Belly Full Of Water

[shov]

Well we just returned from a great trip to Boise. Just prior to leaving I noticed unusual tension in the front belly of the Alpine. Gave it a knock with the fist and I knew it was full of water. I punched a small hole in the chloroplast and let it start draining. Well now I have the belly opened up and determined that the sealed joint between the front gray water tank and the valve. So to get to my question, it appears to me that the sealant has developed a small release and I would hope it it is easy to seal back up and what could I grab at HD?


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[chuckster57]

Are the band clamps tight? Often that's the issue, if not then we like to use Dicor and slather it on thick after cleaning both surfaces real good.

[shov]

Actually chuckster there are no band clamps. So nothing here at HD that you would recommend. Wait till the RV store opens and slather the joint real well with Dicor?


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[chuckster57]

so the flange that the valve sits in is glued into the tank outlet? If so its ABS and a good coating of ABS glue may fix it.

[shov]

I think that is what your describing, yes.


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[Pull Toy]

Had the same situation, but my "cra**y" city water hook-up was the problem. Like...what were they thinking wit that get-up?

Might want to check it while you're open. Solved the problem by attaching a 90 degree brass fitting permanently to the less than stellar set up.

[shov]

Thanks pull toy. It's amazing what you see when you open things up. Like two 6" holes drilled through the floor


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[shov]

Is it acceptable to substitute the thin non-faced insulation with a rigid foam in the belly?


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[Alpine]

Originally Posted by shov

Is it acceptable to substitute the thin non-faced insulation with a rigid foam in the belly?


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I also had some water in the front underbelly and the insulation soaked it up like a sponge! I pulled out the white insulation, left the thin aluminum whatever and closed it back up! I don't plan on being in "cold weather" for any length of time and if so I'll just fire up the furnace!

I'll leave it to the pros to tell you about the "rigid foam".

[chuckster57]

I wouldn't use it. Common to see Kraft faced insulation, and yeah it soaks up liquids like a sponge.

[shov]

Is the faced and Kraft faced the same? Paper down? Do I need tape the rolls of insulation together?


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[chuckster57]

Not sure. No you don't tape them together and yes paper side down.

[shov]

Thanks all!


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[SLIMSHADIE]

I had a leak coming from the grey water tank. All joints were glued and there were a couple hairline cracks at the outlet neck from the grey tank. I cleaned them real well with rubbing alcohol. Put on disposable gloves and used the thick gel superglue pushing it into the cracks. Let dry and coated with jb weld. Has not leaked for 2 years.

[shov]

Very similar to what I have done. After further inspection it was leaking from what looks like a factory seal on the tank to the outlet. I may just touch up the other tank that's visible while I'm under there.


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[shov]

Well just to update, I successfully sealed the leak at the joint of the gray water tank. Added insulation to several voids as well as replaced the wet insulation above the chloroplast! I used R13 which come to find out it was a little fluffier than that which was replaced, so I may have to add a few pieces of angle iron across the belly to remove some of the fluff. Its not too bad and I was planning on doing it anyway, now I will just do it sooner. Thanks for all the help from the members of this forum, once again!