'13 Landmark Grey Tank 1 sagging

[tabibito]

Hello all,

I have a 2013 Landmark (San Antonio) and the Grey Tank #1 was seriously sagging and leaking a little (from somewhere) the other day when it filled while camping.

Today I took down the coroplast and everything looks to be in order (but I had emptied the tank already). The tank holding straps seem like they have a lot of clearance and the grade of the drain line is not correct but nothing seems 'broken'. Also, when I took down the coroplast a PVC plug dropped out. Can anyone offer some constructive input?

Thanks!

 

[Goodh20]

All of my tank straps were sagging like yours . The two band straps on the tanks did not support the tanks and made draining them difficult. I reinforced the tanks by installing 2” unistrut frame to frame along side the tanks and strapped two 1” unistruts under the tanks next to the band straps for support. It supports the tanks properly and now they drain completely.

 

[tabibito]

All of my tank straps were sagging like yours . The two band straps on the tanks did not support the tanks and made draining them difficult. I reinforced the tanks by installing 2” unistrut frame to frame along side the tanks and strapped two 1” unistruts under the tanks next to the band straps for support. It supports the tanks properly and now they drain completely.

Thanks for the reply and the pictures. The more I look at what goes into manufacturing these things, the more disappointed I get. I feel like they are pre-assembled IKEA products...

I already started on some strut supports to keep the coroplast off the generator exhaust so I guess I'll just make a tank support frame like you did while I'm at it. Good idea-thanks again!

 

[NP_Chief]

SInce it was full, could the leak you are seeing be from the overflow?

 

[VMooreSR]

Since you got the coroplast down maybe you can fill that tank with water and recreate the leak.

 

[danemayer]

Are you the original owner? I ask because the PVC plug is unusual.

 

[tabibito]

SInce it was full, could the leak you are seeing be from the overflow?

I'm not sure it was full, but it wasn't empty. Does the overflow just leak out from the top?

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Since you got the coroplast down maybe you can fill that tank with water and recreate the leak.

I put it back up a few hours later but I'll have to take it down again anyway. I left the tank valve closed so I'll know soon.

- - - Updated - - -

Are you the original owner? I ask because the PVC plug is unusual.

No, I'm not the original owner but I don't think the coroplast was ever taken down before...

 

[danemayer]

In your 3rd picture, there appears to be a strap of some kind supporting the 1-1/2" drain pipe, and in fact it looks like it's bending it up. I don't think I've ever seen anything like that on a factory build. I also can't think of where that plug would be used. So I'm wondering if the prior owner had work done on the plumbing.

My Gray #1 tank has sagged for most of the nearly 9 years we've had the Landmark.

I had a leak from that tank early on and discovered that the tank heating pad, which had been on all winter, had burned 3 holes in the tank. The heating pad allowed water to slowly leak out from the edges of the pad.

It's also possible that a full tank may leak some water around where the drain pipe enters the top of the tank. Or if water backs up into the shower, maybe the shower drain fitting is loose. These would both be intermittent, occurring only when the tank is completely full and expanding.

 

[JMP]

All of my tank straps were sagging like yours . The two band straps on the tanks did not support the tanks and made draining them difficult. I reinforced the tanks by installing 2” unistrut frame to frame along side the tanks and strapped two 1” unistruts under the tanks next to the band straps for support. It supports the tanks properly and now they drain completely.

Nice. Novel concept. I might try this approach. Does not seem to be difficult to measure out and install. Thanks for sharing.

 

[tabibito]

In your 3rd picture, there appears to be a strap of some kind supporting the 1-1/2" drain pipe, and in fact it looks like it's bending it up. I don't think I've ever seen anything like that on a factory build. I also can't think of where that plug would be used. So I'm wondering if the prior owner had work done on the plumbing.

My Gray #1 tank has sagged for most of the nearly 9 years we've had the Landmark.

I had a leak from that tank early on and discovered that the tank heating pad, which had been on all winter, had burned 3 holes in the tank. The heating pad allowed water to slowly leak out from the edges of the pad.

It's also possible that a full tank may leak some water around where the drain pipe enters the top of the tank. Or if water backs up into the shower, maybe the shower drain fitting is loose. These would both be intermittent, occurring only when the tank is completely full and expanding.

Here are a few more photos of that drain hanger: I previously took it down because I thought something similar but I can't remember what I had found. It probably was worse without it, which is why I put it back. I'll have to try it again and take some photos.

Usually, if the tank is full it will back up into the shower. I had never seen it leak out like from the underneath before. Then again, we are full-timers and usually leave tank 1 open so it doesn't normally fill up all the way (with tank 2 closed, that seems to overflow into the shower, which now doesn't make much sense). I think I'm going to create a unistrut support frame sometime soon and will just have to work it all out that way.

I can see grey tank 1 and the black tank. Is grey tank 2 suspended more towards the rear of the trailer (that's where it looks like the cable for the valve goes). Does that drain into the 3" black tank drain line then?

