Ok. *Someone tell me why this is stupid. *I have had the vent line for my water tank get clogged a couple of times. *It seems spiders or mud dobbers keep clogging it up. *Instead of fighting it over and over, how stupid would it be just to have the vent line set up high in the bilge and vent that way. *Only risk I can see is the tanks are overfilled then it will come out the vent line and flood the bilge. *However, we have easy visible access to the tank and watch it every time we fill it up so we never over fill it. *Other than that issue I can't see any other concern? *It would be nice to not have to keep unclogging the dumb vent line and when it gets clogged it expands the tanks and lifts the aft stateroom bed up and one of these days it will crack the tanks and that will be some headaches and $$$!
Vent water tank to inside bilge?
- Thread starter Woodsong
- Start date
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jleonard
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On my last boat I added a tank and vented both into the bilge. Actually the original tank was vented into the bilge.
Never a problem.*
Never a problem.*
2bucks
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Or the next fellow to own your boat puts the hose in and goes to lunch.
As long as you keep your bilge clean and sweet smelling...'cuz don't forget that vents are not only an escape for air displaced by incoming water when you fill the tank, vents also provide a source of air to replace tank contents as they're pulled out. So if you vent your water tank in the bilge, your water is gonna taste/smell like your bilge.
HopCar
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Woodsong, If the mud dobbers are plugging your water tank vents, they are likely plugging your fuel tank vents. Better keep an eye on those vents as well. They can stop your engines at a very bad time.
Can you not put a screen of some sort over the vent opening?* If you use stainless screen or a grill of some sort you won't havfe to worry about rust.* Our GB, for example,*has bronze grills over the lazarette vents in the bulwarks*with slots small enough to keep out something the size of a wasp.
-- Edited by Marin on Thursday 1st of September 2011 09:36:41 PM
Nomad Willy
Guru
Mine vent to the aft cockpit * .....never had a problem.
*And even more likely to plug up your waste tank vents!
Singleprop
Senior Member
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My water tank vent will be routed up and integrated into the stainless steel railing........pretty smart since they will be out of view .
As long as you don't let it also become out of mind and therefore never checked or maintained, that works ok for water and fuel tank vents, but don't even THINK of running a waste tank vent into a rail stanchion! Sailboat builders who've done that in the past now run 'em to thru-hulls 'cuz it's proven to cause more problems than it solves.
xfedex
Senior Member
If the vent is higher than the deck fill, the vent probably would not overflow before the fill would when tanks are topped off. Have I got that right?
While I have your attention (bold assumption), does anyone know what caulk or seale rapplied from the inside to use to stop a leak in a water tank ? After 12 years of use, my tank is leaking and I traced it to a "drilling error" by some installer long ago that was plugged and has now started to leak. If the photo works, it is the black circle at the top of the tank.
While I have your attention (bold assumption), does anyone know what caulk or seale rapplied from the inside to use to stop a leak in a water tank ? After 12 years of use, my tank is leaking and I traced it to a "drilling error" by some installer long ago that was plugged and has now started to leak. If the photo works, it is the black circle at the top of the tank.
Attachments
FF
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Epoxy should do it.
What's the tank made of?
JB Weld's "Water Weld" is a better choice I think...
http://jbweld.net/products/water.php
-- Edited by HeadMistress on Tuesday 18th of October 2011 02:09:02 PM
http://jbweld.net/products/water.php
-- Edited by HeadMistress on Tuesday 18th of October 2011 02:09:02 PM
sunchaser
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I agree with Peggy on JB Weld. This past*summer I used it to repair a 6" leaking seam on an ABS (Black plastic) coolant expansion tank under 7 psi and 175 degree conditions. It worked perfect.
JB Weld makes a variety of products, not all of which are suitable for use on potable water tanks and plumbing. Their "Water Weld" is approved for potable water and "food grade" use.
*xfedex wrote:
If the vent is higher than the deck fill, the vent probably would not overflow before the fill would when tanks are topped off. Have I got that right?
While I have your attention (bold assumption), does anyone know what caulk or seale rapplied from the inside to use to stop a leak in a water tank ? After 12 years of use, my tank is leaking and I traced it to a "drilling error" by some installer long ago that was plugged and has now started to leak. If the photo works, it is the black circle at the top of the tank.
That's the vent!**
Seriously - you have access to the inside of the water tank?* I would be thinking about some sort of mechanical patch or plug in combination with a sealant.
-- Edited by rwidman on Friday 21st of October 2011 06:09:14 AM
Another job for which JB Weld "Water Weld" would be the best choice. Read all about how to use it here:
http://jbweld.net/products/water.php
http://jbweld.net/products/water.php
