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Tanks alot Colecraft!

DanMax&Belle

By DanMax&Belle
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DanMax&Belle

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Posted
Hi all,

When I spec'ed out my boat before buying a sailaway I was adamant I wanted a waste water tank for a normal looking toilet and a normal looking flush!


Colecraft duly fitted one as a mirror image of the freshwater tank sitting under the bow deck (fresh water port, holding starboard), accessible through bolted down traps in the deck . Half way through the fit out I saw sense and decided to stick with cassettes (another argument for another day). I therefore have a 500 (ish) litre tank which is completed unused. For some reason known only to Colecraft when they welded in the skin fittings for both tanks they either used some rubbish parts which didn't meet the right size for 1.5 inch BSP and 3/4 BSP or they sprayed something on it which meant the correct size BSP male fittings were an absolute struggle to connect in. Luckily and with the help of a decent plumber, useful, kind and informative contributions from you lot......


Original post:




and some decent tools we managed to forced the fresh water connection and and got it working - I hope i never, ever, ever have to remove it!!


Unfortunately no such luck withe the 1.5 inch holding fitting which i well and truly screwed (both sides believe it or not) by trying to force a male fitting in. So i am left with what i figure to be a totally unusable welded skin fitting which i can neither connect a drop down pipe (tank side) or plumb into a fresh water pump (boat side).


2 Questions:


  1. Any thoughts on how to block up the old one so it is reliably watertight (its about 20 cm from the top of a 1 meter depth tank) when submerged?
  2. Once done would I just hss holesaw and fit a tank skin fitting and drop down pipe? how high? should I tap the hole?

Thanks in advance.

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DanMax&Belle Collaborator

DanMax&Belle

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I recently used Essex Flanges to connect up pipes to a tank, they're great because you don't need access to the inside of the tank so can put them where you like.

Thanks - NMEA used on of these to fit my Webesto (did he not??) great when you don't have access.

I do though so am happy to go with the most assured, reliable, inspect-able etc which I would guess an Essex flange is not?

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system 4-50 Veteran II

system 4-50Donate to Canal World

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... For some reason known only to Colecraft when they welded in the skin fittings for both tanks they either used some rubbish parts which didn't meet the right size for 1.5 inch BSP and 3/4 BSP or they sprayed something on it which meant the correct size BSP male fittings were an absolute struggle to connect in.

...

This doesn't sound like the Colecraft that supplied my Sailaway. They were extremely helpful to me in the 3 months I was on their factory site starting my fitout. I got the impression that they avoided using low quality components as a matter of principle because they believed it caused too many problems.

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MtB Veteran II

MtBDonate to Canal World

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Hi all,
When I spec'ed out my boat before buying a sailaway I was adamant I wanted a waste water tank for a normal looking toilet and a normal looking flush!
Colecraft duly fitted one as a mirror image of the freshwater tank sitting under the bow deck (fresh water port, holding starboard), accessible through bolted down traps in the deck . Half way through the fit out I saw sense and decided to stick with cassettes (another argument for another day). I therefore have a 500 (ish) litre tank which is completed unused. For some reason known only to Colecraft when they welded in the skin fittings for both tanks they either used some rubbish parts which didn't meet the right size for 1.5 inch BSP and 3/4 BSP or they sprayed something on it which meant the correct size BSP male fittings were an absolute struggle to connect in. Luckily and with the help of a decent plumber, useful, kind and informative contributions from you lot......
Original post:
and some decent tools we managed to forced the fresh water connection and and got it working - I hope i never, ever, ever have to remove it!!
Unfortunately no such luck withe the 1.5 inch holding fitting which i well and truly screwed (both sides believe it or not) by trying to force a male fitting in. So i am left with what i figure to be a totally unusable welded skin fitting which i can neither connect a drop down pipe (tank side) or plumb into a fresh water pump (boat side).
2 Questions:
  1. Any thoughts on how to block up the old one so it is reliably watertight (its about 20 cm from the top of a 1 meter depth tank) when submerged?
  2. Once done would I just hss holesaw and fit a tank skin fitting and drop down pipe? how high? should I tap the hole?
Thanks in advance.

 

 

 

Sounds to me as though you've been trying to fit parallel thread male fittings into tapered thread female fittings. Male parallel treads are slightly larger than female taper and sometimes barely start, if at all. Especially in the larger sizes.

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dmr Veteran II

dmr

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Sounds to me as though you've been trying to fit parallel thread male fittings into tapered thread female fittings. Male parallel treads are slightly larger than female taper and sometimes barely start, if at all. Especially in the larger sizes.

 

This makes sense.

Most of our hull openings are done with short welded in BSP pipe sections. One was no longer used and rather close to the waterline so I capped that off with a parallel BSP cap. It started ok but only went on by about a turn or two. The fresh water tank is parallel BSP but as holding tanks really do need to seal it is very likely that Colecraft, who know how to build boats, would use a taper.

 

...............Dave

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widebeamboy Collaborator

widebeamboy

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If no luck with Colecraft give David at East Coast Marine Heating a call - 07702 974 804

 

I am pretty sure you are the white widebeam that was talking to my neighbour Pearl in the marina when I was leaving to walk the greyhounds last night. If so then David is fairly local and a very helpful chap who knows his onions about odd things.

