Leaking Steel Diesel Tank

[DeepFrz]

Oh Gord, you should have sold him the link.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by boden36

Maybe I'm a pessimist but if it has gone in one spot it will be about to go in lots of others. You may end up chasing your tail. I would bite the bullet, remove it and replace.

Regards,
Richard.

I agree...I've resurrected a lot of boats. These Taiwan boats almost always require the cabnetry being removed. Why go through all the weeks of work to remove and reinstall all that cabinetry to remove a tank to fix a pin hole. Iron tanks are not the way to go anyways. They were a cheap way of adding tankage. There is a reason Taiwan boats have a bad rap. It's because they cut corners that were never obvious to the general buyer.
Compared to the cost of the job (especially if hired out) a plastic tank from RONCO is a drop in the bucket, so to speak, compared to the overall project. Even if the iron tank had an inspection port (not all did), it is impossible to ascertain if other pin holes are developing.

[groundtackle]

Celest, I agree with most of your comments except the steel part. I have built and repaired many mild steel tanks. Iron not so much. Mild steel is a good material for tanks. They need to be properly installed (keep externally dry, coated). Fuel needs to be maintained, water out. If they are manufactured properly they can out live your vessel.
Let me add..I can't imagine sealing a deficiency from the outside and have debris running around my fuel system. If the inside is in good shape the epoxy repair is fine, until you survey the boat.
ce

[brianlara 3]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

Oh Gord, you should have sold him the link.

Sorry, he couldn't have sold me the link. Not at any price.
I've never bought anything off the internet and I never will. If I can't buy it from a bricks & mortar retailer ( you know, a shop ??)
then I don't buy it.

[Training Wheels]

I wouldn't even consider leaving a leaking, steel tank in my boat. Pull it out and replace it. I once cut out a steel GAS tank out of a Cal 34 we had. Cut it up in little pieces with a sawzall. After seeing inside it, I was very glad I chose to remove it!

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by groundtackle

Celest, I agree with most of your comments except the steel part. I have built and repaired many mild steel tanks. Iron not so much. Mild steel is a good material for tanks. They need to be properly installed (keep externally dry, coated). Fuel needs to be maintained, water out. If they are manufactured properly they can out live your vessel.
Let me add..I can't imagine sealing a deficiency from the outside and have debris running around my fuel system. If the inside is in good shape the epoxy repair is fine, until you survey the boat.
ce

...and all that is valid with what you are saying but for water, plastic is almost maintenance free and if you're talking diesel tanks then steel is a good choice. Still, (not steel) Taiwan tanks are problematic. I had heard once (take it as you may) that a factory in Taiwan regularly used old bicycle spokes as welding rod. So I wouldn't repair a poorly constructed tank, I'd start anew.

[hpeer]

Originally Posted by Panope

+1

This is an amazing product. Thick, tough, pliable, and super sticky.

+2. For $50 and a few hours work.

Boat Life sells it too of you want the "marine" version $$$$

[groundtackle]

I worked there and personally witnessed those spkoke things. I was in charge of quality control relating to metal on a large build, hardest job I ever had. They would sweep up all the little short pieces of tig rod too small to hang on to then tack them together like a Dr. Seuss stick. It would introduce impurities into their welds. I have stories.
The fact is.. we want want things cheaper and they do whatever it takes make that happen. They can do quality work too, that costs more.
Plastics are great for tanks but there are size limitations with that material.
ce

[Celestialsailor]

Thanx gt...that confirms the stories then. I have used Ronco tanks since the 80's You should check them out. Up to 280 gallon tanks.
Ronco Plastics - Marine Water Tanks, RV Water Tank, Auto Detail Tanks, Water Tanks

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

...and all that is valid with what you are saying but for water, plastic is almost maintenance free and if you're talking diesel tanks then steel is a good choice. Still, (not steel) Taiwan tanks are problematic. I had heard once (take it as you may) that a factory in Taiwan regularly used old bicycle spokes as welding rod. So I wouldn't repair a poorly constructed tank, I'd start anew.

Actually coat hangers were very commonly used for Oxy Acetelene welding, bike spokes may well be a decent grade of steel, compared to a coat hanger

[ErikFinn]

Ronco does not appear to offer tanks for diesel, plastic water tanks are not suitable for diesel, is this correct?

[chris95040]

Originally Posted by brianlara 3

Sorry, he couldn't have sold me the link. Not at any price.
I've never bought anything off the internet and I never will. If I can't buy it from a bricks & mortar retailer ( you know, a shop ??)
then I don't buy it.

Wow. You should try it some time.

[brianlara 3]

Originally Posted by chris95040

Wow. You should try it some time.

Thanks for the suggestion, but not while ever my derriere points to the ground. Not even to save 50% on EVERYTHING. When everything is totally free on the internet....I'll support retailers.
Internet trading is totally anathema to me.
Even my C Map SD card was sent by post to Jepperson for re-loading onto a Micro SD for my new Simrad plotter
Telephone banking, sure, of course.
Cheers

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by ErikFinn

Ronco does not appear to offer tanks for diesel, plastic water tanks are not suitable for diesel, is this correct?

I have not used them for such but I just saw a Youtube of someone using a plastic tank. Maybe someone here can say for sure.

[ErikFinn]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

I have not used them for such but I just saw a Youtube of someone using a plastic tank. Maybe someone here can say for sure.

Yea I don't know for sure either, browsing that Ronco site I didn't spot reference to diesel. What I do know is that if one wants to use say a manual whale gusher pump for transfering diesel, the normal rubber diaphragm must be changed to a nitrile one as the standard one would disintegrate prematurely. I know plastic is not rubber and apples are not oranges but it would be a shame to install a new tank only to find it unusable after a few years..
Reason why I'm posting this is because I may have a similar job as the OP does in front of me in the future so learning at this stage doesn't hurt..
So yea, if anyone can shed light that would be great..