I've had about 5 years of grief with these water bladders ? I'm finding they just seem to fail and fill my interior under berth areas in water ? I've been using 4 of there tanks all isolated but plumbed in . I am finding that the 38 mm outlets are always seeming to leak? I've tried a small amount of Vaseline , and even Waterproof Sikafkex . The outlets I have sitting over a 50 mm cutout foam cushion - but feel the outlet on the middle doesn't suit the curve of my hull ( or most hull profiles )very well - this seems to put a lot of pressure on the connection which is reliant on a very weak thread ( only PVC). It also seems susceptible to cross threading - and easily over tightened to then fail.
After 1 completely split at a seam , and sick of replacing with the same - I've decided to try ones from ALi express - about $30 each for 110 litres . A much cheaper option than Plastimo.
the inlet has a 3/4 " male thread with a cap - I'll find a female match with tail . The outlet has a ball valve 3/4" and a stainless steel inlet pipe. The mouldings look good - and it's got some securing points on the top . Definitely keen to give these a go !
The outlets seem to be at the side bottom centre which seems a more logical place to both control open/ closing each tank - as well as an easier place to service and maintain tanks .
I just found this on AliExpress: | Foldable Water Storage Container 110L/240L Collapsible Soft Water Bladder Bag for Drought Resistance Fire
a.aliexpress.com/_mt5141B
I just found this on AliExpress: | Water Storage Containers Foldable Portable Tank Large Capacity Water Bag Drought Resistance Water Storage Containers 240L 110L
a.aliexpress.com/_mrpJHgp
I'm watching with interest as I need to do something about water storage.
Cheers, Graeme
I'll let you know in this thread . I like the fact the ends are both completely threaded ends and there is even an included ball valve . All for around 30 $
I just found this on AliExpress: | Water Storage Containers Foldable Portable Tank Large Capacity Water Bag Drought Resistance Water Storage Containers 240L 110L
a.aliexpress.com/_mPraOSD
I had a couple of 150l plastimo tanks under my port settee. One developed a leak due to chafing after sailing from Sydney to the east coast of Tassie. My auto bilge pump started pumping in Spring Bay and it turned out it was fresh water being pumped out. IMO, problem is if you sail in any kind of a sea state, there is constant movement of water in the bladder, and so of the bladder itself, leading to chafe, and movement at the joints, including where the plumbing is attached. So bladders will always have a limited life on a sea going boat. As long as you're OK with replacing them periodically, and have more than one so that the likelihood of all failing at the same time is low, then they are a cheap way to store water. Even so, if I was making long ocean passages, I'd carry plenty of bottled water as a backup, just in case.
In then end I had a stainless steel tank made up to fit under the port settee. Not cheap, but I don't expect it will ever leak in my lifetime.
Anyone trusting drinking water from any of those tanks, have very little concern for their health, never mind the build quality.
Select to expand quoteMAGNESIUM said..
Anyone trusting drinking water from any of those tanks, have very little concern for their health, never mind the build quality.
Good point - I assumed food grade but now I'm not so certain . PVC may not be the best thing to drink from , especially with unknown manufacturer standards , independent testing or compliant with BS or Australian standards for drinking water . I'm asking the question and if not satisfied they will be sent back to China
Yeah nah... you can't even drink tea thats made from water thats been in one of those, it tastes like chemicals. Washing up only on my boat.
I drink a lot of coffee on my boat. I have at least 6 plastic 1.2 litre drink bottles filled with tap water. Tastes perfect. I must admit I do use coffee whitener which I'm sure is addictive!
Had some success fixing a dud leaky seam in a NEW plastic flexible tank that I installed under a cabin bunk/seat (because I don't like weight in the bow) by using PVC plumbers glue and the complementary primer just before. Seems to be lasting. It was in a place where I could squeeze both sides together while it set with a decent weight on it-out of the boat of course on my concrete veranda.
Don't care what type of tank it is I wouldn't drink from it. Same on aeroplanes. On both my boats I use those cardboard wine cask like 5 or10 litre containers from Woolies for human consumption. You can usually find someplace on the boat where they will stay put but can still be used via their inbuilt tap fairly easily. You would be surprised at how little water even a small family actually drinks.
I like taking a significant surplus just in case when offshore (even though we could drink from the tank in an emergency) so with the trailer sailer this usually means chucking a couple out to minimise weight on the way home but it's worth it.
