Using plastic WM access ports for diesel tank?

[edhuckle]

Hello all:

I have tried hard to find the answer to this by searching and asking "experts" but I cannot find the answer. We have a Niagara 35 sailboat with a 30 gallon aluminum diesel tank. Recently we had 2 problems - the corner sprung a leak (that I need to have fixed) and after a rough passage the sediment stirred up and clogged a fuel filter. So, in order to fix both of these I have decided I want to install 2 access ports (on each side of the 1 baffle) in the tank, which would allow me to fully clean it out (now and in the future) and inspect of other possible future corrosion points/leaks.

Surely the best ports for this are some all aluminum heavy duty ones like this:
Seabuilt - Access Plate Systems
or something similar.

However, these are very expensive and slow to get (I am currently stuck in Pensacola on my way to the Caribbean). The people at West Marine insist that I could use their plastic screw in deck plates - these:

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-...44?recordNum=3

and I cannot find anything on the product pages that say "NOT" to use this in a diesel tank, but I want to really know. Do any of you KNOW the answer? As long as they won't leak is there any other detriment to using plastic ports on the top of the aluminum tank?

Thanks in advance, Ed

[Pete7]

Ed, use some of these:

https://www.seabridge-marine.com/Wat..._12226714.aspx

Search for TCL4 hatch, clear ones available if you need.

Pete

[jstevens]

I would not recommend those ports for this application. I have them on my water tanks, and if I overfill those tanks the hydrostatic pressure will pop the cover plate out of the base. These are the threaded plates not the push on plates.
When this happens I end up with a lot of water in the bilge and some on the cabin sole. but it is only water. If something similar were to happen with the ports on the fuel tank, you could end of up with a lot of fuel in your bilge. The problem with these type of ports is that I believe they are designed to keep liquids out, not hold liquids in.

I'd talk to someone who fabricates fuel tanks for a recommendation.

John