How to stop tank lid leaking

[Aqua]

I've got a 500 litre upright tank, generally I only need to put around 400 litres in for the day. But at times like today I have some big jobs which mean I like to fill it up to the brim. Add to this the fact that they at times are a bit of a drive and I would end up getting there with quite a bit of water having spilled out the breather on the lid. 

I found the best solution up to now was to put some polythene over the opening before screwing the lid in then taking this out when I got to the job. 

So I did this today get to the job after about 45mins drive and see water running out the side door. What a mess it had made inside the van. 

Getting a bit fed up with it so just wondered what everyone else does? 

 

[spruce]

@Aqua

Smear a thin layer of Vaseline around the seal inside the lid and the lip of the tank and tighten the lid down. I do this. The only leak I have occasionally is through the vent. If I brim the tank I put a towel around the lid to catch any water escaping through the vent. Its very little.

Its the same procedure a mechanic uses when changing a spin on oil filter when servicing your car. They lubricate the seal with fresh engine oil.

We fitted a 500 liter tank to my son in laws van about 9 years ago. He stopped cleaning 5 years ago and gave me the tank back as he sold his van.

His tank lid always leaked. I made this Vaseline suggestion and he ignored it.

I took his tank and smeared the lid seal with Vaseline, I turned this tank on its side and filled it with water up to the vent through the outlet. Water never leaked from the seal. He just shrugged his shoulders.

 

[Iurie]

I only had a tank which didn't leak 

All other tanks a had / have leak no matter what 

Just don't fill to the brim

 

[J and S]

I have a piece of polythene larger than the hole and screw the lid down on this.......just put a few perforations in the polythene to let the tank breathe....it doesn't leak anywhere with this not even the breathe hole on the lid.

 

[Baldmonkey]

I've got a 500 litre upright tank, generally I only need to put around 400 litres in for the day. But at times like today I have some big jobs which mean I like to fill it up to the brim. Add to this the fact that they at times are a bit of a drive and I would end up getting there with quite a bit of water having spilled out the breather on the lid. 

I found the best solution up to now was to put some polythene over the opening before screwing the lid in then taking this out when I got to the job. 

So I did this today get to the job after about 45mins drive and see water running out the side door. What a mess it had made inside the van. 

Getting a bit fed up with it so just wondered what everyone else does? 

I would look at putting something like a sponge on the inside of the lid, allows air flow but stops water coming out the breather

 

[Aqua]

Thanks for the replies. 

I will give the vaseline a try first as it sounds the easiest option. 

I must admit I'm not really sure exactly which part of the lid the water is coming from as it's hard to tell. But when I fill it right up it leaks an awful lot.