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Coating to seal water leaks on fire truck

adv.
Environmentally-friendly citric acid based Processes for Passivation of Stainless Steel

Q. We have a 3000 gallon stainless steel tank mounted on a mack truck that we haul water for fire suppression for a volunteer fire dept. We have a few leaks in the bottom of the tank. I need to know if there is any kind of coating that we could brush on or roll on the inside of the tank to stop the leaks. It would have to be something that would not come off because it would damage the pump on the pumper truck. ⇦ Answer?

Timothy Horton
- Pontotoc, MS, U.S.A.
2003

A. Hi Timothy,

Stainless steel is not supposed to corrode. If it does there may be something wrong that is correctable, like brass or copper components in direct metallic contact causing galvanic corrosion.

Another thing that can happen with stainless steel is that if it is exposed to plain steel from hammering with steel tools, steel wooling, etc., those microscopic particles of plain steel catalyze corrosion pitting. To prevent that, stainless steel is supposed to be 'passivated' immediately after manufacture to remove those steel remnants; it may be necessary to passivate the inside of that tank with citric acid -- it could be washed with such a solution of citric acid or, at the cost of a lot of water, filled with a mix of citric acid and water and then dumped.

JB WaterWeld
jb_waterweld

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Although we certainly don't need to warn firefighters about entering 'confined spaces' for chemical treatment (you are clearly our betters on that subject), other tank owners might read this and should be warned that there are proper procedures.

Small holes can be sealed with two-part epoxy like JB Weld Waterweld ⇨
... larger areas can be coated with two-part epoxy sealant paints. If most of the tank is fine, but there is a long run of corrosion along the bottom, it is possible for a tank lining company to cement a strip of Koroseal or other PVC tank lining into place, of sufficient width to cover the corroded area.

Luck & Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Need quick confidential answers? $25
Need project assistance? $100/hr.

Q. Our volunteer fire department just purchased a used tank and it needs a sealer applied inside the tank. Do you have any ideas on what kind and where to purchase the sealer? ⇦ Answer?

K. Horn
Cartwright Volunteer Fire Dept. - Oklahoma
2004

KBS Fuel Tank Cleaner-Sealer Kits
fuel_tank_sealer_kit_kbs

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A. Hi K.

If the above reply seems inapplicable to your situation, there are 'tank sealants' available which are usually used for motorcycle or automobile tanks, but should be workable for larger tanks as well ⇨

Luck & Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Need quick confidential answers? $25
Need project assistance? $100/hr.

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