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Fresh water stainless tank leak.

Discussion in 'Technical Discussion' started by CTdave, Jun 10, 2008.

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  1. CTdave, Jun 10, 2008
    #1
    CTdave

    CTdave Senior Member

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    200 gal fresh water stainless steel tank in my 50' Bertram. There is no way in hell that I'm removing this without cutting up the cockpit. The leak appears to be on the bottom, stbd edge but it's difficult (impossible) to access it. The entire rear end of the tank is exposed.
    Has anyone had any luck with some sort of temporary repair? I have been thinking of several scenarios. The best repair thought I can come up with is to cut an access hole in the rear of the tank & patch/weld the trouble spot. The problem with that is I bet the tank is loaded with baffles. I guess these could be cut for access & then welded back after.
    Next idea is a real gem! How about mixing up some epoxy with micro balloons (to thicken it up) & dump it in the tank?:eek:
    I'm very interested to hear your ideas.
    Dave
  2. CaptPKilbride, Jun 10, 2008
    #2
    CaptPKilbride

    CaptPKilbride Senior Member

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    Accessing the interior of the tank through the back of it sounds like the best idea to me. A 200 gallon tank may not be all that well baffled, especially as it is for freshwater. certainly not as well baffled as a fuel tank would be.

    The epoxy and microballons seems a bad idea to me. You will not get the slurry to bond to the stainless without some surgical-operating-theatre type surface prep. Then, the chemicals in the epoxy will leach out into your drinking water.

    Being in the building trades you must know some welders, but pm me for a reccomendation of a really good guy in Stamford, who does a lot of stainless work.
  3. CTdave, Jun 10, 2008
    #3
    CTdave

    CTdave Senior Member

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    Thanks for the quick response. I was just online looking for welders in Stamford! I'll pm you now for your guy's name & number.
    Dave
  4. m2m, Jun 10, 2008
    #4
    m2m

    m2m Senior Member

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    Fresh Water Leak

    There is a company by the name of BELZONA that makes several products that could probably solve your problem if a welder can't be located. I have used their products on several applications from repairing tanks, shafts to lining a stainless steel exhaust pot on a Mega Yacht all with great results. The product isn't cheap but I am sure a lot cheaper that the labor involved with a welder.
  5. Capt J, Jun 10, 2008
    #5
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Are you sure the tank is stainless? I would be willing to bet that it is aluminum. Anyways, that being said, you may have to cut a hole in the back of the tank and weld a plate over the area that is leaking.

    Most welders will not touch this job and would want to fabricate a new tank. If the tank is leaking somewhere and it is not a weld that is leaking, chances are all of the metal is weak and when they weld it, it won't weld and the welder will just be cutting away material trying to weld it. There are some really strong epoxies and you may be best epoxying a thin sheet of aluminum or stainless plate (whichever the tank is) that will cover the leak and overlap a bit.
  6. Codger, Jun 10, 2008
    #6
    Codger

    Codger YF Wisdom Dept.

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    Do bladders exist that you could just place in the tank?
  7. CTdave, Jun 10, 2008
    #7
    CTdave

    CTdave Senior Member

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    Yes they do. We put fuel bladder tanks in our offshore race boat several years back as well as a ballast tank up in the bow. They make them for many different applications. It was one of my thoughts to open the back of the existing tank, remove the baffles, make sure everything is nice & smooth & install a bladder inside the existing tank.

    CaptPKillbride reminded me of a man I know (I can't believe I forgot about him) who is one of the finest stainless welders out there. I gave him a call at 12 noon & he was on the boat by 2. He proposed what I thought, opening it up enough to check the insides. We have a good idea where it is leaking from, the lower weld right near the rear corner. We will see how bad it is & formulate the plan.
    A) clean it up & re-weld
    B) cut it out & weld a new piece in
    C) simply weld a new piece over the bad spot

    I know a guy who had the same thing & he jacked up the tank enough to slide a new (aluminum tank) aluminum angle iron with a bunch of 5200 on it up tight against the edge & then drop the tank back down. It's held for three years but I kind of like fixing things right. It's still a thought though:rolleyes:
  8. CaptPKilbride, Jun 11, 2008
    #8
    CaptPKilbride

    CaptPKilbride Senior Member

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    Now, THAT is what I call customer service !!!!

    Glad I helped ya jog the old memory on Paul. I like the angle steel idea as well, but like you, I always feel you should fix it right if you can. If not, then you resort to "turd-world engineering", as my grandpa used to call jury rigging stuff.
  9. CTdave, Jun 11, 2008
    #9
    CTdave

    CTdave Senior Member

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    LOL I like that one! I have a couple of other sayings but I really shouldn't post them here:eek:
    Thanks again!
  10. Loren Schweizer, Jun 11, 2008
    #10
    Loren Schweizer

    Loren Schweizer YF Associate Writer

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    "turd-world engineering"

    LMFAO!

    BTW, it is a stainless steel tank for anyone archiving this later on.
  11. Capt J, Jun 12, 2008
    #11
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    I prefer Island engineered!