PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-604
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 604
MARCH 2003
Repair
a tank if:
•
It has abrasions that have exposed the
nylon fabric underneath the outer coat-
ing. Re-coat with the adhesive repair
kits listed above.
Fix this damage by puncturing and
cutting away the separated coating.
Temporarily repair the defect with the
mechanical repair kit. Make permanent
repairs with the adhesive kits listed
above.
MAR 03
48
PS 604
Collapsible Tanks…
Shelf, Service Life
Fuel tanks from 3,000 to 210,000 gallons have
a dry, indoor shelf life of 12 years. Fuel tanks not
stored dry and indoors have a 5-year shelf life
from date of receipt, or 12 years from the manu-
facturing date, whichever comes first.
Once fuel is put in a tank for the first time, the
tank is good for 3 years max. Service life may be
less than 3 years, depending on where and how
often the tank is used.
Water tanks from 160 to 50,000 gallons have
no shelf or service life restrictions. So use them
until they are no longer repairable.
Inspection Criteria
Dispose
of a tank if:
•
It has holes, tears or cuts through the
coated fabric greater than 6 inches long.
•
It has cracks in the exterior coating.
•
It has severe discoloration (dark
colored stains along seams of fuel
tanks or an entire panel is darker
than a panel next to it).
•
It has holes, tears or cuts through
the coated fabric that are less than 6
inches long. Make temporary
repairs using the tank’s mechanical
repair kit. Permanent repairs can be
made with an adhesive repair kit,
NSN 5430-01-359-1078 (for both
fuel and water tanks).
•
It has seams that show signs of
coming apart.
•
It has blisters, which are areas
where the coating appears to have
separated from the fabric or
where fluid has leaked between
tank layers.
•
It has fungus growth.
You can’t tell much about
the condition of collapsible
fuel or water tanks
unless you
inspect
them.
didn’t you
inspect it
regularly?!
I guess it just
‘collapsed’…
heh-heh…
what in
blazes
happened to
your tank?!
In fact, a visual inspection
is the
only
way to be sure
that a fuel or water tank
is ready for deployment
and use.
Before
you inspect,
though, check the
shelf and service life
of the tanks.
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