Stainless Steel Water Tank Problem

[pab]

We live near Si Sa Ket and rely totally on the underground water supplies for many of the basic water requirements apart from drinking water. Our tank is only 2 years old and leaking a lot with many rust areas - and its stainless steel !!!

The tanks location makes it very difficult to replace with a new one and I have heard that these tanks can be patched from the outside.

Is this correct? If so what is the patching material called and where can I buy some ?

Sick of not being able to flush the loo or have a decent shower or complete a washing cycle because the tank empties so quickly. Will greatly appreciate any help and suggestions

[Bagwain]

You can try what is called liquid metal or try fibreglass. The liquid metal comes in a tube and it is like plastasine. One tube inside the other. You just cut of the required amount and then mold it together. Put it in the holes and it will set in no time.

Not sure where you can get it though.

[pab]

You can try what is called liquid metal or try fibreglass. The liquid metal comes in a tube and it is like plastasine. One tube inside the other. You just cut of the required amount and then mold it together. Put it in the holes and it will set in no time.

Not sure where you can get it though.

Thanks. Any idea of the name?

[wolfmanjack]

You can try what is called liquid metal or try fibreglass. The liquid metal comes in a tube and it is like plastasine. One tube inside the other. You just cut of the required amount and then mold it together. Put it in the holes and it will set in no time.

Not sure where you can get it though.

I would go with the fiberglass and cover a much larger area than where the holes are. if you use liquid metal to plug the holes the "stainless" will continue to rust around the plug and the plug will just fall out. The other alternative would be to have someone weld a patch over the corroded area. I would think the fiberglass would be less expensive.

[technocracy]

You can try what is called liquid metal or try fibreglass. The liquid metal comes in a tube and it is like plastasine. One tube inside the other. You just cut of the required amount and then mold it together. Put it in the holes and it will set in no time.

Not sure where you can get it though.

Thanks. Any idea of the name?

Liquid Metal is call just that - it will depend on the manufacturer if they've given it any trade name.

This is just one of the reason why I purchased a plastic water storage tank!

[Crossy]

There are many two-part epoxy/polyester glues that can be used to patch your tank, a look around your local hardware store will reveal just how many. Even plain old Araldite will perform well if you give it something to bind to like glass matting.

BUT

Most will not adhere to wet surfaces, so you'll have to drain the tank and key up the surface with emery paper.

AND

You are only putting off the inevitable, in a few more weeks the tank will have rusted out around your patch, you'll have to replace the tank sooner rather than later. Best bite the bullet now and rip it out and replace with a decent plastic / GRP tank.

Watch the blue plastic ones, they tend to algae growth inside.

The Sandstone brand are very highly thought of and robust, should last for many years. Pictured in this post http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...t&p=1824062

[pab]

You can try what is called liquid metal or try fibreglass. The liquid metal comes in a tube and it is like plastasine. One tube inside the other. You just cut of the required amount and then mold it together. Put it in the holes and it will set in no time.

Not sure where you can get it though.

Thanks. Any idea of the name?

Liquid Metal is call just that - it will depend on the manufacturer if they've given it any trade name.

This is just one of the reason why I purchased a plastic water storage tank!

Thanks technocracy and wolfmanjack - sounds like fibreglass maybe the way to go. I actually initially considered a plastic storage tank but thought they would suffer from severe algae problems !!! Any signs of this with your plastic tank?

[pab]

There are many two-part epoxy/polyester glues that can be used to patch your tank, a look around your local hardware store will reveal just how many. Even plain old Araldite will perform well if you give it something to bind to like glass matting.

BUT

Most will not adhere to wet surfaces, so you'll have to drain the tank and key up the surface with emery paper.

AND

You are only putting off the inevitable, in a few more weeks the tank will have rusted out around your patch, you'll have to replace the tank sooner rather than later. Best bite the bullet now and rip it out and replace with a decent plastic / GRP tank.

Watch the blue plastic ones, they tend to algae growth inside.

