Leaky waste tank

[Don Bradner]

Spent the day removing the tank, just tons of fun! The bottom has 3 major (6
inches or more) fractures in a somewhat semi-circular pattern, and numerous
small cracks that don't go through yet. The bottom bears the slightly melted
pattern of the tank heater, and all of the cracks are within that area. I have
never used the heaters, and hope to never be in a situation where they would be
called for.

I sanded the bottom, and the local RV outfit where I removed it will fiberglass
the entire bottom this afternoon evening. Hope to reinstall tomorrow or Friday.

Steps in the process, for anyone who cares:

Remove the sensor wires, disconnect the vent pipe (which is also the sink drain)
then remove the shroud. I don't know if all such units have a rubber coupler on
the vent, but that certainly makes it easy.

Remove the rivets holding the door frame, plus 4 screws at top center inside and
the gas strut, then take the door and frame off. This would make the shroud
removal easier, but I did the shroud 2 days ago at home, and just removed the
door today.

Remove the toilet. Mine is an electric Microphor, so there are 4 wires going to
the control unit and 8 wires from the control. I removed the control and jotted
down where each wire went then removed them.

Remove wax ring and 8 screws holding the flange, then pull the pipe out of the
tank. It is held by a hose clamp, and after removing the clamp I found that the
easiest way to pop the pipe out of the fitting was with a nail bar using a 2x4
for the fulcrum and to distribute the force over a large enough area. Came free
easily that way.

Remove the Dupree valve. On mine there is no way to do that without irreperable
damage, so first thing this morning I called Stephen Birtles and got a new valve
body and 2 paddles (the grey needs replacing) on their way - should be here
Friday. I used an air reciprocating saw (one of the few tools I've not found
sufficient need to buy, so used the RV shop's) to saw through next to the valve
body on the tank side, and in the elbow on the drain side.

Remove a second piece of shroud. Couldn't get the one screw holding it to budge,
either before the valve was removed, or after, so used a cutoff blade to get rid
of it. will drill a new hole on replacement.

Slide the tank out.

After that I cut off the cross-pipe from the curbside about 8 inches from the
Tee. Everything from there out will be rebuilt with new parts - Tee, street Ell,
valve body, extended street Ell, and hose connector.