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03-07-2011, 09:39 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SF Bay Area, California
Trailer: 2009 Escape 19
Posts: 141
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Patching a fresh water tank puncture?
I have to repair a puncture in my Escape's water tank and I ran across a suggestion on another RV forum of using hot glue. The reasoning was that he tank is polyethelene, and the glue sticks are also poly, so theystuydk well together. The post also suggested, I believe, flame polishing the torn edge with a small butane torch. I guess that melts the edge a little and provides a smoother attachment point. I did not make notes or links because this wasn't a problem I had at the time I read the post!
Anyone tried this? The 10 gallon tank I took out of the U-haul also appeared to be patched at least two different ways. One way did look like it was done with a hot glue gun. The other method looked like it involved RTV and some kind of (maybe) rubber patch.
If I had the clearance I could just drill and tap it and install a plug, but the plumbing that actually created the hole is too close by to make that practical.
Regards,
Matt
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Escape 19 - 2009
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03-07-2011, 11:09 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
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Re: Patching a fresh water tank puncture?
Any time I've tried to use heat to effect a repair, it appears that I'm just about there and then the material being heated suddenly pulls back and makes an even bigger hole.
Check out marinetex.com
They make all sorts of fillers etc. for the marine industry.
Marine Tex® epoxy systems repair, bond and fill fiberglass, aluminum, plastics such as PVC, ABS, polyethylene (Starboard® Marine Building Sheet), inflatables, glass, masonry, ceramics, wood, dissimilar materials and more! Dependable high-strength epoxy products, coupled with a knowledgeable technical staff provide the confidence to tackle almost any project.
I owned a boat before I came to my senses.
baglo
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What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
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03-08-2011, 06:12 AM
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#3
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Site Team
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2014 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 11,051
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Re: Patching a fresh water tank puncture?
I replied over on FiberglassRV"
"Since it's for the fresh water tank and I would imagine you will use the water for drinking/cooking, may I suggest you just make certain the solution you use for the repair is also for "food grade." Don't want to ingest a bunch of bad-for-you chemicals! The gray water tank would obviously be less of a problem."
__________________
Donna D.
Ten Forward
2014 Escape 5.0TA
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03-08-2011, 01:37 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 195
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Re: Patching a fresh water tank puncture?
Quote:
Originally Posted by gbaglo
Any time I've tried to use heat to effect a repair, it appears that I'm just about there and then the material being heated suddenly pulls back and makes an even bigger hole.
Check out marinetex.com
They make all sorts of fillers etc. for the marine industry.
I owned a boat before I came to my senses.
baglo
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ditto to what baglo says!!! Heat and any other material has the habit of unintended consequences.
I still own the boat though (and have to figure out how to tow it with the escape or
Gord (less than 4 months to go)
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Gord & Shannon
2012 Ford F150 Ecoboost 4x4
2011 17B 'Ping
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03-09-2011, 12:30 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SF Bay Area, California
Trailer: 2009 Escape 19
Posts: 141
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Re: Patching a fresh water tank puncture?
I'm afraid epoxy doesn't stick well to polyethelene. I checked the Marinetex website and they suggest the flame polish, so I don't think I can get away from heat:
Quote:
Return to Top
How to bond or seal polyethylene plastic joints:
-Product: Marine-Tex FlexSet
-Materials: Propane torch with flame spreader, small cup of water.
-Conditions: Minimum 65?F temperature, 48 hours to fully cure
-Read instructions on packaging. Prep polyethylene by using the 'flame-treatment' method. There is a one hour window to bond the materials after flame treating the polyethylene. Apply epoxy to the bonding surface, leaving minimum of 1/16" of material between joint. Use mechanical means to support contact between the joints while the epoxy cures. Let the application sit for the full cure time.
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Apparently, polyethylene is used as a mold release for epoxy, and the little cups and mixing tools are typically poly because most adhesives don't stick well to poly. I may have to go heat weld or hot glue. Apparently it sticks very well to itself. I will keep you posted.
Regards,
Matt
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Escape 19 - 2009
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03-09-2011, 08:57 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Oswego, New York
Trailer: 2017 Escape 21C, 2018 Ford F150
Posts: 5,373
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Re: Patching a fresh water tank puncture?
Although it takes some time to learn the necessary skill, plastic welding is one of the best repair techniques. The welder consists of a heater hooked up to an air supply - blows a stream of hot air through a fine nozzle. You use fillers just as you would with brazing or welding.
Example.
I have also seen versions that work like a soldering gun without an air supply, but have only used the air supplied version.
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03-09-2011, 09:54 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 489
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Re: Patching a fresh water tank puncture?
That's a very interesting tool. I don't have an application for it, but I want one! I assume you have to buy "welding rods" of the same amterial you are attempting to weld?
Dave
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There are 10 kinds of people in the world, those who understand binary, and those who don't.
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03-09-2011, 10:03 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 151
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Re: Patching a fresh water tank puncture?
This is a very interesting thread.
I have not yet have had to deal with water tank problems.
I did fix the bottom of my skies, with poly filler and a old Iron
Geo
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03-09-2011, 02:35 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Oswego, New York
Trailer: 2017 Escape 21C, 2018 Ford F150
Posts: 5,373
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Re: Patching a fresh water tank puncture?
Quote:
That's a very interesting tool. I don't have an application for it, but I want one! I assume you have to buy "welding rods" of the same amterial you are attempting to weld?
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Yes. Sticks of filler "rod" are available for most plastics. If you have acceptable gas welding skills, moving to the plastic welder is fairly easy. If not, you will have to spend some time practicing before you try something as expensive as a tank. In some ways it is like welding aluminum - you don't get the color clues as to temperature like you do welding steel. Too much heat & the entire weld site turns to liquid!
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03-09-2011, 03:25 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 259
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Re: Patching a fresh water tank puncture?
Contact someone who lays vinyl flooring, the tool and plastic filler are used to make water tight seams
Doug
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03-09-2011, 09:39 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 276
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Re: Patching a fresh water tank puncture?
Plastic Welder find a mobile tool truck like,Snap-on, Mac, Matco, Cornwell, or SK they all sell plastic welders.
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Tundra Crewmax 2007,2001 Bigfoot 21RB, 73 Boler, 75 ECO,
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03-17-2011, 06:46 PM
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#12
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Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 1
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Re: Patching a fresh water tank puncture?
Kayak dealers specializing on Polyethylene yaks
may have a Poly welding kit for minor repairs.
Good luck.
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08-23-2013, 04:43 AM
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#13
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Junior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 21
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How do you repair a water tank if it's covered with insulation foam?
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08-23-2013, 11:37 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2002 Escape 13'
Posts: 967
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I drilled holes in my water tank by accident and successfully repaired them so I did all the research and know exactly what you should do. You are going to weld the holes shut using material from the same tank. Nothing will stick to PE plastic except melted PE so using some shavings from the same tank is preferred. There are different grades and blends of PE so don't take a chance with the bond strength and use plastic from the same tank.
- If the tank is covered with insulation then chip away what you need to to gain access to the leak location.
- Remove thin shavings of plastic from the tank corner(s) or edges with a sharp wood plane. The plastic in these areas is very thick and taking off a little bit won't compromise the tank at all. I got this idea from the tank manufacturer.
- With a plastic welder (hand-held soldering iron with a flat tip-available at some hardware stores or Harbor Freight) melt and work the melted material down into the hole and then flatten the hole area with the flat tip.
I removed my tank to fix the holes because they were on top. It was really easy to do. This repair is very easy to do and requires very little skill...I did it! Good luck!
Steve
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