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Old 06-05-2005, 08:32 PM   #1
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1965 22' Safari
Washington, DC , Micanopy, FL
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Posts: 15
Water Tank Leak, '65 Safari

If there is a thread that already addresses this question, would apprec a pointer to it.

Hooked up to water supply at campsite. For six days, no problem (with water). Thought I heard what might have been the pump running, but not sure. On 7th day, awoke to find flooded floor from right front of trailer.

According to manual, when connected to "city water", no water is fed to the internal tank.

I'm assuming that the tank already had a leak in it, but no water in it, and that the check-valve failed and allowed water to fil the tank.

I looked under the trailer for a drain valve, but none found, although a copper tube on either side protruded from underneath.

The trailer is sealed underneath, but there is a roughly square aluminun encloosure that is riveted in. I/'m also assuming that to get access, these rivets would be drilled out and replaced when repares are complete.

Any corrections/advice or helpful hints will be greatly apprec.
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Old 06-05-2005, 09:18 PM   #2
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2006 19' Safari
2000 25' Safari
1985 25' Sovereign
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Rivet 1965 Safari Water Tank

pittsf,

My tank has a fill top left. From your description yours is opposite.

My 1965 Safari is set up the following way...

Bottom left rear corner has a molded threaded fitting that a water hose could connect to. (main feed to pump) This hose is provided with a 'Y' that is plumbed to a house type faucet (gate valve) that is accessible outside in the forward corner below the fill pipe.

Just inboard of the tank fill on the tank top is a brass 'T' fitting with a small diameter copper tubing coming out each end of the 'T'.

One end of the copper tubing goes around the tank to the right, has a short clear plastic tube section (this is a sight tube for a water level indicator) and connects to to the bottom left forward corner of the tank.

The other end of the 'T' is the tank vent and is plumbed to the left, down through the floor and belly pan. (copper tube protrudes the belly pan)

If you are set-up like this, or similar, then you should have ready access below the cushions and the panel below. See if the tank has some water in it and check the bottom fittings for leaks. The copper tubing fitting on the bottom of the tank could be suspect, or the feed line that supplies the pump.

Maybe this will get you started in the right direction. Try to source the leak with pump pressure first, then shore water pressure.

If you have a totally different set up and tank location, then just forget what I just typed and send us some pictures. We will try to help.

Good luck. Others will help you from this Forum
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Old 06-05-2005, 10:21 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pittsf
.

The trailer is sealed underneath, but there is a roughly square aluminun encloosure that is riveted in. I/'m also assuming that to get access, these rivets would be drilled out and replaced when repares are complete.

Any corrections/advice or helpful hints will be greatly apprec.
The drain valve will probably be near the pump /tank above the floor in the corner.
The square metal 'patch' on the trailer bellypan is usually your 12v wiring junction box from the 7 pin (tow vehicle ) connector cable.
The tank is probably set up with another gate valve on the inlet side which you open to fill from the hosebib hookup, and close if you are operating on city pressure (not requiring pump pressure). You could have a bad pump hose connection causing the water on the floor as well.
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Old 06-06-2005, 05:42 PM   #4
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1965 22' Safari
Washington, DC , Micanopy, FL
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Gentlemen:

Thanks very much. Your photo was invaluable, Norm, and I can see that I was approaching this from the wrong direction. If I remove the table and enclosure then I should be able to see find the problem is. That's encouraging as I sure didn't want to have to remove any rivets on the large pan underneath. The small panel Murray also mentioned was secured with sheet metal screws. I did see that it included wiring.

Our floor plan is the twin and the previous owners(2) kept it pretty much original. In that regard, there are some things that need to be fixed that I have not gotten to yet (owned it late Jan, 05). It's kept in Florida and we use it approx nine days per month.

I believe there is a leak in the tub supply behind the faucet and wonder if the enclosure can be easily removed if the lavatory faucet is removed?

The original Dometic fridge failed last week, and I hope it is only the power cable, as the insulation in the cable was shot, and could have tripped the circuit breaker. Have a replacement cable, but it looks difficult to replace without taking the fridge out.

I'll get to them both eventually, and hope to undo anything that wasn't original, to the extent that I can find any necessary parts. In the meantime we will still use and enjoy it.

Thanks again.

Fred
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Old 06-11-2005, 09:18 AM   #5
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Tricky ... hidden leak source

pittsf,

Here are some additional pix of my tank. Hopefully they will help you understand what the layout is.

My tank ('65 Safari in pix) did not leak, even full and with pressure testing ... although there was a patch on the tank bottom fitting for the level indicator sight tube plumbing. I couldn't even see that it was a threaded brass fitting connected to the flared copper tube because of all the GOOP.

I am one to not trust the repair of others and removed the patch for inspection to determine the purpose of the GLOB of stuff!

I discovered the crack indicated in one of the pix within the threaded section of the molded tank fitting.

I will most probably repair the crack, eliminate the probable leak and continue to use the sight tube for level indication.

Now this just goes to show the owners of the later models that you don't need fancy electronic level indicators to fail ... even vintage units have their own indigenous quirks. Although, once the repair is finished, I know that I will always be able to see how much fresh water I have onboard.
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Old 06-11-2005, 11:44 AM   #6
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Norm.

You have the original water tank.

At this point, probably 90 percent ot more of them have been replaced, as the original material becomes very brittle.

They also were very prone to cracks at the fittings.

Andy
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Old 06-11-2005, 04:58 PM   #7
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1965 22' Safari
Washington, DC , Micanopy, FL
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Norm:

Thanks for the photos. They are invaluable. I may have to just bypass the tank for the time being, until I get enough time to take it on, without having all the farm work, too.

And, thanks, Andy for your insights.

I got the parts in DC last week that you sent and took them to Micanopy - due to problems above didn't get a chance to deal with any of them! Wait'll next trip!
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Old 06-14-2005, 09:47 AM   #8
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1979 30' Argosy
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My guess is that the valve that controls the flow of water from the street supply into the water tank opened somehow - either failure or it got bumped, and then it started to fill your tank, that was the noise you heard, turbulence of the street water going through a partially opened valve. Then perhaps your top outlet for the level tube or the tube itself leaked and that was how you got alll of the water all over the place. On ours, the tube popped off of the outlet at the top and sprinkled water all over the floor, took me some time to find it and it happened while we were travelling.

John
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Old 07-23-2005, 01:09 PM   #9
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1969 31' Sovereign
Elizabeth , Colorado
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Just came from Big R ranch hardware store in Elizabeth CO. They have a bench tank 25 gallon that is 18" high, 18"deep and 36" wide wiith a bench seat on top. At last vintage saw a unit where thay built a platform over their tank and made it into a dinnet with two benches and table that can be made into a bed. The seat tank I just saw would work well in a similar remake taking out the old tank and replacin with two of these bench tanks. A raised 3" floor would allow for all necessary plumbing. a plan is is forming on replacing the sofa across the front om my 62 Globetrotter and turning it into a dinette using two of these tanks as the seats. It's a budding thought but I'm working on it.

Stagecoachbill
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Old 07-23-2005, 01:33 PM   #10
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P.S.
Just found a picture of tank bench at: www.thetackshop.com/benchcaddylhtm
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