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03-21-2016, 03:00 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
City: San Pedro, CA
Vessel Name: Boatless
Vessel Model: Dreamer
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 159
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Water Tanks - Repair/Replace - Opinions
Found a bit of a leak in the port water tank...
Ronco plastic replacement is listed at $439
What about having the tank repaired by welding?
The tanks are 30-yeats old.
Opinions solicited.
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03-21-2016, 03:13 PM
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#2
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Enigma
City: Slicker?
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 16,540
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Greetings,
Mr. CLA. Since it's only water, the cheapest may be to remove and have welded IF that cross beam is readily removed. It'll be 50/50 IMO but for the probably cheap repair what have you really got to lose? In anticipation of possible failure, alter that cross piece so it IS easily removed.
__________________
RTF
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03-21-2016, 03:41 PM
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#3
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Guru
City: Gulf Shores, Ala.
Vessel Name: Ulysses
Vessel Model: Romsdal 1963
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 878
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Is it steel or aluminum ?
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03-21-2016, 04:11 PM
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#4
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TF Site Team
City: Jacksonville
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 11,670
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I'd replace. It looks like you have good access. A cheap upgrade as far as boating goes.
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03-21-2016, 04:17 PM
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#5
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Guru
City: Sidney
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 2,258
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Larry M
I'd replace. It looks like you have good access. A cheap upgrade as far as boating goes.
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03-21-2016, 04:37 PM
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#6
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Guru
City: North Charleston, SC
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 4,869
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If the leak is in a flat panel an inch or more from a corner, you can go to a plumbing supply store and buy a plug to stop the leak. You drill out the hole a bit and then insert it like a toggle bolt and then tighten the head to expand the rubber and seal the leak. I used one on a water pressure tank in a previous home. That's not the best way to deal with the problem but it will work and probably last until you get another leak somewhere else.
If it's leaking at a seam or corner, that won't work.
Replacing the tank is the permanent solution.
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03-21-2016, 04:55 PM
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#7
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Guru
City: AR
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,514
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City water is chlorinated, and chlorine is corrosive. Even if your water is from a well, if you add bleach to each fill, you're adding a corrosive. The average of life an aluminum water tank is about 20 years...steel a bit longer. And the first leak in any metal water or waste tank is always just the FIRST leak. Your tank is 30 yrs old. So I'd bite the bullet and replace it now.
Or you can be like a guy on one of the houseboat sites I was on several years ago who'd patched his aluminum water tank in so many places that he'd just about turned it into a tank made entirely of JB Weld!
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03-21-2016, 04:57 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
City: LAFAYETTE,LA
Vessel Name: Relenti
Vessel Model: Atlantic 30, 1983
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 451
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Having repaired lots of alum. tank, both fuel and water, pull it and see if you can locate the leak. My experience it will have a cracked weld. If cracked in the weld, drill a 1/8 hole on each end of the crack and weld it up. Should last another 30 years or so. If the leak is in the sides or bottom-away from the welded seams, probably be from corrosion and then I'd replace it. Good luck with it. Let us know what you find and do.
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03-21-2016, 05:57 PM
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#9
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Guru
City: Here
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,940
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Not a doctor ... but hasn't aluminum been linked to alzheimers ?
+1 with Peggie on the chlorine
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03-21-2016, 06:09 PM
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#10
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Guru
City: North Charleston, SC
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 4,869
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Quote:
Originally Posted by boatpoker
Not a doctor ... but hasn't aluminum been linked to alzheimers ?
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I don't remember.
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03-21-2016, 06:12 PM
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#11
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Veteran Member
City: Olney,Mt/Anacortes,Wa
Vessel Name: Millie B
Vessel Model: 34 CHB Tricabin
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 47
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agree with all the above, if you decide to replace and buy from ronco, and can give them a business license the price will come down approx 40%. I know, I bought a tank from them last week, Linda is who you want to talk to and she is great on customer service.
Bruce
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03-21-2016, 06:54 PM
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#12
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Veteran Member
City: Las Vegas Nevada
Vessel Name: None Yet
Vessel Model: None Yet
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 36
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Hey How about this......This and Duct tape fixed anything..They advertise boat fixes....
