tank seals

[Chads]

What is everybodys choice of new waste tank seals, and what are average cost for replacement plus how often do you replace yours, plus how do you tell if yours are leaking ?

 

[Bob Foster]

Use the search function on the board - there is lots of good stuff on it.


LesterJ2 how did you seals work out?

 

[Able 1]

I buy a gasket that isn't even for my waste tank and cut it up and replace what needs replacing... I think I pay $30.00 a year.

 

[Dolly Llama]

depends on the tank top edge.

Mine has a 1" flat on top.
i apply a thick bead of RTV silicon.
Let it "skin over" in an hour or so (when it's no longer tacky to touch) then i lay the lid on top and give a "bit" of pressure to smooth any high and low spots in the bead.
Then pull the lid and let the silicone bead cure

That lasts years

..L.T.A.

 

[packfancjh]

What model do you have? I'll check price for it in the morning.

 

[Johnny]

1", flat, automotive weatherstripping on the lid, U-shaped, rigid, auto door edge guards around the edge of the tank. Lasts about a year until the adhesive fails.

 

[TimP]

The older Hydramaster tank was bad about wearing out seals quick.....but greenie has brackets to reinforce the tank lid for the hydramaster tank. I bought some and so far I have yet to notice any wear.

 

[hogjowl]

What Larry is doing is what Duane Oxley came out with a couple of years ago. From all reports, it's a great working solution. Contact Duane, or Larry for instructions.

Duane also has a GREAT gasket for the Vortex type tanks that have a sharp edge (instead of flat edge).

No need to send your V or AT lid back in for an exchange.

 

[Blue Monarch]

Does Greenie have brackets for the 421 tank?

 

[Dolly Llama]

What Larry is doing is what Duane Oxley came out with a couple of years ago. From all reports, it's a great working solution. .

"this" Larry?
or Larry Cobb?
if them, what are they doing?

Steamway has been doing it that way for as long as I can remember.
'least back to my first Powermatic 15 years ago

it's as perfect as a seal gets.
there's enough pliability in the cured bead that no matter how much the tank lid flexes, everything stays sealed tighter than a frog's butt for years


..L.T.A.

 

[Walt]

How can you tell for sure that you actually have a leak? I tried taking some saran wrap and holding it against the edge to see if it would suck in a little. Is there a better way?

 

[Dolly Llama]

How can you tell for sure that you actually have a leak? I tried taking some saran wrap and holding it against the edge to see if it would suck in a little. Is there a better way?

smoke
( where possible)


..L.T.A.

 

[lesterj2]

Use the search function on the board - there is lots of good stuff on it.


LesterJ2 how did you seals work out?

worked out fine... havent had any problems yet...
but as far as i can tell looks like everything is gonna be fine... now if only i could get my live vac reel to act right...

 

[TimP]

Lester.......nobody uses a live vac reel live unless they use almost all their hose. The rotations that air has to go through kill your airflow with friction. ALWAYS connect directly to your tank....also the same with your solution hose. I can't believe you want to use a live reel especially using so much 1.5" hose. With my TM you can't hardly push the wand unglided and that's what you want.

 

[Bob Foster]

I been looking real hard and I finally found a tank seal for you...

 

[John Watson]

The only reason I am responding to this post is because I believe I have one of the better designed waste tanks out there for a 20 year old setup.

I am basing this on having some sort of problem with just about all the other waste tanks I have had over the past 28 years and over 14 different machines.

The lids for my 20 year old tank still have the same seal on them from new.

They are 2, 13 in circles of 1/2 inch aluminiun, held down by 4 wingnuts, the gasket is a 12 1/2 in. x 1/8 in. O ring which has been glued to the lid which a small groove was milled for the O ring to fit. Lid and tank marked so lid alwawys gos back in same position. There is 2 12 inch clean out ports on the top of my tank located on each end.

 

[Chads]

Bob that was a good one now go and find something productive to do, like changing someones avatar.

 

[renegade_cowboy]

When I worked at Coit in Spokane, the owner had me use a large garbage bag, when that seal went bad. :shock: Yeah garbage bag.

 

[Chads]

I must have underestimated your sneakyness.

 

[Duane Oxley]

What Larry is doing is what Duane Oxley came out with a couple of years ago. From all reports, it's a great working solution. Contact Duane, or Larry for instructions.

Duane also has a GREAT gasket for the Vortex type tanks that have a sharp edge (instead of flat edge).

The silicone seal idea is something we used to do. It started with the first systems we built back in 1996.

We used to apply car wax to the tank lid first- two coats, buffed in between coats and after the second, to ensure that it didn't get stuck to the tank. After letting the silicone skim over and begin to set (about 2 hours), we'd put the lid on and weigh it down with about 10 lbs.

Those seals were for all intents and purposes, permanent and did adjust to non- flat surfaces very well.

We stopped doing them because the cure time varied too much during winter months. Sometimes, even curing overnight wasn't enough time. If you have a flange around the top of your tank and can let the silicone harden over a weekend, it's a very good way to go.

 

[Chads]

got any pics Duane

 

[Duane Oxley]

got any pics Duane

No, not of those seals. That was 10 years ago or so, that I stopped doing those seals.

It's pretty simple to do, though. The main thing is to make sure that the silicone doesn't get stuck to the tank lid. That's why we used two layers of Turtle Wax.

The bead of silicone doesn't have to be very wide. About 1/2" is good enough. Make sure that it doesn't get near the outer part of the flange, or it can leak around and touch a part of the lid that's not prepared, which will allow it to stick.

Weigh the lid down evenly. Don't put a single weight in the center. Better to use two or even three weights, to spread the pressure as evenly as possible.

A major point to stress here is to wait until the silicone skims over and begins to feel slightly firm first, before adding the weighted lid.

 

[Dolly Llama]

got any pics Duane

it's just a bead of 100% silicone, Chad.
Nothing more, nothing less

it's an excellent seal, nearly idiot proof to apply, lasts for years and is down right cheap!

..L.T.A.