Cold water storage tank

[curlykale]

Hi, my galvanised steel cold water storage tank is starting to leak!
I caught the first signs in time, drips coming through the bedroom ceiling.
My loft opening is about 27" by 27" so a replacement will need to be a plastic flexible tank, so does anyone know who sells them.
I have done some basic plumbing, is this a big job?
Thanks......

 

[JohnD]

plumbers merchants and DIY shops.

Not particularly but you'd better start draining the old one.

 

[curlykale]

Thanks

 

[scubapete]

I have just replaced a cold water cistern. I got a 25 gallon polytank which is 27x27x20. It came with bylaw kit, all connectors and insulation.

Drilling the holes needs particular sized holesaws (22"/29") of which the most economical ones I found were in a cheap plumbers holesaw kit.

Drilling the holes in the tank and attaching the various connectors is easy enough. The tank connector needs a special tool whilst doing up the compression fitting to the HWC feed pipe. I just bought some pushfit ones instead that are hand tighten only.

My old tank was asbestos cement so I had to chop the cast-iron pipes feeding it meaning new pipe runs - pipe bending takes a bit of thinking about for a first timer. Might be worth checking you've got copper pipes and you can do a straight swap.

 

[Symptoms]

Avoid push-fits in the loft (thread elsewhere on the forum re freezing pipes & fittings being forced apart). Use soldered fitting where possible.

 

[Agile]

Drilling the holes needs particular sized holesaws (22"/29") of which the most economical ones I found were in a cheap plumbers holesaw kit.

A 22 or 29 INCH holesaw is quite a beast. Did you want to be able to get your head through the hole to look inside???

Tony

 

[curlykale]

Tanks a lot, oooh sorry about that, all advice welcome, 29" hmmmmmmm,
regards.........

 

[scubapete]

Woops! I meant millimetres.

When I filled my tank up last night those nice hand tighten pushfit tank connectors leaked. Grrrrr.

 

[curlykale]

and that tool would be a......
thanks,
Curlykale[/i]

 

[curlykale]

The tank connector needs a special tool whilst doing up the compression fitting to the HWC feed pipe.

what is the tool, please?

 

[JohnD]

if it has a hexagonal nut, big adjustables

if it has a sort of knurly nut, water pump pliers
(I wonder why they're called that?)

 

[curlykale]

I've got two of the first one!
thanks!

 

[JohnD]

you might need a Tank Connector Fitting Tool

it fits on the inside bits if you have these teeth
as far as I know they are only used on the brass fittings.

 

[scubapete]

I read somewhere else someone saying they used a metal rule to snag those teeth ..

ps Solved my polyplumb tank connectors - technical help chap said the rubber washer goes on the outside but as a matter of course he puts another one on the inside as well.

 

[holty]

if rubber washer was on the outside then water could escape through the thread