Poly water tanks (Thoughts)

F

Flatsflyer

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Joined
Feb 23, 2005
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16388
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Pull another water tank yesterday, drop it off at Polymer Frabrication in Ormond Beach this moring. Anoter split seam, this is the second tank and each time I have to pull the water heater and generator to get at the tanks. have a total of four 75 gallon tanks and this is getting old. Tanks where originally all plumed together, last time I segragated them do I can control drawing from any tank.

Has anyone else had any problem with poly water tanks? I don't realy have much in the way of options, tanks are trapizode in shape and are contured to the shape of the hull. Felt I need t get this one fixed as we will be heading to the Keys in May. THe ploy welding should be done early next week, with pressure teaating to ensure I found all of the leaks.
 
I would look at how they were installed. Stress, poor support, etc. I have seen few complaints about poly water tanks and mine were installed when the boat was built (late 1999) and are doing just fine.
 
Generally poly tanks hold up pretty well, IF they're properly supported and secured.
 
If got two from 1985 and are like new.
Jim
 
Mine is a 1980 model tank, under the V-berth. Held up good so far.
 
Mine are installed on an angled shelf, the bottom of the tanks are angled about 5 degrees, the tanks actually sit verticle because of the platform. There are two tanks on each side, seperated by a rubber shim, the tanks are held in place by verticle wooden beams that extend from the stringers to the main beam of the cabin sub floor. The two side by side tanks are further strapped together by a single large SS band with rubber corner protectors. The tank platforms actually sit on the stringers, so I don't think support is an issue. Pulling the water heater, Genny and genny exhaust systems plus all of the miscellaneous wiring and plumbing takes a full day. The tank will be back Tuesday and hopefully I will have the area cleaned and painted and then start the reinstallation.

Both bad tanks have been on the same side of the boat, and both tanks share a common deck fill with an overflow pipe filling the forward tank after the rear tank fills. Last year I replumbed the tanks so that they each have shutoff values with sight gauges. The shop showed me where the spli was located and explained how the tanks where originally built, the seams are about 3/4 wide. To further reducesloahing each tank has two baffles, each baffle appears to have about 9 1' holes. This tells me that any shiift, sloashing etc. should be pretty well controlled. The shop told me that age should not be factor, and both bad tanks are at the winding end of the genny so heat should not be a contributor.

Just hope this is the last one that needs to be repaired.
 
Tank is back, $79.88 for repair, will start to re-install on Thursday. Tanks was pressure test to 4 pounds, when I got it home I filled with water sitting on dock just to make sure everything is ok before I install. The name of the company if anyone needs is Polymer Frabrication and they have a website with the same name. They are a small design, build shop and will make any thing you want from various forms of plastic materials, dashboards, windows, console holders. They make a lot of parts for cars, airplanes, as well as homes and offices.
 
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