eternabond vs flex seal tape for fixing rv freshwater tank

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rockwind1

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Mar 1, 2015
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i've got 2 water tanks, both made by Aztec, and both are cracked.    tried plastic welding and it just doesn't work. 

IS THERE ANY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FLEX SEAL TAPE AND ETERNA BOND RV ROOF REPAIR TAPE?

has anyone used either to repair a small leak on their water tanks,  i think i have 6" wide tape so there would be plenty of overlap. 

has anyone compared the 2?  i almost think this flex seal guy is just remarketing eternabond tape.
 
I've used Eternabond to make temporary repairs to a leaking grey tank, and I wouldn't hesitate to use it on a fresh tank as well. I've seen too many Flex Seal product failure videos to have any faith in anything they sell.
 
I?ve used both and there?s no question that eterna bond is the better product. More expensive but worth the cost. Having said that, I?ve never used it on a fresh water tank.
 
Is there any chemical issues with the tape on a fresh water tank?  Unlike many i drink water from my rig.

-Kyle
 
Chakara said:
Is there any chemical issues with the tape on a fresh water tank?  Unlike many i drink water from my rig.

-Kyle
Click to expand...

I don't think it would be an issue, but if I were concerned about it, I would first cover the immediate leak area with a stable tape, such as ordinary Scotch transparent tape, before over coating it with Eternabond for strength. If the leak is from a crack, drill the ends first with a small diameter drill bit to stop it from spreading.
 
I dont think I'd use either unless this was a temporary fix.

Poly tanks are best fixed with epoxy products - the JB weld products come to mind for this.

no concern of leaching once the products are cured.

for your black and grey ABS tanks you can make up an ABS slurry by dissolving a pound of ABS shavings (take a piece of pipe and run it through your chop saw inside of a big box to collect the shavings - dissolve in a half liter of acetone (takes about 12 hours to slowly dissolve) and that as your repair medium - plastic window screening can by used to help build up a hole etc.
 
Mudchucker said:
I dont think I'd use either unless this was a temporary fix.
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I agree this fix should be for a temporary situation. However, I will say that I know of at least two Eternabond tank fixes, one a punctured grey tank and the other a cracked seam on a black tank, that have been in place for 5+ years and are still holding ok. The owners were advised it was temporary, but apparently still haven't gotten the requisite "roundtoit" for a more permanent fix.
 
Mudchucker said:
I dont think I'd use either unless this was a temporary fix.

Poly tanks are best fixed with epoxy products - the JB weld products come to mind for this.

no concern of leaching once the products are cured.

for your black and grey ABS tanks you can make up an ABS slurry by dissolving a pound of ABS shavings (take a piece of pipe and run it through your chop saw inside of a big box to collect the shavings - dissolve in a half liter of acetone (takes about 12 hours to slowly dissolve) and that as your repair medium - plastic window screening can by used to help build up a hole etc.
Click to expand...

you know, i seem to recall using jb weld with great hopes but after it dried, it just peeled off.  i cleaned the surface very well before hand.    perhaps jb weld doesn't stick to this particular type of plastic.  i was surprised, i used jb weld to fix a atv rim one time and i am still running on it. 
 
rockwind1 said:
you know, i seem to recall using jb weld with great hopes but after it dried, it just peeled off.  i cleaned the surface very well before hand.    perhaps jb weld doesn't stick to this particular type of plastic.  i was surprised, i used jb weld to fix a atv rim one time and i am still running on it. 
Click to expand...

Did you use one of the JB Weld products made for plastics/PVC?

https://www.jbweld.com/collections/plastic-composite-pvc
 
Use a product called Shoe Goop. Can find at any hardware store.  Clean large area around crack with acetone, cover crack area, let cure about 3 days, repeat about 4 times expanding area each application. Repaired 80 gal freshwater tank in motorhome this way 4 years ago and still holding fine. I make underwater fishing lights and use this to seal light assemble, doesn't leak down to 80 feet deep.
 
I sealed the white plastic fresh water tank in my RV with EternaBond WB-2-50 WebSeal  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007HRH4E4/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and it held very well.

About water contamination from the product..... I can't see that there would be much if any danger from the cured product, especially if it is a small crack.  I never gave it a second thought and we ONLY use the fresh water tank for drinking water even when we have hookups.  Perhaps if I filled the tank and left if fill for weeks and then came back to drink from it, "possibly" that could be different.  Then again I wouldn't want to drink old stale water anyways.
 
  Old and stale is relative.  I fill my fresh tank from my fresh water well at home primarily.  The water is very good and tested.  I also sanitize my fresh system 1-2 times per year.  It always tastes fresh and I am comfortable drinking it.

  I may be making an assumption that the materials used in my trailers has always been "food grade" or for human consumption, but I don't think so.  My gut says the industry requires this.

  All that said, eternabond tape doesn't really "cure".  Even then I wouldn't worry much about minor exposure to it for brief times the way I camp (weekender).  Just wanted to throw it out there for consideration if the OP is someone who worries about that kinda stuff.

-Kyle
 
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