The Sandstone brand are very highly thought of and robust, should last for many years. Pictured in this post http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...t&p=1824062

Sorry Crossy - missed your post the first time. Very sound advice and maybe I should just bite the bloody bullet....will now have a hel_l of a job trying to get the old one down and replace it with a Sandstone as we have done some extensions and added a satellite dish immediately in the area around the tank tank since the initial tank was installed. Stupid me thinking stainless stell would last forever !!! Hopefully I can a sandstone plastic tank around Si Sa Ket. Appreciate the help mate

[wolfmanjack]

There are many two-part epoxy/polyester glues that can be used to patch your tank, a look around your local hardware store will reveal just how many. Even plain old Araldite will perform well if you give it something to bind to like glass matting.

BUT

Most will not adhere to wet surfaces, so you'll have to drain the tank and key up the surface with emery paper.

AND

You are only putting off the inevitable, in a few more weeks the tank will have rusted out around your patch, you'll have to replace the tank sooner rather than later. Best bite the bullet now and rip it out and replace with a decent plastic / GRP tank.

Watch the blue plastic ones, they tend to algae growth inside.

The Sandstone brand are very highly thought of and robust, should last for many years. Pictured in this post http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...t&p=1824062

I have not seen his tank but if the rust problem is not too extensive the proper procedure would be to cut out the affected area plus a little bit more and then weld new stainless in the cut out. I used to do this work at oil refineries and power plants.

They had an article in the bangkok post about the chemicals ones body absorbs from plastic. Maybe i will look it up and post it on here.

[wolfmanjack]

There are many two-part epoxy/polyester glues that can be used to patch your tank, a look around your local hardware store will reveal just how many. Even plain old Araldite will perform well if you give it something to bind to like glass matting.

BUT

Most will not adhere to wet surfaces, so you'll have to drain the tank and key up the surface with emery paper.

AND

You are only putting off the inevitable, in a few more weeks the tank will have rusted out around your patch, you'll have to replace the tank sooner rather than later. Best bite the bullet now and rip it out and replace with a decent plastic / GRP tank.

Watch the blue plastic ones, they tend to algae growth inside.

The Sandstone brand are very highly thought of and robust, should last for many years. Pictured in this post http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...t&p=1824062

Sorry Crossy - missed your post the first time. Very sound advice and maybe I should just bite the bloody bullet....will now have a hel_l of a job trying to get the old one down and replace it with a Sandstone as we have done some extensions and added a satellite dish immediately in the area around the tank tank since the initial tank was installed. Stupid me thinking stainless stell would last forever !!! Hopefully I can a sandstone plastic tank around Si Sa Ket. Appreciate the help mate

If it was good quality stainless it would last a lot longer than yours has.

[technocracy]

You can try what is called liquid metal or try fibreglass. The liquid metal comes in a tube and it is like plastasine. One tube inside the other. You just cut of the required amount and then mold it together. Put it in the holes and it will set in no time.

Not sure where you can get it though.

Thanks. Any idea of the name?

Liquid Metal is call just that - it will depend on the manufacturer if they've given it any trade name.

This is just one of the reason why I purchased a plastic water storage tank!

Thanks technocracy and wolfmanjack - sounds like fibreglass maybe the way to go. I actually initially considered a plastic storage tank but thought they would suffer from severe algae problems !!! Any signs of this with your plastic tank?

No algae in my tank it's been in place for a year or so now and is a blue one. Although it did have a clean out a few months back however this was due to having to use well water rather than the mains due to a water shortage here - the well water had silt and the likes which settled at the bottom.

So one of my wifes cousins climbed in through the top and scrubbed it clean . . . lucky these asian folk aren't big boned!

Although I can't remember the manufacturer it came with a 15 year warranty.

EDIT: Just read that thread Crossy posted and mine is a DOS tank

Edited July 28, 2008 by technocracy

[ProThaiExpat]

It sounds like you didn't get what you thought your were getting when you thought you were getting stainless steel!!!

Unless your tank is undergroud, which I have no experience with, my stainless stell tank is now 7 years old and not a mark or sign of deterioration. I am not even sure my tank is stainless, just looks shinny and is a very common tank sold my many appliance retailers. I haven't seen one in our mooban deteriorate yet. Could it be salt air?

