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                           RV10-List Digest Archive
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                     Total Messages Posted Thu 04/22/04: 1
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Today's Message Index:
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     1. 09:41 PM - Tank testing  (Mark Chamberlain)
 
 
 
________________________________  Message 1  _____________________________________


Time: 09:41:56 PM PST US
From: "Mark Chamberlain" <10flyer@verizon.net>
Subject: RV10-List: Tank testing

--> RV10-List message posted by: "Mark Chamberlain" <10flyer@verizon.net>

Hey Rick, sorry for the delayed response. I just got back from a few days of
work out of town. I bought the test kit from Vans. I put a plug in the fuel
pick up to cap it off and then a balloon on the fuel vent line. I used a
bike pump to slowly add air. Supposedly the balloon will pop before the tank
gets damaged. I was suprised how quickly the balloon inflated once it
reached a certain pressure. I wasn't even pumping any more and the balloon
kept inflating. The first time that happened I panicked and rushed to let
air back out. Once I had the balloon inflated to an acceptable amount, I was
confident that I would notice the balloon deflating if I had a leak. Then,
with the balloon inflated, I submerged different areas of the tank in my
pool to look for bubbles. I don't know what Van would think of this
technique, but if there was a leak I'm confident I would see bubbles in the
still water. After drying the tanks thoroughly and checking the balloon for
a while, I unscrewed the air valve and heard a good pressure release. I feel
good about it but won't be totally confident until the fuel goes in.