[Québec]

We need an integral, rusted water tank de-rusting/re-painting.
Would do it myself except I'm asthmatic so wish to avoid working with solvents in enclosed spaces!

Anyone had it done? If so approximate costs / time (and who does one ask to do it?) would be apprecaited.
Have checked previous postings on painting/blacking water tanks. Lots of good advice but no mention of cost.

[andywatson]

quebec, on Nov 26 2009, 02:44 PM, said:

We need an integral, rusted water tank de-rusting/re-painting.
Would do it myself except I'm asthmatic so wish to avoid working with solvents in enclosed spaces!

Anyone had it done? If so approximate costs / time (and who does one ask to do it?) would be apprecaited.
Have checked previous postings on painting/blacking water tanks. Lots of good advice but no mention of cost.

I'm sure "wrigglefingers" will give you a competitive quote.
Last Friday at an unofficial micro-banter I was treated to her tank blacking story........

-The quote will include the cost of a trip to the hairdressers or decontamination unit.

EDIT: Seriously though, I'd say there's about 8 hours work at least to derust (if required), clean out and reblack the tank. Obviously this will vary depending on the ease of access and actual condition.
Apart from it being such a rotten job resulting in most commercial concerns not wanting it, I think most of us do it ourselves to ensure it is done thoroughly.

This post has been edited by andywatson: 26 November 2009 - 08:40 PM

[Giggetty]

andywatson, on Nov 26 2009, 08:24 PM, said:

I'm sure "wrigglefingers" will give you a competitive quote.
Last Friday at an unofficial micro-banter I was treated to her tank blacking story........

-The quote will include the cost of a trip to the hairdressers or decontamination unit.

EDIT: Seriously though, I'd say there's about 8 hours work at least to derust (if required), clean out and reblack the tank. Obviously this will vary depending on the ease of access and actual condition.
Apart from it being such a rotten job resulting in most commercial concerns not wanting it, I think most of us do it ourselves to ensure it is done thoroughly.

This is the wrong time of the year. You will have to cope with condensation and rainwater frequently disrupting the work which is (assuming that like mine,your tank is under the foredeck):

freeing up and unbolting the cover
removing the sealing strip
mopping out the residual water
leaving to dry
wire-brushing and chiselling the rusticles
applying phosphoric acid rust treatment
applying first coats of tank bitumen (Limekiln Chandlers)
leaving to cure overnight
applying second coat
venting for 72h
applying fresh sealing strip
replacing cover with fresh bolts-one had to be retapped
applying sealant and paint

I took me a week. And then another week to get rust and blacking off me and the rest of the boat.
The tank was a .9t one with head space of 45cm. I wasn't bothered by any fumes. I am 64 3/4y old.

Adrian

[Lewis 53]

Ours needs doing too. After asking lots of yards no one seems to want the job. Most seem bothered about the new paint comming off and contaminating the water supply with resultant blocking of pumps etc. I cant see why this should be a problem if the prep is done properly. Looks like its up to me......oh joy!.
Good luck.

[alan_fincher]

I did have this done by a local engineer as part of a package of works when we first bought the boat, around 4 years ago.

I believe he charged around £500, but that also included welding in a couple of angle irons to add support under the hatch sides, to try to stop the front deck flexing, and hence the seal to the tank leaking, and "dirty" outside water getting inside our drinking supplies.

My assumption is that said engineer did little prep beyond a pressure washer and a wet and dry vac, as in under a year brown water was again coming out the taps.

We did a much more thourough job ourselves, and both Vactaned and blacked - and so far no more iffy water.

I think you'll struggle to find anyone who will do the job properly without a very big bill, simply because to do it well with a badly rusted tank is no trivial job.

[Biggles]

I am giving serious consideration to having an integeral tank in my build. Is there a better product to do a new tank with?

I take it the coating that is often referred to is not the same as we black the outside of our NBs

Biggles

[bottle]

Yes a 'plastic' one, obviously it will be a little smaller than an integral but a lot less hassle.

There are flexible liners also available, bit like a shaped balloon, as to how good they are I do not know.

