Pinhole in water bladder....

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Pinhole in water bladder....

December 27, 2015, 08:50:39 pm

Hi folks,

Usually I fill my water tank & disconnect the hose so we can use our electric on board water pump to control the water pressure. Last night I noticed that the pump seemed to run a lot and after it was turned off we didn't have much for reserved pressure. Since we are gone a lot I didn't get around to inspecting it until tonight & as it turns out, the small blue bladder or pressure tank ( about a gallon & a half size ) beneath the water heater, is spouting out water...it's got an obvious pinhole in it.
I'm in Ft Myers at the moment & wonder where someone would find a replacement for it? We are about a 1/4 mile from a pretty well stocked ACE hardware but don't know if they would be where I'd want to start.
Replacement looks pretty simple. It appears that 2 very large stainless hose clamps hold it to the top mount and facing it, the line on the left gets unscrewed, the new one gets screwed on, hose clamps get tightened and it's done....is that correct?

Any way to bypass it until a new one is replaced?

Luckily I had some amazing Seal-All on hand & have applied a couple layers. Do you think tjis may hold a while? If so how long should it set before it can be pressurized & water used?

Not holding anyone to anything...just curious.

Re: Pinhole in water bladder....

Reply #1 – December 27, 2015, 08:55:40 pm

Carl. you can bypass it totally then worry about it later. It is not needed to run pump as it is a sort of "buffer" for the water pressure. Some members have taken it out of their systems I seem to remember.
JohnH
Time to replace water pump, accumulator, fill valve...maybe more

Re: Pinhole in water bladder....

Reply #2 – December 27, 2015, 09:02:00 pm

Carl as John said you can bypass it the water doesn't go through it. It will make the water pump pulsate a bit. You can put a new one anywhere in the pressure system it doesn't need to be right at the pump .

Re: Pinhole in water bladder....

Reply #3 – December 27, 2015, 09:02:41 pm

Try to pump it up to 90psi and see if it will hold. Other than that, no real way to patch it.

I replaced mine with one I bought a Lowes. I think it was around $30. I had to reuse the one fitting from the old one, but it was simple fix. Note: I have a variable speed pump so I pump my bladder to 90psi just to act as an expansion tank for hot water heater expansion.

Re: Pinhole in water bladder....

Reply #4 – December 27, 2015, 09:12:30 pm

Thank you for all the quick replies.

How do I bypass it?

If bypassed will there be pressure or just the pump running from the holding tank?

If we bypass and heat water. ..will it still pump hot water?

I'll wait to hear back and do as you suggest.

Thank you all very much

Re: Pinhole in water bladder....

Reply #5 – December 27, 2015, 09:17:51 pm

Carl
here is a thread on the subject
The Blue Tank

If the link doesnt work, search "the blue tank"

Justin

Re: Pinhole in water bladder....

Reply #6 – December 27, 2015, 09:22:39 pm

The pump will pump from tank and also the hot water will still work as before as it displaces the hot water with cold so no change there too. You will most probably not notice anything different except the pump will have to do a bit more work but that will not harm it. The pump is what makes the water pressure, the accumulator just delays the pump from working for a second. You bypass it so the water does not go into it at all, in other words water goes straight from tank to pump then lines.
JohnH

Re: Pinhole in water bladder....

Reply #7 – December 27, 2015, 09:25:51 pm

Ok...that makes sense I just didn't know if it was as simple as someone telling me which valve to turn off. I'll go out and look right now.

Thanks

Re: Pinhole in water bladder....

Reply #8 – December 27, 2015, 09:40:57 pm

Carl,
I wouldn't do anything to it, just use it with the failed accumulater in place.
Without the air charge the pump will run anytime there is a demand for water. That's ok. Change it at your leasure.
People have operated with a failed accumulater and may have noticed it for sometime .
Sorry, I may have misread your problem. I guess you mean a leak in the tank not the bladder?
JD

Re: Pinhole in water bladder....

Reply #9 – December 27, 2015, 09:41:55 pm

Just checked and although I don't believe my system has been altered since new in 91, I don't see any obvious valve that would bypass the blue tank. I'll just let the Seal-All dry tonight and tomorrow since we'll be on Sanibel all day tomorrow no one will be here. I used that stuff on my jeep power steering fluid bottle and it's never leaked. I'll just leave it tonight and put on a replacement from lowes.

Re: Pinhole in water bladder....

Reply #10 – December 27, 2015, 09:45:50 pm

Sounds like a plan it no leaks, then repair it at your leisure

Re: Pinhole in water bladder....

