station blocked by customer RVs).
The dealer says that they winterized the unit and the black tank sensor is just picking up toilet paper stuck to the sensor. I looked up the sensor in the owners manual and it is a capacitive sensor, mounted on the outside of the tank with no parts inside the tank. I thought this kind of sensor could not be thrown off by stuff stuck to the side of the tank.
The van is in North Carolina, where evening temperatures have been as low as 4 degrees F at night (but usually in the 20s). The recent big storm sent temps well below freezing for over 36 hours straight.
My concern is that there really is 2/3 of a tank (7 gallons) of black water in the black water tank. I'm worried about freezing damage to the tank and the drain valves.
If there is damage to the drain valves, will it be hidden because the macerator pump will keep any water from dripping out?
The dealer says that he will rinse the black water tank and everything should be fine.
I need advice from someone more knowledgeable about this than I am. It's a 21 hour plane flight to the van for me. Is this a deal breaker? How would I inspect the van for freezing damage? I'm a little worried because one of the other problems was a leaking shower faucet - which could have been caused by freezing damage.
Thanks in advance.
