Duprey Neat Steam Cleaner - tank hole fix help !

[snazpizaz]

Hi

Not sure what forum this should be under.... (mods please move if better placed in another forum)

My Duprey Neat Steam Cleaner's internal water boiler tank has developed a small hole about 3-4mm wide. (see images below)
Every thing else is working fine, so wondering if it's worth / easy to fix.

Age of device: 3 years with low use for home domestic cleaning
Boiler Material: Aluminum
Steam Temperature: Up to 275 °F / 135 °C
Steam Pressure: 50 psi / 3.5 bar
Boiler Volume: 54 oz / 1600 ml
Cleaning Time: Up to 50 minutes
Heating Time: 8 minutes
Power: 1500 W

Questions:
1 Why did it occur in the first place ?

2. What's the most reliable way to patch up this hole as a home DIY fix ?
I want to keep the price down, method easy but the fix able to handle the conditions of the heat tank when working.
Any advice welcome. Some possible ideas i've looked at on youtube:
Some advice on solder type and patches to use would be of help.
Some advice on heating device for solder helpful.

Thanks for your time and attention.

snazP

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Some advice on solder type and patches to use would be of help.

That appears to be, an alloy casting - you cannot solder that. If its a clean hole, with space around it.....

Remove the base panel. Drill a suitable hole, centred on the hole, find a stainless nut, bolt, and a couple of large stainless washers, plus a tight-fitting rubber washer. A cheap tap washer would do it. Install and tighten, that, and it should seal the hole.

 

[snazpizaz]

Thanks ! - that sounds very do-able. - just some clarification on the suggested nut / bolt / washer / rubber gasket.
1. I'm wondering about the rubber washer / gasket - where v high temps above 125 degrees C will rot it quickly (?) maybe silicone will last better ?
Where's the best place to put a rubber/ silicone gasket in that configeration ? Is it on the outside of the tank - so it runs:
outside tank: -
1. bolt
2. metal washer
3. rubber/silicone weasher
4 outer tank surface (which gets v hot btw)
inside tank: -
1 nut
2 metal washer
3 inside tank surface
Or rubber/silicone both inside and outside the tank ?

Many thanks.
snazP

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Or rubber/silicone both inside and outside the tank ?

Rubber/silicone both sides, as a double seal. The rubber tap washers, are not actual rubber, they are designed for hot water taps, so should be fine. Silicone would be better, but much more difficult to source.

 

[snazpizaz]

cheers - that sounds like a fix ready to try out
appreciated