Stop leak at low temps (solar panel)?

[Nofossil]

Do stop-leak additives need heat and/or pressure to work?

I have a somewhat unconventional (surprise!) solar panel setup - a 4' x 20' extruded plastic pool heater feeding a set of glazed copper panels. Works great, but over time (and with deer walking on the plastic pool heater) I get a couple of pinhole leaks each year. I've been fixing them with plastic epoxy, but it doesn't really bond well and it's a PITA.

Would boiler (or radiator) stop-leak work in this setup? It's not pressurized except by gravity (maybe 5psi at most) and the lower parts of the panel don't see very high temperatures - typically 120 or less. The small passages in the pool heater portion are perhaps 1/8" diameter. The panels use water - not glycol.

I think some additives have small particles and some are pure liquid, but I really don't know much about them. Any help, wisdom, or insights are appreciated as always.

 

[maple1]

I don't think I have an answer - but good question.

I can share my experience though, if it might help. I had few odd drips after I 'finished' installing my system that would have required disassembling stuff I REALLY didn't want to disassemble to try to fix - plus tight spots it was hard to get decent sized pipe wrenches on. Despite a lot of poo-poo and warnings about the stuff I was reading, I decided to try it and got some of the Gunk brand - figured even if it ruined a 15-58 pump, if it worked it would be worth the price of replacing a pump. It stopped the leaks almost immediately, and my pumps & HXs are still working fine. Still no leaks 3 years later. I got 4 bottles of it & only used 1 - so still have 3 kicking around here. I did a couple of things when I used it. I had an easy spot to get to to pour the stuff in - it was way down low, but just upstream of my load circ (and most of the leaks, luckily). So I got the system to temp, disabled the circ, poured it in and let it circulate by convection for a few hours by manually opening my zone valves. Not sure that helped any, but it's what I did. I also don't run high pressures on my system (in the area of 10psi). I also later replaced that 15-58 load circ with an Alpha, second winter for that & it's still going too.

I think I would be most curious about how it does on plastic though - hopefully there will be more feedback on others experiences

 

[Bob Rohr]

what type of plastic? Extruded plastic might be pp, polypropylene?

 

[Nofossil]

what type of plastic? Extruded plastic might be pp, polypropylene?

Polyolefin, I think. Nothing like to stick to it, for sure.

 

[Dune]

Hey Nofossil, long time no see. Thanks for the help with my boiler design back in '08
anyhow, this is what I use for problematic materials. Will stick to rusty steel, is strong enough to delaminate plywood, cures underwater, but you get what you pay for.
Standard surface prep applies (clean, scuff).
Get the fast cure if they have it. Sometimes available in squeeze tubes.

 

[Nofossil]

Hey Nofossil, long time no see. Thanks for the help with my boiler design back in '08
anyhow, this is what I use for problematic materials. Will stick to rusty steel, is strong enough to delaminate plywood, cures underwater, but you get what you pay for.
Standard surface prep applies (clean, scuff).
Get the fast cure if they have it. Sometimes available in squeeze tubes.

Wow - it has been a while! I'm glad you're still here and your boiler is working for you.

Not to seem too ungrateful, but I think you omitted the name of the product that you speak so highly of.....

 

[tom in maine]

It is likely polypropylene. Most pool collectors are.
There are some primers that help bond to PP. Usually solar pool collector manufacturers have you abandon the leaking tubes.
Sounds like this might be an old one, do you know the manufacturer. Some make plugs for their collectors.
PP is inert enough that not much is going to damage it if you try something solventy to glue it.

 

[Dune]

Wow - it has been a while! I'm glad you're still here and your boiler is working for you.

Not to seem too ungrateful, but I think you omitted the name of the product that you speak so highly of.....

Sorry
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/...sive-Sealant-5200?N=5510818+3294314622&rt=rud

 

[Fred61]

Depending on how thick the material is, I would consider trying to weld it. Most bottle covers such as vitamins that have a hinged cover are made of polypropylene. It is used because the stuff is so darn tough and will take hundreds of "bends" before breaking. It also has a high .heat resistance

 

[Nofossil]

So - great solutions for specific and identifiable leaks. Thanks.

However, my original question still stands: do 'stop leak' solutions require heat and/or pressure to work? I have almost nothing invested in these panels. If a couple buck of stop leak can save me a couple hours of screwing around, it would be well worth it. Fixing a leak on the bottom surface is a *lot* of work, for instance.

I may just try it, as it doesn't seem like there's much to lose.

 

[tom in maine]

Might work in a closed loop. If you are not worried about plugging things up, I would try it.
I have had pumps get messed up from trying it.

 

[Fred61]

So the answer is: none of us know or are willing to tell you so we skirted the answer. Our next career will be in politics.

 

[Nofossil]

I'm pretty sure that this isn't the first thread that started to stray off-topic ;-)

I'm actually happy to get the suggestion for the sealant because once in a while I'll get a hole that needs a real patch. My curse, however, is tiny pinhole leaks and 'seeps' that are very hard to find. Many are temperature sensitive - they'll leak when the system is cooling down or cold, but not when it's hot. When it's cool, condensation creates wet spots all over, especially on the underside. If stop-leak can solve these little irritants my life will be better. I'll try it and report.

 

[Bob Rohr]

I'm pretty sure that this isn't the first thread that started to stray off-topic ;-)

I'm actually happy to get the suggestion for the sealant because once in a while I'll get a hole that needs a real patch. My curse, however, is tiny pinhole leaks and 'seeps' that are very hard to find. Many are temperature sensitive - they'll leak when the system is cooling down or cold, but not when it's hot. When it's cool, condensation creates wet spots all over, especially on the underside. If stop-leak can solve these little irritants my life will be better. I'll try it and report.

I've used a no-leak product from Fernox. A lot of it was sold when rubber tube radiant systems started to fail. It worked on the early SolaRoll and RadiantRoll EPDM tube and the various Heatway rubber radiant tubing. For small pin hole leaks it actually works well. I have a gallon of it still kicking around, be glad to double bottle some and send it your way.

(broken link removed to http://www.fernox.com/products/water+treatment+chemicals/leak+sealers)

 

[Nofossil]

I've used a no-leak product from Fernox. A lot of it was sold when rubber tube radiant systems started to fail. It worked on the early SolaRoll and RadiantRoll EPDM tube and the various Heatway rubber radiant tubing. For small pin hole leaks it actually works well. I have a gallon of it still kicking around, be glad to double bottle some and send it your way.

(broken link removed to http://www.fernox.com/products/water+treatment+chemicals/leak+sealers)

That's an offer that's hard to refuse! I've never heard of the stuff, but it looks like it would be perfect. PM me your email address and I'll PayPal shipping costs at least. Thanks.....