Reply #11 – December 27, 2015, 09:46:05 pm

John.....it's not leaking air. It's blowing water out the pinhole & all over the inside of the water heater, pump and accumulator bay...flowing out the bottom of the coach. Definitely can't turn it on...the spray was affecting the water heater flame.

Re: Pinhole in water bladder....

Reply #12 – December 27, 2015, 09:49:34 pm

You could take the hose off the tank and put a plug in the hose.
JD

Re: Pinhole in water bladder....

Reply #13 – December 27, 2015, 09:49:59 pm

Carl
There is no cut off valve on our U280, but if you have a 3/4 inch PVC male pipe plug? That should let you temporarily bypass the tank as it should have a 3/4 inch pipe nipple on the bottom.

IIRC some older tanks had a 1/2 inch outlet, your 91? maybe someone else with a 91 will chime in.

Re: Pinhole in water bladder....

Reply #14 – December 27, 2015, 10:00:36 pm

I think your both right on track. I'm leaving it for tonight. We have a lowes and Home Depot very close by. I'll just deal with it later...either a plug or new tank. Either way it gives me a reason to go to one of my 2 favorite stores. I'll tell my wife you guys said I have to, lol!!

Re: Pinhole in water bladder....

Reply #15 – December 27, 2015, 10:47:51 pm

Yes, either box store should have a tank with the same capacity and therefore easy to install. It may need a step down adapter as many home-type accumulators have larger pipe thread patterns.

And, POSITIVELY, get the water out of the wet bay. Water there goes directly down to the rear bulkhead area.

Re: Pinhole in water bladder....

Reply #16 – December 27, 2015, 11:17:53 pm

Ah! Not good!
Other than sopping the water up with a towel & leaving the bay door open to circulate air, what would you recommend to best dry that area?

Re: Pinhole in water bladder....

Reply #17 – December 27, 2015, 11:49:35 pm

Carl,
Over the next couple of nice days open the doors on both sides all day to let the air move through there.
JD

Re: Pinhole in water bladder....

Reply #18 – December 28, 2015, 12:01:07 am

Check here for a pic of my new vs old tanks: Water accumulator tank

Re: Pinhole in water bladder....

Reply #19 – December 28, 2015, 07:28:32 am

Carl,if you are near a Home Depot, the Part# for the tank is HT2B,by Water Worker.

Re: Pinhole in water bladder....

Reply #20 – December 29, 2015, 08:02:59 am

Carl,
The accumulator (the blue tank) probably has not been working for some time if the metal tank itself has water in it. The tank serves as a "container" for the rubber bladder inside it. When you get water out of the schrader valve at the end of the tank you know the bladder has a hole in it.
This would suggest that as long as you are not spraying water you are ok until you get time to replace the tank.

Pumping the tank to 90 psi sounds too high. Either the instructions for the tank of the pump (I don't remember which but I think the tank) will address how much pressure relative to the cut-in/out values of the pump to use.

hth

Re: Pinhole in water bladder....

Reply #21 – December 29, 2015, 09:32:49 am

Quote from: Carl Sandel – December 27, 2015, 11:17:53 pm

Ah! Not good!
Other than sopping the water up with a towel & leaving the bay door open to circulate air, what would you recommend to best dry that area?

Brett might confirm if this would be a good idea, but I would drill a small hole just to the inside of where the bulkhead bolts attach, same area as when bolt repair is done and let any accumulated water out. Then plug later.

Re: Pinhole in water bladder....

Reply #22 – December 29, 2015, 10:34:59 am

Quote from: craneman – December 29, 2015, 09:32:49 am

Brett might confirm if this would be a good idea, but I would drill a small hole just to the inside of where the bulkhead bolts attach, same area as when bolt repair is done and let any accumulated water out. Then plug later.

While this could be done, it would have to be done to marine standards to be a "proper" answer.

I would depressurize when not in use and put work towels to catch the drip. But, with box stores having replacements, and certainly block off plugs, I would fix it immediately.

Re: Pinhole in water bladder....

Reply #23 – December 29, 2015, 10:50:06 am

I replaced mine a couple weeks ago DET 5 M1 HD from Home Depot cost about 40 bucks.

Re: Pinhole in water bladder....

Reply #24 – December 29, 2015, 11:35:00 am

Quote from: wolfe10 – December 29, 2015, 10:34:59 am

While this could be done, it would have to be done to marine standards to be a "proper" answer.

I would depressurize when not in use and put work towels to catch the drip. But, with box stores having replacements, and certainly block off plugs, I would fix it immediately.

I was only thinking of any accumulated water that might have got into the hollow space under the water bay, not as a temporary fix for the leak.

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