'bella,
You can pressure test any tank.
You could submerge the tank, put air in it and look for bubbles. You could put
air in it and apply soapy spray (like I do on our dinghy) and look for bubbles.
You could fill it with colored water and look for seepage. For large pressure
vessels they completely fill the vessel with water to the working pressure then
shut the intake valve. Called a Hydrostatic Test even the smallest leak will
show up right away as a pressure drop in the vessel because there is no
springiness to the water.
The main problem is to avoid putting too much pressure in it and causing damage.
That happened to me. I hired a welding outfit called "Precision Welding" many
years ago to fix the solder covering sheet metal screws holding baffles in
place inside a beautiful Elco monel bow water tank. The tank had been in a
fire but the only damage was the solder melted off some of the screw heads.
After fixing the solder problem, he over-pressurized the tank while testing for
leaks, pulling the sheet metal screws out of the baffles and turning it into a
cushion-shaped piece of scrap metal.
Norm
S/V Bandersnatch
Lying Julington Creek
30 07.695N 081 38.484W
----- Original Message -----
From: bella
To: [email protected]
Sent: 2/7/2009 4:08:31 PM
Subject: Re: [Liveaboard] gas tank..
thanks for thinking of me Norm... that might might work for a water tank..
I had a very long discussion about this with a company owner who makes such
things..
has the equipment to weld plastic... the main problem any 'careful amateur' has
is that
they have no way to pressure test a tank.. since the tank will hold gasoline
with corrosive
ethanol in it.. I prefer to live with the knoweldge that a pinhole leak that I
don't know about that is
eating away or rather melting my hull does not or might not exist
I am not that much in to living dangerously..
Houseboat... gas tank? I assume he had no intention of doing any long distance
cruising? in
water that runs 300 fathoms? I am a pretty good swimmer but not that good...
I have already had that "OMG, I am sinking moment" this winter.. when the bow
hit the end of its tether,
hit the ice making an enormous crunching sound.. not unlike a boat going on the
rocks... the sound was rather loud
especially since I sleep in the forward berth. I jumped out of bed, landed with
one foot in the litter box.. cat poop on one foot,.
slammed my face against the mast.. still not entirely awake.. stumbled the 2
feet into the main salon and realized I was NOT
sinking... on a list of things I never want to do again.. is that that OMG
moment again.. so no.. fiberglass seems the safest and
easiest... (it is okay you can laugh... )
Did I mention before its an odd size with more than a mere rectangular shape?
Thank you Bill Tripp...you are such a lovely
fellow to design a boat this way... (rolles eyes)...
On Sat, Feb 7, 2009 at 3:31 PM, Norm of Bandersnatch <[email protected]>
wrote:
A careful amateur can make a good PVC tank by welding together flat sheets.
Hot air welding tools and welding rod is available. It is a bit like torch
welding or TIG welding.
I knew a fellow years ago that made a good one for his houseboat.
Norm
S/V Bandersnatch
Lying Julington Creek
30 07.695N 081 38.484W
----- Original Message -----
From: bella
To: [email protected]
Sent: 2/7/2009 10:04:46 AM
Subject: Re: [Liveaboard] gas tank..
BTDT.... my tank is an odd size for them to make me a tank would cost at a
minimum
$500+
On Sat, Feb 7, 2009 at 8:46 AM, <[email protected]> wrote:
[email protected] writes:
2. plastic tank.. so far no one around that has the capibility to make one..
the tank is an odd size from the plans I have seen.
Hi Bella
Perhaps you should contact www.ronco-plastics.net
after you have dished through their catalog. I've used them before.
Carl Hibbard
Great Deals on Dell Laptops. Starting at $499.
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--
It's not about the boat it's sails or rigging. It's about the freedom.
http://www.slideshare.net/jacko91/these-are-my-credentials/
http://fisherhouse.org/
http://www.specialops.org/
"We are the guardians of a great faith. When we believe that freedom offers the
best chance of peace and prosperity for all, and our desire for peace cannot be
seperated from our believe in liberty." Harry S. Truman
"Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when
it deserves it."
--Mark Twain
_______________________________________________
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