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10-11-2015, 17:00
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Nyack, NY
Boat: Westsail 32
Posts: 1,690
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Product for Sealing Leaking Tank Weld
I am wondering if anyone knows of a product that can be used to seal a small leak in the weld of one of my stainless potable water tanks, would like to cover all the welds on the inside of tank, needs to be non toxic when cured.
__________________
"All men are created equal, some just more than
others" KD2RLY
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10-11-2015, 18:02
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Missouri
Boat: Beneteau 393
Posts: 107
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Re: Product for Sealing Leaking Tank Weld
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10-11-2015, 19:57
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Whoo! Finally made it back to Mexico!
Boat: Cheoy Lee Offshore 38
Posts: 1,458
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Re: Product for Sealing Leaking Tank Weld
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Stillwell
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Ha ha! My ex has used j-b weld to practically rebuild the pipes in his house. I have to say, it works very well but the repair is only good for about 2-3 years. Not so good for marriages, but good for leaky pipes and tanks
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10-11-2015, 20:30
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Vancouver Island
Boat: 55'alloy performance cruiser
Posts: 124
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Re: Product for Sealing Leaking Tank Weld
I have used two products with great success, G-flex epoxy by West System and Belzona. Follow all the proper protocols for applying, as in thorough cleaning, roughing up the metal to key in the epoxy, proper temperature, etc. My cutlass bearing is aligned into the strut and fixed in place with Belzona, I painted all the seams inside and out in my alloy fuel tanks with G-Flex epoxy thickened with high density powder. It is formulated for metal bonding.
Another alternative is to have the tank sprayed with Linex or some such truck bed liner if it is removable. I did my anchor locker/tank and holding tank with that product.
cheerio, Greg
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10-11-2015, 20:58
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: New Bern, NC
Boat: Holman & Pye Red Admiral 36
Posts: 512
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Re: Product for Sealing Leaking Tank Weld
If you have a large enough opening on the tank to reach all of the corners, you can use HENRY'S COOL TAR.
It is FDA approved for fresh water cisterns & tanks.
It can be applied with a paint brush or shaped trowel.
It is sort of like thick tar/asphalt and is pretty nasty to work with, but lasts forever and seals any leaks.
Also gives the water a "fresh / clean" taste.
I've used it on fiberglass and stainless steel water tanks - works great.
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11-11-2015, 07:05
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Cruising Mexico
Boat: 50' Herreshoff Ketch
Posts: 965
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Re: Product for Sealing Leaking Tank Weld
A guy on our old dock in Long Beach said he repaired his cold iron fuel tanks by filling them with an inch or so of epoxy.
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11-11-2015, 09:03
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Bend, OR
Boat: Brewer designed Pacific 43 in fiberglass. Center cockpit set up for long-distance single handing.
Posts: 472
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Re: Product for Sealing Leaking Tank Weld
In my opinion you are postponing the inevitable, that of replacing that tank. You could cut out the baffles and insert a membrane or you could replace the tank. There are certain things on a boat that just shouldn't be jury rigged. Waking up in the middle of an ocean with your fresh water sloshing around in the bilge is life threatening, if not for you then perhaps for the hapless soul who buys your boat down the road. This is not a place to skimp. If you must make a temporary repair do it only as a means of buying some time to save up to do it right.
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11-11-2015, 09:27
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Biloxi, MS
Boat: 1978 Cabo Rico Tiburon 36 "Isabella"
Posts: 597
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Re: Product for Sealing Leaking Tank Weld
I have used these products by Devcon. A little pricey but really do the job.
McMaster-Carr
use the material for Stainless Steel
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11-11-2015, 09:30
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Biloxi, MS
Boat: 1978 Cabo Rico Tiburon 36 "Isabella"
Posts: 597
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Re: Product for Sealing Leaking Tank Weld
Quote:
Originally Posted by jhulmer
I have used these products by Devcon. A little pricey but really do the job.
McMaster-Carr
use the material for Stainless Steel
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forgot to give you the catalog number - 74575A69
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11-11-2015, 09:33
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2008
Boat: Custom cutter, 42'
Posts: 701
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Re: Product for Sealing Leaking Tank Weld
The recommendation for the Henry's is a good one. As an alternative, 2 part epoxy paints formulated especially for potable water tanks are available, PPG is a good source. Either will make a permanent repair of any weld pinholes, so long as the surface prep is done right.
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11-11-2015, 10:46
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 811
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Re: Product for Sealing Leaking Tank Weld
Quote:
Originally Posted by cburger
I am wondering if anyone knows of a product that can be used to seal a small leak in the weld of one of my stainless potable water tanks, would like to cover all the welds on the inside of tank, needs to be non toxic when cured.
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There is a Loctite product for sealing holes in car gas tanks. It is an epoxy stick that has an activater built in. You mould it together like putty and it goes off rock hard.
You could do worse than using chewing gum, after you have chewed it. That was the fix for car gas tanks in the early days of motoring on rough roads.
Why seal the inside of the welds instead of the outside?
SS water tanks get "rotten" after 10 or so years and often can't be rewelded.
I replaced mine with flexible tanks ( made in Auckland NZ. by Covertex). They have been very successful and have more capacity in the same space. After a few flushes the taste disappears. With proper filtering there is no initial taste.
A scrap metal recycler paid $60 for my old SS tanks which went towards the cost of the flexible tanks.
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11-11-2015, 15:22
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#12
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Carlsbad, CA
Boat: 1976 Sabre 28-2
Posts: 7,505
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Re: Product for Sealing Leaking Tank Weld
There was something called creem (sp) originally designed to seal motor cycle gas tanks. It was a very thin epoxy you put in the tank, sloshed it around and let it work its magic. Believe POR also makes a gas tank sealant.
__________________
Peter O.
'Ae'a, Pearson 35
'Ms American Pie', Sabre 28 Mark II
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11-11-2015, 16:03
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Halifax, NS, Canada
Boat: 47' Steel Roberts Cutter
Posts: 489
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Re: Product for Sealing Leaking Tank Weld
Belzona. Awesome stuff- follow the directions and its damn near indestructible. There are many formulas. Talk to an experienced belzona rep to select the right one.
Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum
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11-11-2015, 16:46
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: PNW Puget Sound
Boat: 1955 G L Watson 40' Yawl
Posts: 386
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Re: Product for Sealing Leaking Tank Weld
Quote:
Originally Posted by cburger
I am wondering if anyone knows of a product that can be used to seal a small leak in the weld of one of my stainless potable water tanks, would like to cover all the welds on the inside of tank, needs to be non toxic when cured.
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You won't want to hear this, but a major drawback to stainless tanks [fuel or water] is crevice corrosion. Do some research on the subject and save yourself a lot of heartache trying to repair what will likely be an ongoing problem. The problem is oxygen starvation in poorly fitting joints and welds.
You will hear a lot of opinions, but talk to some knowledgeable systems people and get the facts...
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11-11-2015, 17:16
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 102
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Re: Product for Sealing Leaking Tank Weld
Take the tank out and weld it. If the condition from the RVS a trouble is do than fiberglass in or round it.
There are 1001 products but gif properly not a definitive solution or are expensive.
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