The threaded connector drain on my holding tank has developed a leak which one can imagine did not go down too well during our current hot spell. This is currently preventing me from using the boat over a weekend. I tried the usual fillers / sealers for PVC pipes but nothing seems to work. Has anybody had experience in fixing / replacing this threaded coupling on the bottom of the tank It appears to have been welded into the tank during manufacturing.
Leaking holding tank
- Thread starter Richard19084
- Start date
No fillers or sealers will bond to polyethylene. You're right...fittings are welded--a heat welding process called "spin welding"--into tanks during manufacturing. And heat welding is the only thing that will seal your leak. Since there's a bit more to it than just dripping a melted p-Tex candle into the crack (you have to melt enough existing material to blend with the new to become a single mass), try to find a local plastics fabricator who can do it for you. A pain to remove the tank to take it to 'em, but the only alternative is a new tank.
Btw...sounds like somebody may have over-tightened a fitting when hoses were replaced...that's about the only way to crack a female tank fitting. ONE turn past hand tight, plus only enough aim an elbow where it needs to go, no more.
Btw...sounds like somebody may have over-tightened a fitting when hoses were replaced...that's about the only way to crack a female tank fitting. ONE turn past hand tight, plus only enough aim an elbow where it needs to go, no more.
I think you are right on the over tightening comments. The tank leaked when I bought the boat (new ) and the sailing center fixed this for me. It seems to have held for 12 years and I think they luckily got away with just tightening the pipe. Your thoughts on using a hot soldering iron and the polyethylene stick to "weld" the crack?
Your thoughts on using a hot soldering iron and the polyethylene stick to "weld" the crack?
It's tricky to do it right, but unless it's the threaded female "collar" that's cracked, you have nothing to lose by trying. If it IS the threaded collar, you won't be able to thread a hose fitting into it once you've melted it out of shape.
Just melting the stick won't work...the melted poly won't bond to the tank poly...so you'll have to figure out how you can melt both the stick and the tank to create a single molten mass. Don't skimp...don't try to make it pretty. Sealing a leak is your sole objective.
If it doesn't work, it shouldn't cost much to have a plastics fabricator spinweld a new fitting into the tank...Just make sure it's 100% "de-stinkified" before you take it to them or they might refuse to work on it.
It's tricky to do it right, but unless it's the threaded female "collar" that's cracked, you have nothing to lose by trying. If it IS the threaded collar, you won't be able to thread a hose fitting into it once you've melted it out of shape.
Just melting the stick won't work...the melted poly won't bond to the tank poly...so you'll have to figure out how you can melt both the stick and the tank to create a single molten mass. Don't skimp...don't try to make it pretty. Sealing a leak is your sole objective.
If it doesn't work, it shouldn't cost much to have a plastics fabricator spinweld a new fitting into the tank...Just make sure it's 100% "de-stinkified" before you take it to them or they might refuse to work on it.
Harbor Freight
Sells a soldering tool and materials to do this. Pretty cheap as I remember.
http://www.harborfreight.com/80-watt-iron-plastic-welding-kit-60662.html
Sells a soldering tool and materials to do this. Pretty cheap as I remember.
http://www.harborfreight.com/80-watt-iron-plastic-welding-kit-60662.html
Thanks for the tip Ray, a lot easier and cheaper than removing the tank.
I'll let you know how it works out.
I'll let you know how it works out.