Emergency crack repair on Vortex Stainless tank

[Mikey P]

A new crack on an existing old repair has developed on the floor to wall joint on our Vortex fresh tank.

My welder pal is out of town until the middle of May so I'm looking for a temporary solution to keep the water in...


any opinions?

Will JB Weld hold for a while?

http://www.amazon.com/J-B-Weld-8265...&qid=1462236457&sr=8-1&keywords=jb+weld+steel

http://www.amazon.com/Hy-Poxy-H-800-Stainless-Steel-Repair/dp/B001RMKZUK

http://www.walmart.com/ip/17134766?...50919288&wl4=&wl5=pla&wl6=97920837888&veh=sem

 

[GeneMiller]

I doubt jb weld will hold if it's structural. Maybe if it isnt. Take it to some one else.

 

[Able 1]

How big of a crack? Have a pic?

Just remember what ever you use he will have to completely remove to get a good weld..

 

[Mikey P]

 

[Able 1]

Does it leak alot of water? I would just use some RTV till your guy got back.. The pressure of water out of a real small hole is minimal.

 

[Mikey P]

I haven't seen it but jr says it's a constant but small flow

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Brush the area clean then take a blunt punch at least quarter inch diameter and big ball peen hammer to the crack area. Smack it right down the center line of the crack.

I thought my dad was crazy, but it held.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

My tank is 10 gauge.

 

[Able 1]

Though it could make it worse, Lee.. I would try it, not sure about having my boy do it..

Throw a big towel next to it, repeat as necessary till the 15th.. Become one of us!

 

[Mikey P]

My welder says RTV would be harder to clean up then JBW


Get in the crack and all..

 

[Able 1]

I have never used jbw.. Though I thought it was an epoxy.

Just wire wheel RTV..

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Peening it swells the adjoining metal to close the gap.

 

[Papa John]

JB weld has worked for me on my fresh tank-- but my V is parked more then driven--

 

[KevinL]

I've used jb several times unsuccessfully on my fresh water tank. It will slow down the leak but it won't stop it. It it too much of a hassle to leave it dry and hook up at the jobs or are you filling with soft water?

 

[Mikey P]

I've used jb several times unsuccessfully on my fresh water tank. It will slow down the leak but it won't stop it. It it too much of a hassle to leave it dry and hook up at the jobs or are you filling with soft water?

Not an option on the V.

 

[KevinL]

you can't pull your hose off the fresh water tank and fix a female hose fitting to it?

 

[Mikey P]

Softner involved as well as the first heat source

 

[KevinL]

That sucks it's right at the bottom. That's a lot of pressure behind any goop.

 

[Mikey P]

The biggest blunder of the Vortex Empire

 

[Steve Lawrence]

Rout the leak out to the ground until you can fix it.

 

[Andy]

JB Weld will hold it. Clean it really good and use the original not the quick set stuff and let it sit overnight. When you take it to the welder have him run the bead all the way along that seam.
The original welder just fused the two metals together, but didn't add a much wire to it. You can tell by how the metal is indented along that weld weakening it. Do it right you won't have to go back again and your down time to fix it right this time won't be much longer than if he just fixes the crack.

 

[hogjowl]

If you'd listened to Jim Martin years ago and replaced yours, like he did his, you wouldn't be having this problem!

You Loozer!

 

[Mikey P]

Jim also said my V wouldn't last past 8 years..

 

[Mrice]

Depending on your area of the country home depot might carry 3m 5200 it's awesome stuff, used in the marine industry, I'd clean the area then push it in with a putty knife. If it was a hole not a crack, you could have drilled it out and put a machine screw in it, easy.

 

[steve_64]

I fixed a badly cracked block on a chevy small block 400 with jbw.

Used the two part clay like stuff. Spead it along the cracks and heated with a propane torch to melt it into the cracks. Sanded it smooth the next day and never had a problem again.

If youre going to have it fixed just leave it alone till then.

I like Lee's idea for quick fix.

 

[KevinD]

Everybody needs some of this in their toolbox.
Sticks to damp surfaces and will cure under water.

http://www.por15.com/POR-15-Epoxy-Putty_p_54.html

 

[dgardner]

I second the 3M 5200, it's pretty stiff so probably won't flow into the crack like RTV. Use it on my boat. JB would probably work too. Either way, if you want it to definitely not leak you need to give the sealant something to 'bite' into, the surface needs to be roughed up. some 80 grit sandpaper and some elbow grease would do it, or grab a couple handfuls of play sand and one of these (if you have a little compressor):

http://www.harborfreight.com/gravity-feed-blaster-gun-93221.html

 

[dgardner]

Actually, after doing a bit of reading, don't use JB Weld. The folks at JB recommend you use Waterweld for water tanks and such. Available at Home Depot if you can believe their ads:

(you should still roughen up the surface, and I would still choose the 5200 myself)

 

[Onfire_02_01]

As a temporary solution you could look for a tube of caulking in your basement supply closet. It would do in a pinch and be easy to clean off for the welder.

 

[John Olson]

http://www.lowes.com/pd_632930-64246-00857101004402___?productId=50435260&pl=1&Ntt=fiber+fix http://www.lowes.com/pd_561395-64246-857101004020___?productId=50134698&pl=1&Ntt=fiber+fix