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Old 10-27-2017, 03:32 PM   #1
leemedic
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Leak in Grey Tank?

A few months ago, I noticed the belly of my Montana bulging. I pushed up on it, and it was full of water. I drilled two small holes in it and water drained for quite a long time. I took it into the dealer, told them what happen, and the said they checked it out finding nothing.

The dealer continued to tell me there if a "vent" on the top of the tank that will allow drain water if we overfill the grey tank.

Well, we are camping again, and the same thing happen. Yes, the indicator shows that the grey tank is full, but I don't think it should be dumping into the belly of my Montana.

My concern is there is insulation that is now soaked.

I think I have a bad tank. Your thoughts?
 
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Old 10-27-2017, 04:29 PM   #2
1retired06
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Dealer is wrong. If the gray tank is overfilled, often the top seam splits, if you don't have one of the newer one piece tanks. In most states, illegal to dump anything from a gray tank directly onto the ground. I would drop the underbelly, dry out everything, and look for a split seam at the top of the tank, or at the tank entry. With the underbelly off, fill up the gray tank, and you should be able to spot any leakage. When you have full hookups, leave the gray tank/tanks open. I always leave both of ours open, closing only a day or two before I drain the two black tanks, which I am sure you know must be left closed until dumping.
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Old 10-27-2017, 04:30 PM   #3
richfaa
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The failures usually is at the input at the very top of the tank. When the tank fills the input pipe falls away. There is no "drain" at the top of the tank. you have a failed tank.
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Old 10-27-2017, 07:19 PM   #4
Mike117
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I had a similar problem when I was draining the tank and my wife was taking a shower. Had RV place look at and tried to duplicate. They called keystone and they said never heard about that. Since then I either drain after my wife showers or leave open. Never have had a problem but paid a few dollars to say nothing could be found. The RV place is a place I have done business before. Good luck.
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Old 10-28-2017, 12:13 AM   #5
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When our grey tank developed a leak, I finally dropped the belly, began filling the tank, and for the longest time, while filling, there was no sign of a leak. I finally crawled under and started pushing on the bottom of the tank, and finally got water on my hand from a crack on the bottom of the tank. The crack, in one of the molded inverted v grooves, was almost not noticeable. I was able to repair the crack with Plasti-Mend, and once that was repaired, I added a couple extra braces across under the tanks and installed blocking to support the tanks. They do not sag now, and I can fill them to the top with no worry of them failing. This is a mod that should be built at the factory. Once I had all the braces installed and the blocking glued to the bottom of the tanks, the braces came down, the belly reinstalled and the braces also reinstalled. This was the best mod I've done to the rig to date.
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Old 10-29-2017, 07:47 PM   #6
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I have experience three leaks one in each grey tank and one in the black tank. All have occurred in the bottom similar to that described by rohrmann. One was taken to camping world for repair and they found "no problems". Dropping the bottom material and looking goes along way towards identifying the problem. Replacing the tank is not my first choice as the tanks are of minimal thickness and will also fail. Repair and support is as good or better in my opinion.
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Old 10-29-2017, 08:19 PM   #7
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You need To drop the belly cover and look for the leak yourself most of the time the dealer
does not even drop the cover and look for a leak if your lucky they mite put water in it had a buddy with that problem they said dropped it and when he said how did the do that
when it still had the rivets that he had put in it the day befor.

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Old 11-04-2017, 04:03 AM   #8
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These are all great responses. We have an extended Cornerstone Warrantee, so we are going to take it back to the dealer, and ensure they remove the bottom and inspect the tank.
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Old 11-04-2017, 07:29 AM   #9
richfaa
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And I thought I was the only one who had tank leaks and failures.
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Old 11-04-2017, 03:37 PM   #10
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Richfaa

