Need advise on fixing a damaged sprayer tank

JOCCO · Mar 5, 2013

It's plastic and horribly exspencive to replace. It got a hole in it from an accident. What would any of you advise to fix it. Fiberglass, 2 part epoxy, plastic welding? Thanks all

RayP(MI) · Mar 5, 2013

I would try plastic welding if I could. Then might try epoxy over the surface of the repair as a backup. Check with your local body shops, or if your school has a tradeschool division with body shop classes.

rrlund · Mar 5, 2013

Fill me in a little on plastic welding will you Ray? I've patched my poly tank with fiberglass repair,but sometimes it works,sometimes it doesn't. Seems like it'll fix a big crack but not a small one for some reason.

fixerupper · Mar 5, 2013

I have an old 1500 gallon tank i use for transporting water that seems to be developing new cracks monthly. Instead of replacing it I"ve been playing around with about every different patch known to man. If you don"t choose welding, fiberglass or epoxy reinforced with plastic window screen will work. You do need to rough the tank with 80 grit or rougher sandpaper thoroughly. Sand a larger area than the patch so you are sure the entire patch is on sanded surface. Any epoxy or fiberglass resin on an unsanded surface Will pop off. If it"s an area that might have stretching stress you can drill holes along the sides of the crack or break and stitch it with baling wire then cover it with the patch. Good luck with your fix. Jim

Stephen Newell · Mar 5, 2013

Epoxy or fiberglass wouldn't work. In fact fiberglass resin comes with a plastic tub to mix the stuff in. After it dries it's easily broken out. There are some epoxies they say made for plastic but I've never had one that worked. Plastic welding is the probably the only chance you have and I'm not sure it would hold up to the pressure.

Janicholson · Mar 5, 2013

USe a clean wood burning tool, and a 100 watt rated dimmer to control the temperature. The tank is probably polyethylene. Use strips of the material from butter tub tops or other PE based material cut into strips. Heat through the wall and fill being sure to fill the gap as you work along. Heat should be set to just begin smoking where the plastic stays for a while on the tip shank. do not let it discolor.
Make the weld taller than the tank thickness.
(I taught the process yesterday to 15 students). Jim

ben there · Mar 5, 2013

PermaPoxy by Permatex part# 84115

Loctite Plastic Epoxy

Neither product cheap but work well on plastic.

glennster · Mar 5, 2013

harbor freight has plastic welding guns from 15 dollars to about 65 dollars. bag of plastic rods are about 6 dollars. i have a matco plastic welder here at the shop. some guys have used weed wacker line as welding rod too.

bradley martin · Mar 5, 2013

Before you get too involved in trying to patch a sprayer tank, give some very careful thought to what chemicals you are going to have in, where you are going to be using it and what the potential liability might be should it suddenly rupture. Having a significant spill would quickly make patching a plastic tank look like a bad idea.....the few $ saved would not go far compared to your potential liability.

Keith Molden · Mar 5, 2013

I have used an old type soldering iron (the old copper kind that you heat with a blow torch) and melted plastic as you describe. It will be just as strong as origional when you get done with it. An electric soldering iron will do nicely also. Just my thoughts, Keith

rrlund · Mar 5, 2013

So heat from the backside and let the heat pull the molten plastic through the crack then?

Ken Macfarlane · Mar 5, 2013

There is a good purdue ag guide on evaluating poly tanks. If it was truly punched out from an accident you can plastic weld. If it is getting cracks at all elsewhere, shine light and try to see. Once to that stage not a good idea to use except for water.

GordoSD · Mar 5, 2013

I punched a big hole in the diamter side of this 200 gallon tank. I had local fab shop roll a piece of ss untilit was thecorrect curvaature. Then drilled the plate one size hole and the tank a couple sizes smaller, Laid a heavy seam of industrial glue along the edge and screwes it down. Been goin leak free for 4 years.Patch is about 4x7.

samn40 · Mar 5, 2013

Epoxys won't work with some sprays, the hardened epoxy will just turn to jelly. I know because a neighbour tried it! Plastic welding is the safest way to go. A guy from our town invented the plastic welding torch for fixing plastic car bumpers, hasn't had to work since!. But you need the correct rod, just like welding metal.
Sam

RayP(MI) · Mar 5, 2013

Basically you "weld" the thing back together using a electrical heater that is like a small version of youe wife"s hair dryer, but very hot. Kind of like welding metal with a acetalene torch. I have "welded" plastic with a propane torch, but don"t recommend it. Career center doesn"t have auto body classes anymore, and I don"t know what happened to their equipment, or if they even did have the equipment. I used to sub-teach there but that was several years ago. So they are no longer a resource.

rrlund · Mar 5, 2013

Wonder how one of those electric paint stripper guns would work?

RayP(MI) · Mar 5, 2013

Probably not, too wide path. Those heat welders have a narrow, small area of heat. Almost like a propane torch.

Need advise on fixing a damaged sprayer tank

JOCCO

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RayP(MI)

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rrlund

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fixerupper

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Stephen Newell

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Janicholson

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ben there

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glennster

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bradley martin

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Keith Molden

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rrlund

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Ken Macfarlane

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GordoSD

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samn40

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RayP(MI)

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rrlund

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RayP(MI)

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