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DanMax&Belle Collaborator

DanMax&Belle

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This doesn't sound like the Colecraft that supplied my Sailaway. They were extremely helpful to me in the 3 months I was on their factory site starting my fitout. I got the impression that they avoided using low quality components as a matter of principle because they believed it caused too many problems.

sorry its the very same. I would certainly buy a Colecraft again as this was the only issue and i wouldn't suggest they do use anything but the most appropriate components - except in this instance. Or perhaps it was a good component and it was coated with something when it shouldn't have. I rang Colecraft 3 times about this issue, the final call after i'd bought several components and had 2 qualified plumbers look at it was to ask if they were ever down my way so they could look at it. Unfortunately they weren't able to come.

 

I note the tank materiel is not mentioned. If they are stainless I suspect Colecraft bought them in.

 

As for the questions I would have thought an angle grinder with a cutting disk followed by welding a proper stub pipe to the tank.

 

 

 

its an integral tank under the bow deck. The tank fittings are on the bow bulkhead. Thanks for suggestion on angle grind, what is a stub pipe?

 

 

Sounds to me as though you've been trying to fit parallel thread male fittings into tapered thread female fittings. Male parallel treads are slightly larger than female taper and sometimes barely start, if at all. Especially in the larger sizes.

This was suggested

 

 

 

Sounds to me as though you've been trying to fit parallel thread male fittings into tapered thread female fittings. Male parallel treads are slightly larger than female taper and sometimes barely start, if at all. Especially in the larger sizes.

This was suggested by both plumbers who were able with more investigation/fitting that this was not the case.

 

This makes sense.

Most of our hull openings are done with short welded in BSP pipe sections. One was no longer used and rather close to the waterline so I capped that off with a parallel BSP cap. It started ok but only went on by about a turn or two. The fresh water tank is parallel BSP but as holding tanks really do need to seal it is very likely that Colecraft, who know how to build boats, would use a taper.

 

...............Dave

If i could cap it off then i would but the thread is totally gone. I agree Colecraft certainly know how to build boats, they also make the odd mistake.

If no luck with Colecraft give David at East Coast Marine Heating a call - 07702 974 804

 

I am pretty sure you are the white widebeam that was talking to my neighbour Pearl in the marina when I was leaving to walk the greyhounds last night. If so then David is fairly local and a very helpful chap who knows his onions about odd things.

How funny - yes nice to meet you lastnight and on here today. I know David well.

Cheers

It would have been very easy to ask Colecraft what the thread size of the fittings they used is, they are a good and long established business and no cowboys.

 

Peter.

Thanks Peter,

That's what I did and I agree - i searched long and hard for a decent boat builder and in Colceraft I'm confident i found this.

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Tony Brooks Veteran II

Tony BrooksDonate to Canal World

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Stub pipe - a short length of any sort of pipe that forms a stub. In this case, depending upon the tank material, it could be steel with a known BSP thread on the end, stainless so a hose can be fitted or any other materiel one can "bond" to the tank.

 

Note:- bond in this context does not mean glue although it could. It might mean braze, soft solder, silver solder etc.

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jonesthenuke Rising Star

jonesthenuke

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Why didn't I think of that!! Back to square one - they're £60 as far as I can see.

I would try to beg or borrow a tap. If you cannot and still want to go this way, try Tracy Tools, they do carbon steel taps for approx £30 +vat. http://www.tracytools.com/taps-and-dies/BSPT-taps-dies/11-2-x-11-tpi-bspt

 

You will need to decide if you want a taper or straight thread.

 

Edited to add, Carbon steel taps probably no good if the tank is stainless, sorry should have thought of that before posting!)

Edited by jonesthenuke
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DanMax&Belle Collaborator

DanMax&Belle

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I would try to beg or borrow a tap. If you cannot and still want to go this way, try Tracy Tools, they do carbon steel taps for approx £30 +vat. http://www.tracytools.com/taps-and-dies/BSPT-taps-dies/11-2-x-11-tpi-bspt

 

You will need to decide if you want a taper or straight thread.

 

Edited to add, Carbon steel taps probably no good if the tank is stainless, sorry should have thought of that before posting!)

Thanks Jones - really helpful.

I just need to get a costing for grinding and welding a watertight plate both sides as a comparison.

Dan

I would try to beg or borrow a tap. If you cannot and still want to go this way, try Tracy Tools, they do carbon steel taps for approx £30 +vat. http://www.tracytools.com/taps-and-dies/BSPT-taps-dies/11-2-x-11-tpi-bspt

 

You will need to decide if you want a taper or straight thread.

 

Edited to add, Carbon steel taps probably no good if the tank is stainless, sorry should have thought of that before posting!)

Thanks Jones - really helpful.

I just need to get a costing for grinding and welding a watertight plate both sides as a comparison.

Dan

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Tony Brooks Veteran II

Tony BrooksDonate to Canal World

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Thanks Jones - really helpful.

I just need to get a costing for grinding and welding a watertight plate both sides as a comparison.

Dan

 

Why both sides? Just interested because I think one side will be fine as long as the patch is as thick or thicker than the tank materiel.

 

 

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