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Old 10-01-2013, 09:26   #1
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How can I patch a leaking jerry jug?

We have a 5 gallon water jug that has sprung a leak - we tried duct tape and silicone sealant - does anyone have other tips/tricks? It's not a split seam, it's at a corner where it has gotten chafed hauling into and out of the dinghy. Thanks!
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Old 10-01-2013, 09:31   #2
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Re: How can I patch a leaking jerry jug?

If you've got another scrap piece of similar plastic you can try "welding" it on - basically just melting the pieces of plastic together. A small butane pencil torch can be used to heat up a a piece of scrap metal, and the metal used to sort of iron the 2 pieces together. you need to get the temperature just right, so I'd suggest experimenting on a piece of scrap plastic (like a milk jug) first.
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Old 10-01-2013, 09:40   #3
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Re: How can I patch a leaking jerry jug?

This always works: go to the store, buy a new one the same color. Carefully remove the old one you have from the boat, being careful not to damage anything. Now take the new one and put it exactly where the old one was. Mix a big batch of Rum and Cokes and drink throughout the evening admiring your work. The next day you wont remember you had a bad jug!
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Old 10-01-2013, 09:54   #4
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Re: How can I patch a leaking jerry jug?

Simply buying a new one is the best approach.

What was in it... gasoline or diesel? If diesel you could use monofilament fishing line. Heat the area of the hole but dont melt it. Immediately melt fishing line very xlose to rhe hole and let it drip into the leak. Reheat carefully and ensure that the hole gets properly sealed.. assuming a plastic jug of corse. If gasoline forget it. Also works for fixing rubber boots. Fishing line should be 100 lb test or bigger.
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Old 10-01-2013, 11:36   #5
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Re: How can I patch a leaking jerry jug?

I'd give WEST Systems' G/Flex a whirl. Fixed a PVC flexible furler with the stuff. Follow the directions carefully, should work a treat

but the cost of the G/Flex might well buy another jerry can...
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Old 10-01-2013, 12:32   #6
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Re: How can I patch a leaking jerry jug?

The jugs that I am familiar with are made from some form of Polyethylene, and no glue will adhere well enough to fix your problem. The welding techniques have a chance, though. Haven't tried using nylon (monofil fish line) as "solder", and w ould be interested to give it a try. If you do so, please let us know how it works out.

When pros weld these thermmoplastics they use a hot air gun with a small nozzle in much the same manner as in gas welding metal. If you have a "hair dryer" type of heat gun and can make up a small nozzle for it... well, it might work, and will be easier to avoid overheating the area than with a torch.

So, good luck, but the advice to replace is really the best shot!

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Old 10-01-2013, 12:36   #7
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Re: How can I patch a leaking jerry jug?

buy a new one but save the spout from old one. spares rock...
dont forget proper installation techniques as per above post...

if you were in mexico, you could try resistol 2 part glue for plastics--but it doesnt exist in usa, as far as i have found, so far...
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Old 10-01-2013, 12:53   #8
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Re: How can I patch a leaking jerry jug?

I think I would get a new jug nothing seems to stick very well to the poly type plastics.

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Old 10-01-2013, 12:53   #9
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Re: How can I patch a leaking jerry jug?

You can glue polyetheline but you need the correct gle and the heat treat the area to be glued.

I have done it sucessfully to my water tank.

There are YouTube videos on it google polyetheline heat treat. The link below has a video of how to heat treat.

The glue is from a good hardware shop. Now it's NOT polyporppylene or any other plastic. If the glue says Works on Most Plastics it will NOT work on Polyetheline. It MUST say on the front label that it goes Polyetheline.

It doesn't need another surface to be adhered to it. So rough sand your corner, heat treat and then smear a thick layer of glue and it will work as long as you done bash the corner too much.

The glue costs $10 so its cheaper than a new Gerry.

Here is the product. http://www.tapplastics.com/product/r...d_adhesive/435

TAP Poly-Weld Adhesive
TAP Poly-Weld Adhesive: Imagine being able to structurally bond Polyethylene!!! This has been virtually impossible in the past. Now, with a simple flame treatment and Poly-Weld, one can create strong joints on Low, Medium, or High Density Polyethylene. The famous marine King StarBoard®, also a polyethylene blend, can now be joined with Poly-Weld! Use for tank, door, pipe, irrigation, pond, marine, float, & automotive body repairs. Also bonds polypropylene, ABS, PVC, ceramics, rubber, fiberglass, metals, and glass. Exterior-rated. Non-sag formula.
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Old 11-01-2013, 05:51   #10
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Re: How can I patch a leaking jerry jug?

Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkJ View Post
You can glue polyetheline but you need the correct gle and the heat treat the area to be glued.

I have done it sucessfully to my water tank.

There are YouTube videos on it google polyetheline heat treat. The link below has a video of how to heat treat.

The glue is from a good hardware shop. Now it's NOT polyporppylene or any other plastic. If the glue says Works on Most Plastics it will NOT work on Polyetheline. It MUST say on the front label that it goes Polyetheline.

It doesn't need another surface to be adhered to it. So rough sand your corner, heat treat and then smear a thick layer of glue and it will work as long as you done bash the corner too much.

The glue costs $10 so its cheaper than a new Gerry.

Here is the product. TAP Poly-Weld Adhesive : TAP Plastics

TAP Poly-Weld Adhesive
TAP Poly-Weld Adhesive: Imagine being able to structurally bond Polyethylene!!! This has been virtually impossible in the past. Now, with a simple flame treatment and Poly-Weld, one can create strong joints on Low, Medium, or High Density Polyethylene. The famous marine King StarBoard®, also a polyethylene blend, can now be joined with Poly-Weld! Use for tank, door, pipe, irrigation, pond, marine, float, & automotive body repairs. Also bonds polypropylene, ABS, PVC, ceramics, rubber, fiberglass, metals, and glass. Exterior-rated. Non-sag formula.
Great find Mark. Many will appreciate this information. Thanx!
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Old 11-01-2013, 05:57   #11
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Re: How can I patch a leaking jerry jug?

If it's a small enough hole, screw an appropriately sized self-tapping stainless steel screw into the hole. If you have some, cut a small piece of rubber sheet to make a gasket.
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Old 11-01-2013, 05:58   #12
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Re: How can I patch a leaking jerry jug?

If you can't find the glue for Marks repair, we used to use the plastic ring stuff that holds cans of beer together to repair the bottom of skies. Melt with candle and drip onto object then smooth with soldering iron.

You will then have a problem of half a dozen cans of beer rolling around unrestrained. PM your location and I will be able to solve that for you.

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Old 11-01-2013, 06:40   #13
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Re: How can I patch a leaking jerry jug?

good old Marine Tex works just fine - any two part epoxy paste will work - be sure the jug is dry inside & out -rough it up with 60 grit so you get some bite- apply the epoxy to the required thickness.
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Old 13-01-2013, 05:13   #14
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Thanks to everyone for your ideas. We haven't found anyplace here in Cartagena that sells 5 or 6 gallon jerry jugs, but when we get to Panama we will definitely buy a couple new ones, along with the magic stuff that MarkJ suggests, which is sure to come in handy down the line. In the meantime, we did try the fishing line idea. here is our advice, based on our experience. First of all. Try not to drop hot melted fishing line on your leg. And if you do, don't panic and use a bare finger to GET IT OFF GET IT OFF! Then, DON'T get into a blazing row with the love-of-your-life about appropriate first aid procedures for second-degree burns. That's the preliminary stuff. Now. We heated the corner of the jug just a bit too long, so we actually made the hairline crack a bit wider, before we started sealing it with the melted fishing line - which is really hot stuff, just so you know. We thought we sealed it pretty well, and then after it was set we covered it with duct tape, because duct tape should be part of ANY repair, don't you think? But alas, the jerry jug is still dripping, although it is a slower drip than it was before. I suspect that if we did another round with the fishing line we COULD actually stop the leak, but for the sake of marital harmony, we're going to call it "good enough." We will keep using it to haul water until we get to Panama.

The other thing is: it's clear that the crack was due to the constant wear of hauling to jerry jug in and out of the dinghy, so now we're wondering if we should cover the corners to prevent chafing - like with DUCT TAPE, maybe? Or if anyone has any idea about how to prevent the corners from getting excessive wear, we would appreciate it.
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Old 13-01-2013, 05:35   #15
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Re: How can I patch a leaking jerry jug?

well, you could sew covers of Sunbrella or the like for the jugs, because I'd bet that part of the problem may be UV degradation... and the covers would look oh-so-salty ;-)
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