Mini sub cracked...

[BryanM]

About a week after I got my mini sub tank.. I noticed a small crack, starting from the base leading towards the other end. It was about a quarter of the way up the tank. A couple weeks later (today), the crack is now more than half the way up the tank.

I've been using Rootbeer Float in this tank... Is that the cause of the problem? Any chance I can mend this up with just superglue?

No leaks from the crack yet. Not looking for a refund...

I think can post some pics if it helps.

[pwyll]

Here is a possibly out-dated list of juices and ingredients known (and suspected) to damage polycarbonate:

America's Newest Submarine Tank

The Perfumer's Apprentice Root Beer flavouring is one of the ones listed, as well as any oil-based flavour--so if sassafras oil is used to create the root beer flavouring it will be "dangerous" to polycarbonate. On the other hand, chemically-induced damage to polycarbonate generally manifests as hazing and/or multiple cracks from the onset, so it may well be that there was already a micro-fracture from the cutting of the tubing and the juice is attacking that--creating a problem that wouldn't have existed without both the pre-existing micro-crack and the possibly questionable juice.

There is a chance you could mend it with superglue, BUT--consumer-grade cyanoacrylate glues will breakdown with constant exposure to water/liquid and (it is my understanding that) anything in your juice that may be reacting with the polycarbonate is likely to cause the same issues with cyanoacrylate.

The common DIY fix for making tanks for juices that destroy polycarbonate is to take a syringe or juice bottle with the same inner diameter as the polycarbonate tubing and cut a section of it to fit. Of course doing this will remove the thumbscrew filler hole, but polypropylene is soft enough the drilling a hole smaller than the screw should let it "self-tap" and work.


P.S. if the superglue you are talking about using is specifically labelled for use in aquariums, it should work okay and be fine for use. If the initial problem is with the juice, though, it will likely cause cracks in other areas as well, but using "aquarium grade" cyanoacrylate will at least prolong the life of the tube for quite a while...

[Faids]

I have 3 of these tanks for about 2 months now. I have been pretty careful with them, never leaving them in a hot car or using citric juices. They have all cracked. The crack starts at the screw hole and runs up and down the tank. For the price and convenience of the tank I guess it is an ok lifespan but still kind of disappointing.

[P0P]

Hi folks its snap, crackle, pop is there something i can do to help?

[pwyll]

I have 3 of these tanks for about 2 months now. I have been pretty careful with them, never leaving them in a hot car or using citric juices. They have all cracked. The crack starts at the screw hole and runs up and down the tank. For the price and convenience of the tank I guess it is an ok lifespan but still kind of disappointing.

The nature of polycarbonate is to be brittle. That's one reason why some vendors get away with (i.e. manage to sell) a single inch-long "replacement tube" for the price of a 6 foot length of tubing--it can be difficult to cut without cracking or breaking it. Evidently the tapping process creates enough stress that constantly using the filler screw will crack (or expand micro fractures) the tank over time. I've got a couple of the submarine tanks I haven't used yet and they are still pristine.

Unfortunately this is the sort of thing that only shows up over time and in real-world use, like finding out some vaping juices destroy "unbreakable" plastic. It's much easier to figure out why/how something happened than it is to predict that it will

[moishesmom]

About a week after I got my mini sub tank.. I noticed a small crack, starting from the base leading towards the other end. It was about a quarter of the way up the tank. A couple weeks later (today), the crack is now more than half the way up the tank.

I've been using Rootbeer Float in this tank... Is that the cause of the problem? Any chance I can mend this up with just superglue?

No leaks from the crack yet. Not looking for a refund...

I think can post some pics if it helps.

Hi Bryan....I wonder what happened. I've used M&P's Sub & Mini-Sub exclusively for approx. 6 months now & have never had a problem. I love these tanks & I'm sure I've even had a few of the no-no brews (DIY) in them & I won't even mention the occasional "oops" it fell. If you figure out what caused it, please let us know....

[BryanM]

Sorry... it's been awhile since I've logged in to look at the ECF posts.

Its a pretty long and straight crack.... started at a 1/4 of the way from the base... and has grown, nearly to the top now.

I've got other minisubs (3 others) that I have no issues or cracks with. Just seemed odd..

Pic attached...

[moishesmom]

Bryan.....I read a while back about someone cracked his by tightning the screw to tightly. Since you have 3 others, I'm pretty sure that's not what happened here.

[BryanM]

Bryan.....I read a while back about someone cracked his by tightning the screw to tightly. Since you have 3 others, I'm pretty sure that's not what happened here.

Well... the crack is about 1.5 cm from the screw.

My OP was really trying to figure out if this was from the Rootbeer float. I'd hate to give it up. I'm getting some conflicting answers on this.

I suppose I could've dropped it at some point when I got it... Dont think so... but it's possible. I just wanted to try to rule out the juice.

[r77r7r]

Well... the crack is about 1.5 cm from the screw.

My OP was really trying to figure out if this was from the Rootbeer float. I'd hate to give it up. I'm getting some conflicting answers on this.

I suppose I could've dropped it at some point when I got it... Dont think so... but it's possible. I just wanted to try to rule out the juice.

I vape unflavored and mine are cracking. 3 of mine are cracking from the screw hole. I'd be careful laying the cracked ones down also, I'm noticing puddles.