 

[danemayer]

I can see grey tank 1 and the black tank. Is grey tank 2 suspended more towards the rear of the trailer (that's where it looks like the cable for the valve goes). Does that drain into the 3" black tank drain line then?

Place of the tanks varies by floor plan, but if the kitchen is mid-ships, then gray #2 is probably just under that area. Both grays drain through 1-1/2" pipes that usually joint with the main 3" sewer line, near the outlet.

But again, it all varies by floor plan.

 

[Lou_and_Bette]

Here are a few more photos of that drain hanger: View attachment 61641 View attachment 61642 I previously took it down because I thought something similar but I can't remember what I had found. It probably was worse without it, which is why I put it back. I'll have to try it again and take some photos.

Usually, if the tank is full it will back up into the shower. I had never seen it leak out like from the underneath before. Then again, we are full-timers and usually leave tank 1 open so it doesn't normally fill up all the way (with tank 2 closed, that seems to overflow into the shower, which now doesn't make much sense). I think I'm going to create a unistrut support frame sometime soon and will just have to work it all out that way.

I can see grey tank 1 and the black tank. Is grey tank 2 suspended more towards the rear of the trailer (that's where it looks like the cable for the valve goes). Does that drain into the 3" black tank drain line then?

Sorry if this is totally off the mark but with my "old eyes" I can't make out much detail on the pipe itself. Is this pipe ABS or metal? Since it seems to go out past the rig, could it be an exhaust pipe for a generator that is/was installed? I don't remember seeing any type fluid drain similar to this on mine or other rigs.

 

[tabibito]

Sorry if this is totally off the mark but with my "old eyes" I can't make out much detail on the pipe itself. Is this pipe ABS or metal? Since it seems to go out past the rig, could it be an exhaust pipe for a generator that is/was installed? I don't remember seeing any type fluid drain similar to this on mine or other rigs.

The piping is ABS for the grey tank 1 drain, it's a bit tough to tell with the picture so I brightened up this pic and added some reference:

When I first got this 2013 trailer in 2018, the drain pipe was not bowed like it is now. When camping a few weeks ago, I had all the valves closed and noticed the grey tank 1 sagging down even lower than in this picture. Water was leaking out from the coroplast where right where the drain pokes through. The drain pipe was even more bowed than in this picture. I took the coroplast down a few days ago and nothing was "broken" but the grey tank 1 straps seem like they allow the tank to sag considerably. Someone else mentioned the hanger pointed out in this picture may not be stock from Heartland. When the tank was full, the drain line bowed so much it was back-graded. Someone else replied with pictures of a unistrut frame they added to support the tank better and maintain proper grade on the drain line and I'm thinking I'll do something similar.

 

[danemayer]

Tang sag is usually the middle of the bottom of the tank, not the entire tank. If the outlet is sagging, the whole tank is sagging.

There may be some light angle iron supporting the tank on the front and rear edges. On mine, the angle iron dropped on one side because the mounting screws sheared. That allowed the tank to drop a bit on one side. I lifted the angle iron back into position and put in new screws.

If your tank has no support at all (beyond the straps), something is missing. You might find holes in the frame members where a support was once mounted.

 

[tabibito]

Tank sag is usually the middle of the bottom of the tank, not the entire tank. If the outlet is sagging, the whole tank is sagging.

There may be some light angle iron supporting the tank on the front and rear edges. On mine, the angle iron dropped on one side because the mounting screws sheared. That allowed the tank to drop a bit on one side. I lifted the angle iron back into position and put in new screws.

If your tank has no support at all (beyond the straps), something is missing. You might find holes in the frame members where a support was once mounted.

I let the tank fill up with water and noticed it leaking today. I would like to be able to look at it overflow with the coroplast down but I work and have other things going on in life so maybe in the near future.

When I did have the coroplast down, I noticed the *light* angle 'iron'. Each end of both of the angle had 2 tek screws per holding it up. The straps for the tank are attached with tek screws to the angle iron. The angle didn't look particularly bowed when I looked at it but something isn't right.

To find out what is really going on, I'll have to fill Grey Tank 1 with the coroplast removed and take a look. I was hoping someone else had already done this and could share that info with me. I had been planning on building a unistrut support rack and that still seems like the best option.

 

[BandK]

Our 2013 elkridge kitchen grey water tank dropped and was resting on an axle. I suspect the 'thin' angle iron had bowed previously and the tank had been riding on the straps for some time. Then a strap broke. Wish i had thought about unistrut while i was under there! I replaced the broken strap and remounted the bowed angle to grip the tank better. While i was under there , noticed an inner frame stiffener loose on one end from a faulty weld. Welded that and was afraid to keep looking. Buttoned up the coroplast and went back to camping .
Now i get to take down another section of coroplast to replace the black water valve for the second time. (1st time was under warranty) cable shroud separated from the bulkhead assy.

Does anyone have any time on the drain master elec valves?

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