[Bagwain]

Hey guys, my business is water.

The plastic tanks will at some stage get algae.

Best is to pour a bottle of Chlorox bleach in every other month and drain/clean once a year.

[pab]

It sounds like you didn't get what you thought your were getting when you thought you were getting stainless steel!!!

Unless your tank is undergroud, which I have no experience with, my stainless stell tank is now 7 years old and not a mark or sign of deterioration. I am not even sure my tank is stainless, just looks shinny and is a very common tank sold my many appliance retailers. I haven't seen one in our mooban deteriorate yet. Could it be salt air?

Actually we bought 2 stainless steel 4000 litre tanks at the same time from a very reputable dealer in Ubon. One is absolutely clear of any rust etc and we use it for rainwater storage. The other is a mess with rust, especially along any weld lines. The tank with the rust is the one we use it for ground water storage and its located on the top of a 7 meter tank stand. Both tanks are open to the elements but its a bit hard to get salt air where we live at Si Sa Ket. Perhaps the problem comes from the well water but what ever, its a hel_l of a mess and getting worse quickly.

[wolfmanjack]

It sounds like you didn't get what you thought your were getting when you thought you were getting stainless steel!!!

Unless your tank is undergroud, which I have no experience with, my stainless stell tank is now 7 years old and not a mark or sign of deterioration. I am not even sure my tank is stainless, just looks shinny and is a very common tank sold my many appliance retailers. I haven't seen one in our mooban deteriorate yet. Could it be salt air?

Actually we bought 2 stainless steel 4000 litre tanks at the same time from a very reputable dealer in Ubon. One is absolutely clear of any rust etc and we use it for rainwater storage. The other is a mess with rust, especially along any weld lines. The tank with the rust is the one we use it for ground water storage and its located on the top of a 7 meter tank stand. Both tanks are open to the elements but its a bit hard to get salt air where we live at Si Sa Ket. Perhaps the problem comes from the well water but what ever, its a hel_l of a mess and getting worse quickly.

There very well could be a chemical or mineral that is causing the deterioration from your ground water tank. It could also be that the stainless used for the tanks is 420 or 430 instead of 304 or 316. Take a magnet and test it. If it is 304 or 316 the magnet will not stick. If it is 420 or 430 it will. The 420 and 430 do not have all of the anti corrosion elements that what we all know stainless steel should have.

[pab]

It sounds like you didn't get what you thought your were getting when you thought you were getting stainless steel!!!

Unless your tank is undergroud, which I have no experience with, my stainless stell tank is now 7 years old and not a mark or sign of deterioration. I am not even sure my tank is stainless, just looks shinny and is a very common tank sold my many appliance retailers. I haven't seen one in our mooban deteriorate yet. Could it be salt air?

Actually we bought 2 stainless steel 4000 litre tanks at the same time from a very reputable dealer in Ubon. One is absolutely clear of any rust etc and we use it for rainwater storage. The other is a mess with rust, especially along any weld lines. The tank with the rust is the one we use it for ground water storage and its located on the top of a 7 meter tank stand. Both tanks are open to the elements but its a bit hard to get salt air where we live at Si Sa Ket. Perhaps the problem comes from the well water but what ever, its a hel_l of a mess and getting worse quickly.

There very well could be a chemical or mineral that is causing the deterioration from your ground water tank. It could also be that the stainless used for the tanks is 420 or 430 instead of 304 or 316. Take a magnet and test it. If it is 304 or 316 the magnet will not stick. If it is 420 or 430 it will. The 420 and 430 do not have all of the anti corrosion elements that what we all know stainless steel should have.

Just used one of the kids magnets and it well and truly stuck on the tank with the rust but not on the other one we purchased at the same time. Unbelievable as they were from the same vendor. Thanks anyway, you and the others have taught me some very valuable lessons.

[Bagwain]

The other issues are pH and the TDS (Salt levels of the ground water)

Sounds like your ground water may have a high salt reading.

Do you have a pool company near by? If so take a sample and get the pH and TDS readings done. A very low pH will mean that the water is acidic and therefor corosive.