Leak in water tank: what are my options?

[Dave96734]

When I attempted to fill the V-berth water tank in my 1984 C30, I discovered a leak. It's from a small crack on the bottom aspect, and it looks like the PO had put some putty over it previously. I'd love to hear folks thoughts on options: Do I need to suck it up and replace? Heat welding really doesn't seen to be an option as gravity will be working against me, right? Add more putty? Put a liner in?
Thanks!

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Replace it. There is no sealant that will bond permanently to polyethylene. Ronco Plastics in Tustin California has been the OEM water and waste tank supplier to Catalina for decades, so unless it was added by a PO who got it from another source you can get an identical replacement from directly from Ronco for a lot less than Catalina Direct will charge if you just give 'em the mold #, which should be stamped into the top of the tank.
Their phone # will be in their catalog. Ronco Plastics marine Tanks

As for shipping to HI...surely you know enough people in CA who fly over fairly regularly...have Ronco ship it to one of them who's coming soon...they can bring it as checked baggage. Or, ask Ronco if they have a better idea.

--Peggie

 

[Richard19068]

Peggie,

What's your opinin of trying something like this?

Poly Welder Pro Plastic Repair Kit - Black - Rainwater Collection and Stormwater Management

Using the Poly Welder Pro Kit, you can create permanent repairs to almost anything made of polyethylene. This water tank repair kit comes with everything you need. With the Poly Welder Pro kit, you get a heavy duty element with a tip that makes repairs easy, 10 feet of black welding strips and...

www.rainharvest.com

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Heat welding is the only repair that would work, but it requires some skill 'cuz you don't just squirt some new PE into the crack and call it done. It's necessary to melt the edges of the crack so that the new and old PE blend together to become a single mass. The skill is in knowing how much new PE and how much of the edges to melt to create that single mass. This varies with a bunch of factors including length of the crack, wall thickness of of the tank, how much stress will be put on the weld to pull it apart. It's one thing to repair a gutter drain pipe, something quite different to repair a tank wall--even the bottom of a tank-- that when full will have 8.33 lbs/gallon of water or waste trying to pull the crack apart again.

But at least it's a water tank, not a holding tank....

--Peggie

 

[JamesG161]

V- Berth Tanks always take a pounding from the waves against the bow.

You can remove the old Putty and clean the crack area well. Then use this to repair the crack.

Epoxy Putty



Walmart Price < $10

Jim...

 

[Benny17441]

Not saying age caused the crack, but it may have likely played a significant part, it is time to replace with a new one.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Then use this to repair the crack.

Sticks to everything except the devil's plastic .......... polyethylene.

 

[JamesG161]

Sticks to everything except the devil's plastic .......... polyethylene.

But you are right Polyethylene

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Yup...as I have said many times, there is NO sealant, glue or any other product that will bond permanently to PE.
I agree with Benny...that tank has been taking a pounding for 34 years...it's time for a new tank.

--Peggie

 

[Dave96734]

Thanks everyone. Gonna replace it!

 

[Crusty Ol Salt]

Thanks everyone. Gonna replace it!

Best choice, if you keep the boat you know it's good to go. If you sell the boat you have a receipt to show it is replaced.

Win, win.....

 

[JBP-PA]

After you replace it, practice repairing the old one as Peggie describes. That way you'll learn how to do it in mid ocean.