leaky bulkhead heeeelp!

[Travis]

I tested the 180 this morning. The bulkhead is dripping rather badly through the sides.

Assuming I remembered correctly and the gasket goes on the overflow box side of the bulkhead, there are three possiblities I know of:

1) It ain't tight enough. I hand-tightened the nut below the tank as much as possible, but there's still some play in the bulkhead. It's a really tough reach getting any tool in there to tighten it so I'm looking for ideas on how to tighten the sucker with very little room to work. I can't seem to hand-tighten it any more, but loosening it is very easy.

2) I didn't use teflon tape on the threads and nut. Should I have? Will it help?

3) OK, this part sucks a lot. There's a chip in the glass on the rim of the hole for the bulkhead. It doesn't extend outside the gasket so I'm REALLY hoping this isn't it. Also, the water is dripping from several areas around the threaded area. Allow me to stay in denial for now, please, and work eliminate the other possible issues.

If the chip is a problem, what can I do???


Help very, very much appreciated. I thought I was nearing the end of this fiasco and I fear it's just starting.

T

[Barnacle Dave]

T do you have a drawing or photo we can look at?
Lowes has these 5" x 7" sheets of gasket material that you can use to put on both sides of the bulk head.

When the bulk head is out side of the tank can you hand tighten it all the way where they are touching each other?

I would use teflon tape and dual gaskets and it that did not work I would try a different bulk head and if that did not work I would use some silicone.

If you try and tighten the bulk head with tools you risk cracking the tank. so please be careful here.

Dave

[hunterd_67]

did u warm up the gasket, b4 u put it on, sounds like it aint sealing right. id try that b4 u see about getting the chip fixed and teflon tape will help... HTH some

[Travis]

No I didn't warm up the gasket. Didn't know I was supposed to.

Thanks, keep em coming guys.

[hunterd_67]

When i did plumbing on ppl's house's, i use to put a bead of silicone around the flange of the nut and that helped make a pretty good seal too.

[Barnacle Dave]

Before you silicone it make sure the bulk head flange will screw all the way up and touch each other. dual gaskets should work if the bulk head flange will screw in far enough.

I didn't heat mine and they are fine but it may be a new trick!

[Travis]

OK forgive my ignorance... what's the flange?

Nothing underneath touches the inside part of the bulkhead, there's glass in between.

[Barnacle Dave]

OK after re-thinking this I would not teflon tape the threads, as it would not do any good to do so.

Get some gasket material from Lowes and make another gasket or 2. Your current gasket may have an issue.

When you tighten the bulkhead down the flange on both ends will squeeze down onto the gasket and thus making it leak proof. see drawing I made.

Does your bulkhead nut have little section cut out of it?

[NaH2O]

T - with all the plumbing issues I had with my tank, I feel your pain - there is nothing worse than a leak. We used silicone on all of my bulkheads instead of teflon tape.

[Travis]

Thanks guys. I talked with Melev, and took another good lookat what was going on down there. I'm thinking more and kore the chip in the glass is the problem. It looks like it does extend out just a bit from the edge of the bulkhead.

So, that being the case... what next? Should I try filling the chip with silicone or epoxy?

[Barnacle Dave]

Is the chip on one side and not both? if so use 2 gaskets. If on both sides use Silicone.

[Travis]

OK Dave, that makes a lot of sense. Thanks.

I just removed the bulkhead and cleaned it off, THOUGHT I got all the sand from the overflow box but after another failed attempt there was sand all over again. What's the best way to get the sand out? I've been using paper towels, damp, one swipe then on to the next. Otherwise I would think you wind up spreading a lot of sand around.

This last attempt was at least better. Slower leak, took more water. And more concentrated on the area where the chip is located.

Dave, when I get the gasket material, is there a specific way to go about cutting it, etc? I would like to do it right the first time... for once. LOL.

[Travis]

OK one more question...

I found another gasket, off the old bulkhead I had to cut off. Gasket looks to be in great shape.

Both gaskets have one flat side and one side with two small "ribs" sticking out just a bit. Which side faces the flange, and which side faces the glass?

T.

[BoomerD]

Trav, if you have a chip where the bulkhead is, just silicone it and get it over with. Easier to do it now, and get it over with, than to keep fighting it, and maybe end up having to silicone it later anyway. I am a firm believer in siliconing bulkheads. I've seen too damm many of them leak around the gasket, and a double gasket might trap water in between the 2, and create problems later.

[Travis]

OK BoomerD, melev is telling me the same thing. Since you're a firm believer, I imagine you've done it before. Would you mind posting VERY specific instructions about doing this?

In other words, exactly where should the silicone go? I assume inside the chip, but then do I apply silicone over the entire area where the flange will sit? Do I apply it to the glass, or the flange, or both? I would imagine I apply, then tighten the nut. Should I wipe away the silicone that oozes out, or leave it? What type of silicone should I use? I've read that I should wipe the surfaces down with isopropyl first?

Sorry to come off like such a dolt, but the first time I do anything, it seems like there's a step I missed or I did it wrong, so the more detail I get, the better.

Thank you all SO much for your help!

T