Plumbing and Appliance
RV Black and Gray Tank Repair Serving Long Beach
About 10 min left
OCRV Center repairs and replaces RV black and gray holding tanks, including cracked tanks, failed dump valves, broken vent lines and sensor faults. Tank work runs $750 for a valve or sensor repair to $8,500 for tank replacement requiring floor or underbelly access.
Holding tank work is nobody favorite job, including ours, but it is one where doing it properly matters a great deal. A cracked black tank leaking into the underbelly of a coach creates a contamination and structural problem simultaneously, and it does not improve with time.
The good news is that most holding tank complaints are not the tank. They are valves, vents and sensors, all of which are far less expensive to address.
Dump Valve Failures
Dump valves fail in two ways: they refuse to open, or they refuse to seal. A valve that will not open is usually a seized blade or a broken cable. A valve that will not seal has a worn seal and results in the dreaded discovery when the cap comes off.
Both are relatively straightforward repairs if the valve is accessible. On coaches where the valve is enclosed in a sealed underbelly, the access work exceeds the valve work considerably.
Tank Cracks and Replacement
Polyethylene tanks crack from impact, from freezing with contents, and from mounting fatigue where a strap has worn a groove. Small cracks in accessible locations can sometimes be plastic welded successfully.
Large cracks and cracks at mounting points generally mean replacement, because a repair at a stress concentration will simply fail again. Replacement requires dropping the underbelly and, on some coaches, removing flooring, which is the real cost driver.
Why Tanks Freeze and Crack
A tank left with contents through a freeze expands and splits. In Southern California this happens to coaches that travel rather than to coaches that stay home.
The fix is emptying and rinsing tanks before any trip that could involve a cold night, which is nearly all mountain and desert travel in winter.
Level Sensors and Why They Read Wrong
Black tank level sensors are notoriously inaccurate, and the reason is that they are probes on the tank wall that read whatever is stuck to them. Tissue and residue bridge the probes and the tank reads full immediately after dumping.
Cleaning frequently restores function. Where it does not, external sensor systems that read through the tank wall are a genuine improvement and we install them, because a chronically wrong sensor is worse than no sensor at all.
Odor Diagnosis
Persistent odor inside a coach is usually a venting problem rather than a tank problem. Every tank has a vent to the roof, and when it is blocked, kinked or has been disconnected during other work, gas takes the path of least resistance, which is up through the toilet or a shower drain.
A dry toilet seal produces the same result. We check vent continuity, toilet seal condition and P trap water levels before recommending any tank work for an odor complaint.
What Is Included
- Vent line continuity checked before any odor complaint is attributed to the tank
- Toilet seal and P trap condition verified
- Dump valve blade, cable and seal inspected and serviced or replaced
- Tank inspected for cracks including at mounting and strap contact points
- Level sensor probes cleaned and tested before replacement is recommended
- Underbelly restored and resealed on any job requiring access through it
- Full fill and dump cycle tested before release
Our Process
- 1
Complaint Triage
Odor, leak, valve or sensor complaint separated, since these have entirely different causes.
- 2
Vent and Seal Check
Vent line continuity, toilet seal and trap water verified first on any odor complaint.
- 3
Access
Underbelly dropped or floor accessed as required, with insulation and material preserved for reinstallation.
- 4
Inspection
Tank checked for cracks at impact points, mounting points and strap contact areas.
- 5
Repair or Replace
Valves and sensors serviced, small accessible cracks plastic welded, damaged tanks replaced.
- 6
Underbelly Restoration
Insulation and underbelly material repaired and resealed so moisture has no path in.
- 7
Cycle Test
Tanks filled and dumped with all valves and sensors verified before release.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my RV smell even after dumping the tanks?
Usually a venting problem rather than a tank problem. Every holding tank has a vent to the roof, and when it is blocked, kinked or was disconnected during other work, gas takes the path of least resistance, which is up through the toilet or a shower drain. A dry toilet seal does the same thing. We check vent continuity, toilet seal condition and trap water levels before recommending any tank work for an odor complaint.
My black tank reads full right after dumping. Is the sensor broken?
Probably not broken, just bridged. Black tank sensors are probes on the tank wall that read whatever is stuck to them, and tissue and residue bridging the probes makes the tank report full. Thorough cleaning frequently restores correct function. Where it does not, external sensors that read through the tank wall are a real improvement and we install them, because a chronically wrong sensor is worse than no sensor at all.
Can a cracked RV holding tank be repaired?
Sometimes. Small cracks in accessible locations can be plastic welded successfully. Large cracks and any crack at a mounting point or strap contact area generally mean replacement, because a repair at a stress concentration simply fails again. The bigger factor in cost is access: on coaches where the tank sits behind a sealed underbelly or under flooring, reaching it costs more than the tank does.
How much does holding tank replacement cost?
A dump valve or sensor repair runs $750 to $1,800. A tank replacement with reasonable access runs $2,500 to $5,000. A replacement requiring floor removal or extensive underbelly work runs $5,000 to $8,500. Access is the dominant variable, which is why we assess how the tank is mounted before quoting rather than pricing from the tank part number.
Holding Tank Repair and Replacement is performed in shop at OCRV Center, 23281 La Palma Ave, Yorba Linda, CA 92887, serving Long Beach, California and the surrounding region. Call (949) 799-3387 to discuss your vehicle.
Get Your Vehicle Looked At Properly
Call the shop, describe what happened, and we will tell you what the realistic scope and timeline look like. All work is performed in shop at our 35,000 square foot facility.