[RLWP]

bottle, on Nov 30 2009, 09:58 PM, said:

Yes a 'plastic' one, obviously it will be a little smaller than an integral but a lot less hassle.

There are flexible liners also available, bit like a shaped balloon, as to how good they are I do not know.

They are good. we have one.

Richard

[alan_fincher]

Biggles, on Nov 30 2009, 09:44 PM, said:

I take it the coating that is often referred to is not the same as we black the outside of our NBs

According to many people, it can actually be.

Apparently some used to actually say that they were certified for use in potable water tanks, and, although they no longer do, nothing has changed in the formulation that makes this an issue.

But as the stuff explicitly marketed for the purpose is only around £7 a tin, and one tin is big enough for multiple coats in all but the very biggest tanks, it has always seemed a false economy to me to use anything other than what says it is explicitly designed for the purpose.

It does look and smell the same as hull blacking though, and is no kinder on your skin, clothing or hair!

[nb Innisfree]

Biggles, on Nov 30 2009, 09:44 PM, said:

I am giving serious consideration to having an integeral tank in my build. Is there a better product to do a new tank with?

I take it the coating that is often referred to is not the same as we black the outside of our NBs

Biggles

If your hull coating is Intertuf by International then yes it is ok for water tanks. There are previous threads on this.

[sueb]

I can recommend plastic tanks and if they split at the top gaffer tape works.
Sue

[wrigglefingers]

andywatson, on Nov 26 2009, 08:24 PM, said:

I'm sure "wrigglefingers" will give you a competitive quote.
Last Friday at an unofficial micro-banter I was treated to her tank blacking story........

-The quote will include the cost of a trip to the hairdressers or decontamination unit.

EDIT: Seriously though, I'd say there's about 8 hours work at least to derust (if required), clean out and reblack the tank. Obviously this will vary depending on the ease of access and actual condition.
Apart from it being such a rotten job resulting in most commercial concerns not wanting it, I think most of us do it ourselves to ensure it is done thoroughly.

Well, thankee Andy for the lead - yes, my charges do indeed include a trip to the hairdressers and to the counsellor afterwards on account of the resulting 'do qualifiying me for instant entry onto the cast of Cell Block H. The melted blacking after angle grinding the most rusted bits was still leaking out of my ears and nostrils weeks later. I would have said it was impossible to have got blacking in some of the places I found it in, bodywise. Bizarrely there was significantly more blacking on me after the prep than had seemed evident in the tank before I started.

Cobbett has a stainless steel tank and I am hoping to never ever go in it (ever). As Phylis has pointed out, I never drink water as I've seen what it can do to the inside of my water tank now and brown water boiled, enhances the colour of tea.

Seriously, the job took about four days of solid slog, not including getting the bolts off the somewhat agricultural coverplate. I can't say it improved the quality of the water in any case - what does make a difference is shoving a quantity of Milton in the tank every so often and flushing it through after a soak.

Good luck - you'll need it...

[smileypete]

quebec, on Nov 26 2009, 03:44 PM, said:

We need an integral, rusted water tank de-rusting/re-painting.
Would do it myself except I'm asthmatic so wish to avoid working with solvents in enclosed spaces!

Anyone had it done? If so approximate costs / time (and who does one ask to do it?) would be apprecaited.
Have checked previous postings on painting/blacking water tanks. Lots of good advice but no mention of cost.

Cement wash (google) might do it, but needs lots and lots of research.

Maybe just chip the worst rust off, put vactan on then get someone else to black it.

There might be face masks available that'll filter solvents fumes out OK.

cheers,
Pete.

This post has been edited by smileypete: 01 December 2009 - 04:08 PM

[wonderdust]

Paper overalls, couple of paint brushes a long handled roller and This mask works for the blacking paint fumes, couple of days, done, easy!

Then again depends what your access is like to the tank and how flexible you are to reach the awkward bits

[Québec]

Thanks to everyone for the help and advice. I've one some dirty jobs in my time...but this is clearly well up there.
Lots to think about. Certainly won't be doing anything till the spring. We'll just have to improvise till then.

quebec