cracked water tank

Any insight on how to repair a cracked 40 gal. polyethylene (?) water tank (Cal 31), circa 1979? JB Weld? (I haven't taken the tank out yet to see where and how much it is cracked.) Harleigh Ewell

--- In Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com, "Harleigh Ewell" <hewell@...> wrote: > > Any insight on how to repair a cracked 40 gal. polyethylene (?) water tank > (Cal 31), circa 1979? JB Weld? (I haven't taken the tank out yet to see > where and how much it is cracked.) > > > > Harleigh Ewell > If it's that old, why not just get a new one? They aren't that expensive, plus you can get it set up the way you want it, like with an inspection port. I'm guessing that the tank is your only water tank. My Cal 31 is set up with two 28 gal. tanks. That way if one fails you haven't lost your whole supply. Jack

The only repair I know is to have the tank welded, basically a heat gun and plastic rod. I might also suggest that the repair area be patched, to reduce stress on the repair. What started the crack? Did the material get hard? If so, you might continue to chase this problem. New tank(s) is also a good thought. dEmO From: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com [mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of egiajack Sent: Monday, May 14, 2007 4:53 PM To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Subject: [Cal_Boats] Re: cracked water tank --- In Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com <mailto:Cal_Boats%40yahoogroups.com> , "Harleigh Ewell" <hewell@...> wrote: > > Any insight on how to repair a cracked 40 gal. polyethylene (?) water tank > (Cal 31), circa 1979? JB Weld? (I haven't taken the tank out yet to see > where and how much it is cracked.) > > > > Harleigh Ewell > If it's that old, why not just get a new one? They aren't that expensive, plus you can get it set up the way you want it, like with an inspection port. I'm guessing that the tank is your only water tank. My Cal 31 is set up with two 28 gal. tanks. That way if one fails you haven't lost your whole supply. Jack

Oh, oh! don't tell me! i know this one! i saw it last week on the "Red & Green" show! just pull the tank out. get a great big roll of duck-tape. put the offending tank on a turn-table. then, as you have your best friend slowly spin it; start wrapping the duck-tape all the way around the tank as tightly as you can get it! be sure to have several extra rolls of hi-grade tank-wrap style of duck on hand just in case the tank starts leaking again. or in case the one roll is not enough............. fiver, Master of The "BB-54" one of the famous Cal-28 flush-decks out of Sierra-5, Papa Hotel (in days gone by) now resting outside my shop Federal Way, Wa. (built like a Battleship; sails like a Sub......) ********************************* --- In Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com, "Harleigh Ewell" <hewell@...> wrote: > > Any insight on how to repair a cracked 40 gal. polyethylene (?) water tank > (Cal 31), circa 1979? JB Weld? (I haven't taken the tank out yet to see > where and how much it is cracked.) > > > > Harleigh Ewell >

ti… [at] ch2m.com wrote: > > The only repair I know is to have the tank welded, basically a heat > gun and plastic rod. I might also suggest that the repair area be > patched, to reduce stress on the repair. What started the crack? Did > the material get hard? If so, you might continue to chase this problem. > Gougeon Bros. have developed a method for repairing polyethylene with epoxy. It involves passing a gas torch flame over the abraded surface just before applying epoxy. Apparently that oxidizes the plasticizers that interfere with bonding. That's a lay person's recall. Check their web site or call their technical service line for better advice. Chris Campbell

Turns out, it was a false alarm. When I went down to the boat a few days later, I disconnected the fill hose and vent hose from the tank. Then, I filled up the tank through the fill hose opening in the tank, and there was no leak. What I had originally thought was a leak apparently came from the fill or vent hose apparatus when I overfilled the tank while flushing it out after the winter. On my 31, I have another 10-15 gal. tank, so that either one or both can be drawn upon. From: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com [mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of egiajack Sent: Monday, May 14, 2007 7:53 PM To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Subject: [Cal_Boats] Re: cracked water tank --- In Cal_Boats@yahoogrou <mailto:Cal_Boats%40yahoogroups.com> ps.com, "Harleigh Ewell" <hewell@...> wrote: > > Any insight on how to repair a cracked 40 gal. polyethylene (?) water tank > (Cal 31), circa 1979? JB Weld? (I haven't taken the tank out yet to see > where and how much it is cracked.) > > > > Harleigh Ewell > If it's that old, why not just get a new one? They aren't that expensive, plus you can get it set up the way you want it, like with an inspection port. I'm guessing that the tank is your only water tank. My Cal 31 is set up with two 28 gal. tanks. That way if one fails you haven't lost your whole supply. Jack

Thanks. See previous reply to Jack. From: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com [mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of ti… [at] ch2m.com Sent: Monday, May 14, 2007 8:29 PM To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Cal_Boats] Re: cracked water tank The only repair I know is to have the tank welded, basically a heat gun and plastic rod. I might also suggest that the repair area be patched, to reduce stress on the repair. What started the crack? Did the material get hard? If so, you might continue to chase this problem. New tank(s) is also a good thought. dEmO _____ From: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com [mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of egiajack Sent: Monday, May 14, 2007 4:53 PM To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Subject: [Cal_Boats] Re: cracked water tank --- In Cal_Boats@yahoogrou <mailto:Cal_Boats%40yahoogroups.com> ps.com, "Harleigh Ewell" <hewell@...> wrote: > > Any insight on how to repair a cracked 40 gal. polyethylene (?) water tank > (Cal 31), circa 1979? JB Weld? (I haven't taken the tank out yet to see > where and how much it is cracked.)