__________________
Growing old is mandatory
Growing up is Not
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03-22-2016, 07:36 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
City: San Pedro, CA
Vessel Name: Boatless
Vessel Model: Dreamer
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 159
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Quote:
Originally Posted by raindr
agree with all the above, if you decide to replace and buy from ronco, and can give them a business license the price will come down approx 40%. I know, I bought a tank from them last week, Linda is who you want to talk to and she is great on customer service.
Bruce
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At negative 40% Ronco would make it a simple choice.
I do not have a business license... hummm...
Plus... who says i have to replace both tanks now?
Could be a quality fix for under $300.
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03-22-2016, 07:45 AM
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#14
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Enigma
City: Slicker?
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 16,540
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Greetings,
Mr. CLA. Maybe Ronco will throw in one of these as a bonus...
__________________
RTF
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03-22-2016, 09:38 AM
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#15
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Guru
City: Sidney
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 2,258
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CarlinLA;
I do not have a business license... hummm...
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Someone you know must have. Nobody says a water tank has to in your name.
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03-22-2016, 10:38 AM
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#16
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Guru
City: AR
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,514
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RT, Ronco Plastics is no relation to the Pocket Fisherman and VegoMatic Ronco.
Btw, any way you can make your photos any larger? There's still at least 1/4" of space left in the box.
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03-22-2016, 10:53 AM
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#17
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Guru
City: North Charleston, SC
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 4,869
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hawgwash
Someone you know must have. Nobody says a water tank has to in your name.
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Wouldn't it be a bit dishonest to claim you had a business when you actually don't to get a discount on a product?
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03-22-2016, 11:06 AM
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#18
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Guru
City: Cape May, NJ
Vessel Name: Irish Lady
Vessel Model: Monk 36
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 4,947
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I'll bet you will find more than one leak or area of wall thinning where the tank sits on those supports. So unless you do your own welding, I would just go for a new plastic tank. Remove the tank, inspect, take it to a tank shop, and decide.
__________________
Archie
Irish Lady
1984 Monk 36 Hull #46
Currently in Cape May, NJ
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03-22-2016, 12:31 PM
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#19
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Guru
City: Sidney
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 2,258
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WesK
Wouldn't it be a bit dishonest to claim you had a business when you actually don't to get a discount on a product?
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Oh, come on. There is nothing dishonest about a person with a business license buying the tank at a discount and gifting it to him.
Good grief.
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03-22-2016, 02:18 PM
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#20
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Guru
City: Everett
Vessel Name: LIBERTY
Vessel Model: TOLLY 48
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 502
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Lucky is the owner with access to the top of ANY tank, such as you apparently have! Now, on to your solicitation of opinion regarding repair or replace.
Judging from appearance, your tank is aluminum. If so, and it's currently leaking, and 30 years old, I believe the tank has reached end of service life, and should be replaced. There are less-expensive ways to solve your (current) leak, but the "fix" will be far from permanent. You can butch up a repair with all kinds of gak. JB Weld, 5200, duct tape, etc etc. And that's all I'll say about that!
If your (again, presumed) aluminum tank has been routinely filled from city water, most likely that water has been chlorinated. If so, that chlorine has reacted with the aluminum alloy, forming several oxides on the inside. One of them, aluminum oxide, forms hard "crusticles" on the internal walls and floor. Under each crusticle lies a corrosion pit, where the oxide "mines" its contents. Once that pit breaches the wall, the tank leaks.
Welding that hole from the outside may be possible, depending on where the leak site is, how clean the welder can get the weld site, how much "junk" remains inside, etc. It is very unlikely that any welder will attempt a weld repair, even on a water tank, inside a boat hull. Given you can get to the top already, I would pop in an access port immediately ( Seabuilt - Access Plate Systems), inspect the interior, and go from there.
Plastic tanks work fine for water. Finding one that fits is another story, although Ronco ( Ronco Plastics - Marine Water Tanks, RV Water Tank, Auto Detail Tanks, Water Tanks) apparently has several hundred sizes available. Another very good alternative for a custom tank replacement is 316L stainless, from a competent tank manufacturer. If you go the custom tank route, 316L is my personal choice for water tanks, with due diligence regarding design and installation of same.
Regards,
Pete
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