Holding tank leaks into generator room bilge

[rwaldrop13]

I have a unique issue (at least, I can't find anyone else posting anything similar). My holding tank is a midships keel tank, molded of course. I have been chasing mystery water in the generator room bilge and tonight was able to see that it appears to be coming thru divider bulkhead between generator room bilge and holding tank forward wall. It's about 5 feet back from the bilge access opening, under the generator platform. Suggestions on applying fiberglass when I can't actually reach more than halfway to the bulkhead and there is no access from above behind the generator?

 

[MadHatter53]

I hope it’s a freshwater holding tank not black water. Does it only leak at a certain level? When you say molded I assume plastic not a glass tank. Could be a fill or supply line or a top plate.
This would be a good time to add your boat info in your sig line.

 

[drburke]

...This would be a good time to add your boat info in your sig line.

No: click his Name, then View Profile, the About Me for that info...

DAN

 

[cww]

I had this issue and it turned out to be one of the vacuflush pumps needed new bellows, I had that done and problem solved. Well that plus a lot of soap and spraying everything down with the hose, it was a gross problem. Your issue may be a leaking pump or hose that runs nearby. I have heard anecdotal reports of water tanks developing cracks by the fill port due to overpressure when filling, more of a heard from somebody who heard from somebody thing, never somebody it actually happened to. I have never heard of a hatteras waste tank just cracking open, that would be pretty unusual.

 

[rwaldrop13]

I had this issue and it turned out to be one of the vacuflush pumps needed new bellows, I had that done and problem solved. Well that plus a lot of soap and spraying everything down with the hose, it was a gross problem. Your issue may be a leaking pump or hose that runs nearby. I have heard anecdotal reports of water tanks developing cracks by the fill port due to overpressure when filling, more of a heard from somebody who heard from somebody thing, never somebody it actually happened to. I have never heard of a hatteras waste tank just cracking open, that would be pretty unusual.

Well, unusual defines about every time I start something onboard Pau Hana... It was the waste tank, and it appears to have been a small pinhole leak when tank was over half-full. I've checked thoroughly and there is no sign of leakage anywhere else, just in that one spot in generator room bilge. In the middle of the tank wall at back of generator room bilge, there's a vertically aligned ridge dead center and there was a small spot that looked like a popped bubble. I am guessing that with ongoing usage, and treating tank to reduce sludge buildup, that something broke loose in that ridge but I have now applied 2 layers of epoxy/resin across tank face and will allow ample time for curing, then painting bilge with white paint so that in future I have more obvious indicators. The Hatteras air-operated holding tank level mechanism is actually still there but the pilot tube is crushed, so I am going to upgrade to a new holding tank level indicator. Additionally, right now there are 4 of us living aboard, not 2 as with PO. Updates to follow.