No I was told from Keystone that I was the only one that was experiencing a problem!!! LOL
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Old 11-04-2017, 05:15 PM   #11
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Monday I will have to call keystone on this,
twice I took my 2016 in for warranty that the galley grey tank would "leak" only when filled. I rarely check my gages because I would drain every2-3 days when using. one day DW told me the sink isn't draining, I went out to drain it, there was a small drip maybe about 1/2 cup total had leaked under the valve. I drained and no more leak/drip. couple weeks later same scenario. finally get home to take into the shop and they say no leak everything ok.
took back out and same scenario took back 2 weeks ago and was told no leak I explained for the 4th time when it leaks, only when it is completely full and the sink stops draining. they told me that's natural because of the way the tank is constructed. the fill pipe "floats" where it connects to the tank allowing it to slide up and down its not a fixed/solid connection.
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Old 11-04-2017, 05:56 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by L0veless View Post
Monday I will have to call keystone on this,
twice I took my 2016 in for warranty that the galley grey tank would "leak" only when filled. I rarely check my gages because I would drain every2-3 days when using. one day DW told me the sink isn't draining, I went out to drain it, there was a small drip maybe about 1/2 cup total had leaked under the valve. I drained and no more leak/drip. couple weeks later same scenario. finally get home to take into the shop and they say no leak everything ok.
took back out and same scenario took back 2 weeks ago and was told no leak I explained for the 4th time when it leaks, only when it is completely full and the sink stops draining. they told me that's natural because of the way the tank is constructed. the fill pipe "floats" where it connects to the tank allowing it to slide up and down its not a fixed/solid connection.
I do not know about a 2016 but my 2013 3402 is not like that
and we did not see anything like that at the factory on the factory tour.
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Old 11-05-2017, 06:12 PM   #13
Dmcgrew
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I agree the 1014 3402rl was a solid connection to the drain pipe. It did not "float". I took mine in to have checked and also told no problem. Next time tank filled it leaked.
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Old 11-14-2017, 01:10 PM   #14
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I called keystone they said its a solid connection.
went to RV dealer and asked them to order me the gasket/flange for the floating connection so I have one next time this part goes bad., knowing there was no such thing just to "catch them in the lie". yep there is no such thing. in a conference call with keystone what we ALL learned was that the vent pipe has a check valve that when the sink fills up this check valve release water to the ground. basically and overflow valve. at the end of the day they apologized for not knowing and lying. jut as info for others there is an "over flow" valve on the galley grey tank
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Old 11-14-2017, 08:17 PM   #15
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If you have a leak from any tank, you have something broken or cracked. There are no pressure relief valves, over flow valves, or any other device that intentionally leaks the contents of these tanks. Any of them should hold fluids, even to the point of backing up into a sink, shower, or even in the case of the black tank, into the toilet. I would not trust anything from a person that just answers phones at any vendor or manufacturer, as they only know what is written in their book of canned answers. There are a couple of the vendors that do put you in contact with an engineer or someone else that really does have answers and can walk you through a problem, but that is very rare. If you can't drop the belly yourself, you need to get another repair shop or a mobile repair to actually diagnose the problem and make repairs.
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Old 11-14-2017, 09:17 PM   #16
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I have never seen any RV gray or black tanks with any kind of check valve to release its contents on to the ground it is against the law to do so that is y when the tanks get over filled it backs up into the sink or shower. you still have a problem some wear and need to
have someone else take a look at it.

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Old 11-19-2017, 02:04 PM   #17
jlb27537
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Quote:
Originally Posted by leemedic View Post
A few months ago, I noticed the belly of my Montana bulging. I pushed up on it, and it was full of water. I drilled two small holes in it and water drained for quite a long time. I took it into the dealer, told them what happen, and the said they checked it out finding nothing.

The dealer continued to tell me there if a "vent" on the top of the tank that will allow drain water if we overfill the grey tank.

Well, we are camping again, and the same thing happen. Yes, the indicator shows that the grey tank is full, but I don't think it should be dumping into the belly of my Montana.

My concern is there is insulation that is now soaked.

I think I have a bad tank. Your thoughts?
You have either a bad/cracked tank, a fitting that has failed. There is no vent that allows the tank to overflow on the ground.

There is a vent that goes from the tank top to the roof top. If that vent pipe fails, then you could get liquid out the broken vent pipe.

Like others have said, pull the underbelly down and see for your self.
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Old 11-19-2017, 04:41 PM   #18
richfaa
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Exactly where is this "check valve"??? if the tank is leaking the tank has a crack or split. It is a solid connection OEM no matter what Keystone says. If I can find it we will post a picture of the "Connector" we installed on all our failed tanks
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Old 11-20-2017, 12:26 AM   #19
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Rich, didn't they install a piece of rubber hose with two clamps on it when they replaced your tanks? I think that is what they are recommending now so there is some flex now to the line coming from the shower to the gray tank.
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Old 11-20-2017, 09:00 AM   #20
richfaa
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Rich, didn't they install a piece of rubber hose with two clamps on it when they replaced your tanks? I think that is what they are recommending now so there is some flex now to the line coming from the shower to the gray tank.
that is exactly what was done on all our tanks flexible radiator hose 1/1/2 by
1/1/2 purchased at any auto store for under 5.00.Cant find the pic yet.
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