Plastimo deck filler caps/plugs

bitbaltic

bitbaltic

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My boat has 38mm Plastimo deck fillers for fuel and water. Like this:

Untitled.jpg

The caps have little lever-type handles which flip up when you want to screw or unscrew them. Trouble is, over time, the handles on both caps have snapped off, making it a real job to open and close the fillers. Ideally both caps need replacing.

I'm having trouble sourcing a replacement cap at a sane price. These Plastimo units seem rare/discontinued since the company had finance problems two or three years back. There are a couple on ebay at c. £40 for the whole thing, but I'm baulking at £80 for two bits of plastic. I ordered one of these for a tenner:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161331063282

same diameter and similar (copied?) design, but the thread on the cap is subtly different and it won't fit the plastimo filler neck.

Does anybody have any leads on replacement caps for these Plastimo fillers, or something else (perhaps more robust) that will fit the thread of the filler neck? or am I going to have to put replacing both fillers (for something with with good old screwdriver-actuated caps) on the list for winter.

Thanks in advance chaps
 
In my experience plastic caps in metal fittings are useless, as they get stuck so easily (which is when too much force is applied to the flip-up handles, destroying them). My advice would be to change to all metal fittings.
(Also: the axle hole for the pivoting handle is a common route for water getting into the fuel tank, if care is not taken).
 
BabaYaga said:
In my experience plastic caps in metal fittings are useless, as they get stuck so easily (which is when too much force is applied to the flip-up handles, destroying them). My advice would be to change to all metal fittings.
(Also: the axle hole for the pivoting handle is a common route for water getting into the fuel tank, if care is not taken).
Click to expand...

Yep they are complete carp.
 
For future reference on this in case anyone else ever needs to replace these Plastimo parts. The filler is/was available for fuel (red cap), water (blue) and waste (black) parts nos. 16798, 16799, 13919 (plastimo catalogue here). There were spare caps available and the Plastimo catalogue has the part numbers. I found the blue cap (part no. P26330) on Bainbridge's site here. I got my local marine engineers to call Bainbridge who say only the blue cap is still available. We took the only one they had in stock and back-ordered another. Quite expensive at £12+VAT.

Having looked into getting the deck fillers out it will probably be worth it because I would have to remove the complete forecabin headlining to get at the water one and the fuel filler which I can get at is solidly sika'd in. At least this way I can kick it down the road for a few more years hopefully.
 
A final coda to this and my thanks to Caer Urfa for the link to ASAP supplies. The first of the Bainbridge-sourced "Plastimo" caps in blue arrived today and is an exact fit. Bearing in mind that Bainbridge say they can't get the red caps, I brought home the broken blue cap to compare to the pic on the ASAP link.

The pic shows that "SV. PAT 329355" is written on the side of the flip-up handle of the Roca part sold by ASAP. Exactly the same is written on the side of the handle of my original blue Plastimo cap. It also says "made in Sweden" on the base of the original cap which is more evidence that it's sourced from Roca. So I think it's safe to conclude that these aluminium + plastic fillers as sold by Plastimo (and I think fitted to quite a lot of boats) are a Roca part/design. Here is the link to the fillers and caps on Roca's site: http://www.rocaindustry.com/marine/Product/Deckfiller---Aluminum/112/Full|407/

It turns out Bainbridge and ASAP are the UK distributors for Roca, and so the circle closes.

I have bought a red cap from ASAP as per Caer Urfa's link and will get another spare if it fits (at this point I'm sure it will). Problem solved it seems. Thanks again all.
 
Last edited:
bitbaltic said:
A final coda to this and my thanks to Caer Urfa for the link to ASAP supplies. The first of the Bainbridge-sourced "Plastimo" caps in blue arrived today and is an exact fit. Bearing in mind that Bainbridge say they can't get the red caps, I brought home the broken blue cap to compare to the pic on the ASAP link.

The pic shows that "SV. PAT 329355" is written on the side of the flip-up handle of the Roca part sold by ASAP. Exactly the same is written on the side of the handle of my original blue Plastimo cap. It also says "made in Sweden" on the base of the original cap which is more evidence that it's sourced from Roca. So I think it's safe to conclude that these aluminium + plastic fillers as sold by Plastimo (and I think fitted to quite a lot of boats) are a Roca part/design. Here is the link to the fillers and caps on Roca's site: http://www.rocaindustry.com/marine/Product/Deckfiller---Aluminum/112/Full|407/

It turns out Bainbridge and ASAP are the UK distributors for Roca, and so the circle closes.

I have bought a red cap from ASAP as per Caer Urfa's link and will get another spare if it fits (at this point I'm sure it will). Problem solved it seems. Thanks again all.
Click to expand...



Hi Pleased you got fixed up ok, BUT, I suggest a little check which I ignored and it cost me a load of trouble.

The cap should have a rubber seal washer followed by the threads, after the threads there is a flat bit as I have shown attached, when you screw the cap tight be 100% sure this flat bit does not
bottom out first in you fuel downpipe ie you may only 'think' its tight when it really is not as some fuel filler caps can have different shaped necks.

Mine was to replace another make and 'I thought' it was tight, it was but I found out to late that it was tight fitting but 'to the bottom only' even though the threads 'looked' tight and allowed water to leak in over time with disastrous results.

View attachment 60874
 
Caer Urfa said:
Hi Pleased you got fixed up ok, BUT, I suggest a little check which I ignored and it cost me a load of trouble.

The cap should have a rubber seal washer followed by the threads, after the threads there is a flat bit as I have shown attached, when you screw the cap tight be 100% sure this flat bit does not
bottom out first in you fuel downpipe ie you may only 'think' its tight when it really is not as some fuel filler caps can have different shaped necks.

Mine was to replace another make and 'I thought' it was tight, it was but I found out to late that it was tight fitting but 'to the bottom only' even though the threads 'looked' tight and allowed water to leak in over time with disastrous results.

View attachment 60874
Click to expand...

I see what you mean- yes that would be a pain in the proverbial. I will check when I fit it. Cheers for the heads up.
 
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