Is this reactor repairable?

Kali · Dec 3, 2017

I have an Avast recirculating reactor that has a couple pin hole leaks around the base. I took it offline several months ago and now it’s slowly leaking.

If I empty and dry the tube can I add more acrylic glue around the outside of the tube to seal the leak, or do I need to get a new tube/base? I have close to zero acrylic experience.

Crabs McJones · Dec 3, 2017

Kali said:
I have an Avast recirculating reactor that has a couple pin hole leaks around the base. I took it offline several months ago and now it’s slowly leaking.

If I empty and dry the tube can I add more acrylic glue around the outside of the tube to seal the leak, or do I need to get a new tube/base? I have close to zero acrylic experience.

Any pictires? If theyre small pinhole leaks you can probably put epoxy or a dab of superglue in the hole and seal it up.

Kali · Dec 3, 2017

I don’t have pictures. Mainly because the water is just oozing out at 2 or 3 points. The only thing that you can see is wet clear acrylic. It looses a cup or so of fluid a day.

billwill · Dec 3, 2017

Totally fixable with correct acrylic cement. I’ve built three avast reactors and have needed to “touch up” my handy work like this.

rocsec1 · Dec 3, 2017

Sure as long as it is dry. I had to go back with an avast dyi building a touch a spot.

cilyjr · Dec 3, 2017

Use acrylic cement (weldon 16 now called scigrip 16) not superglue nor epoxy.

cromag27 · Dec 4, 2017

This is one of the rare instances where I would recommend scigrip 16 or craftics 33. Otherwise, these solvents are garbage.

Kali · Dec 4, 2017

Thanks! I'll see if I have the tube of stuff that came with the kit, or see if any of the local Lowes/Home Depots has any scrigrip or craftics in stock.

...I guess this is just a tiny wet leaky reminder to do a 24 hour water test before tying something into the tank...

cilyjr · Dec 4, 2017

Homed pot won't usually carry it. Online or a local plastics place would.

cilyjr · Dec 4, 2017

cromag27 said:
This is one of the rare instances where I would recommend scigrip 16 or craftics 33. Otherwise, these solvents are garbage.

They aren't garbage, they are made for 1 purpose and this is exactly it. They are NOT good for acrylic fabrication.

Fin · Dec 4, 2017

If you can find the tube of the original cement (I know they sent Craftics #33 to me), I would run another bead along the lower seam inside of the reactor, where it meets the base. If I couldn't get my hand inside the reactor, then I would run a bead on the outside of the bottom seam. Good luck, shouldn't be too difficult.

cromag27 · Dec 4, 2017

Yeah, both are garbage. And yes, they were made for fabrication of acrylic (plastics). And correct, hey are NOT good. They're just easy for some with no experience to use.

cilyjr said:
They aren't garbage, they are made for 1 purpose and this is exactly it. They are NOT good for acrylic fabrication.

cilyjr · Dec 4, 2017

Personally I think it's good to have around for quick fixes. I use 4 when building something significant.

cromag27 said:
just easy for some with no experience to use.

I suppose this is true.

Kali · Dec 6, 2017

cromag27 said:
Yeah, both are garbage. And yes, they were made for fabrication of acrylic (plastics). And correct, hey are NOT good. They're just easy for some with no experience to use.

@cromag27 I'm curious what makes an acrylic cement better for fabrication? And how are they harder to use or how is Craftics harder to screw up, if one is a complete newb with acrylic?

@Fin That's what I did (outside seam) and just waiting for the cure time, and time in my schedule to put it to a wet test.

cromag27 · Dec 6, 2017

Scigrip 16 and craftics 33 both have acrylic in them, which helps thicken the consistency. The thicker consistency helps give you the ability to fill small gaps, but it also takes away a major portion of the bonding strength. Adding extra filler essentially dilutes main ingredients that provide the actual bonding strength of the solvent.

Scigrip16 and craftics 33 aren't so much easier to screw up, rather just have bad bonding properties.

Kali said:
@cromag27 I'm curious what makes an acrylic cement better for fabrication? And how are they harder to use or how is Craftics harder to screw up, if one is a complete newb with acrylic?

@Fin That's what I did (outside seam) and just waiting for the cure time, and time in my schedule to put it to a wet test.

cromag27 · Dec 6, 2017

I have extra tubes of craftics 33 if you need one.

Zephrant · Dec 6, 2017

Technically, the bond strength of #16 is only 12% less than #4 (https://www.curbellplastics.com/Res...ources/Bonding-Acrylic-with-SCIGRIP-3-4-or-16)
But in unskilled hands, I'd expect much worse performance.

I've thinned #16 with #4 to get a solvent with a little bit of solids in it, that still flows well enough to dispense with a needle. Works fine for touch-up, but not a good idea to build with it.

Roggio · Dec 6, 2017

Look up @sanjay ‘s YouTube videos. He uses some kind of epoxy. He even repaired a bulkhead in the side of his tank that’s attached to his closed loop system. Draining his 500g tank was not an option.

I’m addition to that; he used the epoxy to repair his homemade skimmer and calcium reactor.

Whatever he’s using, it would be valuable to all of us.