Removing Tank Covers HC33

[gigglingdolphins]

Since Giggling Dolphins has been laid up for awhile, I was thinking of removing the stainless steel covers from the water tanks and giving the tanks a good clean out. Has anyone else done this? any problems:
1: Getting the covers off
2: Getting the covers back on and sealed

[Great_Aardvark]

I did the forward tank. Removed all of the screws and ahd to used a screwdriver to pry off the lid due to it being sealed for so long. Be careful there is a rubber gasket. I had to notch out the cross member to get the lid through. The only problem I had was in scrubbing the tank out. It is very deep. The best thing is to get a long handled brush. To get it really clean I also tied a rag to the brush so I could be sure to get the corners. I then rinsed the tank out a couple of times amd mad sure to get every drop of water out using a clean rag. I then put the gasket back and but a bead of sealent around the edge and screwed the top back on. It took 3 hours to do. I did not clean the rear tank since I don't really need it yet but plan to do it in the furture. If you do the rear let me know how it went.

[Great_Aardvark]

PS I used bleach to clean and disinfect.

[gigglingdolphins]

Thanks Tony, it looks like it will be a month or so before I start cleaning out the water tanks. I will post photos of the process.

[clonjers]

On our HC34 the bolts are attached to the tanks, and the nuts are screwed down on them, we removed ours, but make sure you make a mark on the cover and the tank to get it back in the same place, as our bolts were not equally spaced around, so it took hours to get them all lined up again.

I am courious, our taks have baffels so if yours does, how did you get the brush to reach the other side of the baffels?

[Great_Aardvark]

My forward tank ( the only ony I have cleaned do far) had no baffles. But it was very deep and I had to use a long handle brush.

[benthic]

I have water three tanks, all needed cleaning. Previous owner had put anti-freeze into the potable water and it seems that this is common in the States.
After cleaning, it was found that a but weld had failed along the base with a pinhole leak. Fortunately this was reachable but not for welding-brazing. After sealing with an internal coating of flexible sealant, another leak was found on the tank base plate. I had at first thought the weld had failed from cyclical stress as the tank pannels flex slightly on filling and emptying. However, both leaks appeared to be from corroding small 316' nuts dropped into the tank which with the build-up of grunge, had penetrated the lower quality stainless plate. Probably been there for years. Yes, stainless corrosion does happen, I've seen it many times before and in sulfitic attack. CP leads won't prevent it either. As the tanks can't be removed or accessed without major cutting, I've coated the bases with flexible sealant rising 100mm up the sides. It will do for a few years - Best to filter what goes in rather than what comes out....
- Noel

[remetau]

We did our forward tank. Had a problem getting a couple of the bolts out since the nuts were cased in fiberglass. I cleaned our tank out using a steamer (August in Florida without AC at the time, and it was hot).

The gasket wasn't any good so I tried using a silicon gasket, but it hasn't worked out. The tank leaks when filling it. I am going to order some cork and make a good gasket to replace when I get to it.

[Great_Aardvark]

I was able to reuse my rubber gasket but did not trust it so I put a bead of silicon sealent around it. You could try this without a gasket and see if it works.

[nudibranch]

Since Tony made it sound so easy, I cleaned my forward tank last week. It was smaller than I thought it would be and meant to measure it before closing it back up but had a senior moment and didn't. I was able to re-use the rubber gasket and used some silicone to help seal it. I waited 24 hours before filling it to let the silicone cure, but apparently that wasn't long enough and it leaked. I may tackle it again this weekend and re-seal it all over again.

The rear tank is going to be infinitely more difficult. I haven't talked myself into cleaning it yet...

@Remetau: I think Mcmaster-Carr sells rubber gasket material in 12" squares of varying thicknesses.

[Great_Aardvark]

Be sure to lay the bead inside the bolts. Also be sure to make it very liberal. I have filled up a couple of times and no leaks. Knock on wood.