Water tank repair

[jimboaw]

Stainless tank has sprung a leak on a welded seem. Needless to say the tank is built in and it would mean major surgery to remove it for repair. Any suggestions as to which epoxy might do the trick at least until I want to remodel the whole boat!

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[snowleopard]

if you can get to the inside, a bead of sikaflex would probably be the best thing.

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[isha]

I also had this do deal with, and over the winter demolished the fore-cabin to extract the SS tank.It is original and built in when the boat was new.
A local engineering/fabricating workshop did a fantastic job of welding the short bit of seam that had a pinhole or crack.
I have just finished rebuilding it in and the fore-cabin. A lot of work!!
I to would be interested in a quick and short term reliable fix incase it happens again. The main problem would be getting access to a seam when tank is in situ especially now that in an attempt to cushion the tank I have bedded it in closed cell foam - the type you squirt out of a aerosol bought from the builders merchants. I then glassed the tank in to prevent it moving.



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[snowleopard]

or...

use a flexible tank as a liner. Vetus do a wide variety of shapes & sizes

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[oldgit]

Re: or...

why not leave it where it is and put in 2nd tank in easy to fit place,sort duff tank whenever/never.

<hr width=100% size=1>Oooh look its still not dark and its nearly 5pm

 

[jimboaw]

What I intend to try next---

Used "Locktite" epoxy putty. That stopped most of it but still a tiny leak about half a gallon an hour. Now what I intend to try when I have time is to spray the suspect seem on the inside with that plastic coating that you dip tool handles in. Fingers crossed.

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[Sinbad1]

You need to do a little lateral thinking. Big ships don't rip tanks out for repairs.

There is a firm 'oop noorth' called E Woods and Co. They specialise in glues and epoxies for gluing metal in aircraft, ships and offshore rigs. I have used their glue to seal water tanks and fuel tanks. Do a search and give them a call.

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[aod]

The two part epoxy in sticks which you break off and mix sets when wet and is ideal for such a repair. However, you do need to be careful with a water tank because I believe epoxy is carcinogenic so you would need to check with the makers as to suitability.

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[vyv_cox]

Agree about the epoxy putty. Works well, good adhesion to steel. Best done from inside so you may need to add an inspection hatch. Probably the easiest way to do this for a water tank is a plastic dinghy inspection hatch in the top.

Disagree about the carcinogenic. Even specialist chemists cannot obtain possibly carcinogenic substances, such as benzene. In the "good old days" we used to wash bitumen off our faces with it, now you need a letter from the Holy Ghost to get a tiny bottle. Ordinary consumers cannot buy anything carcinogenic. Anywhere. Long-term users of epoxy raw materials might suffer some problems unless they took appropriate precautions but cured epoxy is about as inert as it is possible to be.

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[ean_p]

nothing like a dose of hard wood dust for a good lung condition.......makes smoking seem almost theraputic.......

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