RV Water Tank Repair: Troubleshooting

If you enjoy traveling, then you will know that from time to time you need to perform an RV tank repair on your system. There are three types of water tank, of which the water tank is the most likely to be damaged by holes being created in the material of the RV tank. If you find that you need to patch or repair your RV tank, then you can get this done fairly easily, so long as you have a few home improvement skills and some suitable RV tank repair items. This is a job which can be done in a few hours, and will help you to repair the tank until you wish to replace it with another.

Emptying the Water Tank

Before you begin to troubleshoot your RV water tank, you will need to completely empty it, in order to prevent water from leaking on you while you are trying to get the thing fixed. You may have to fill up the tank again in order to check that the leak is not being caused by pressure from water inside the tank, but you should begin any troubleshooting or repair of the RV water tank by emptying it. Empty the tank using a siphon, and then remove it from the RV.

Check the Structure

If you have an old RV, or one that is used on a regular basis, then you will need to make sure that the tank itself is not the problem. Old tanks can develop loose connections, and can also leak through cracks in the metal caused by wear and tear. If you have an aging RV tank, take it out of the vehicle, and lay it on the ground. Look for obvious signs of problems, such as a gap in the rivets around the corner, or water-stains around the sides. You should then be able to detect cracks or splits. Look at the fittings on the outside, and particularly any parts which have been soldered, as these can become loose or damaged. Take off any damaged parts and repair.

Test the tank

If you can see no obvious problems with the tank, then you will need to perform a water test on it. Fill up a large barrel, or the bathtub if necessary, and add a small amount of liquid soap to this. The soapy water should not be full of bubbles, but the liquid should be enough that you can create bubbles with movement from your hand. Seal up the ends of the water tank, and then place it into the water.

With all of the holes sealed, air will be fighting its way out through the crack which usually leaks water. Look for signs of bubbles making their way to the surface. This is evidence of where the crack is. You should also be able to see a small line of bubbles along the path of the crack. Make a note of this, and then remove the tank from the water, and repair.

After this troubleshooting, those water tank issues shouldn't be stopping you now. It's time to get that RV rolling again!