Help! anyone have a bulkhead tightner

[Htfdwhaler]

Hello Everyone,

Does anyone have a bulkhead tightener I can borrow? I have a slow drip coming from a bulkhead but I cannot hand tighten it anymore. It's inside the overflow box and tough to get to.

I need to get to it vertically none of my wrenches fit inside the overflow box..

I am in the Tampa area..

Thanks,
Manny

 

[Webmanny]

I don't have a tool specially designed for this, but a question comes to mind. Why is this leaking. These things are meant to be hand tighten. I'm also wondering why the nut side is inside the overflow, this should be under or outside from what I've seen.

Could it be that you have this installed the wrong way? The nut should go towards the outside and the rubber seal should be the one in contact with the water.

Please check this and if everything is correct and still needs to be secured stronger, I would get a rubber jar opener like the one on the picture below and try that.

Found them in Harbor Freight for less than $5.00

Link

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eY_v2qPTclE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[CrazyEyes]

It's probably too tight. If you're able to, pull the bulkhead out and make sure the gasket isn't damage or nothing is between the glass and the seal preventing it from sealing properly. If you tighten it to much it's just going to crush that rubber gasket and prevent it from sealing it anyways.

 

[Worleyxxx]

Some of the overflow boxes like glass holes for example has the but on the inside, I read over my installation guide multiple times to make sure I wasn't misreading it.

 

[snake1]

I always see the nut on the outside plus it never hurts to put silicone on the side without the nut ...I put the silicone all over the gasket and never have any leaks and maybe a quarter turn with a pair of channel locks after hand tight .....

 

[Htfdwhaler]

So I was able to tighten in with a oil filter wrench and it stopped the slow drip. But then it dawned on me that i put the bulkheads in BACKWARDS!!!

Of course the tank is filled now and I can't separate it from the wall unless I take all the water out.. SMH.

IDK if it's designed that way. I know that when it was shipped to m the bulkhead nut was inside the overflow, so I assumed that it goes that way.

I am going to monitor it closely, to see if it leaks. Wondering if I should just leave it that way. If I empty this tank it is going to be SO FRUSTRATING after waiting 2 days for it to fill with RODI.

Does it really matter? A bulkhead is suppose to seal from both sides right. The gasket is in the inside.

Of course all the other plumbing works flawlessly. You know the ones inside the sump that are easy to access.

Here's a pic.. As of now, not leaking.

 

[ganjero]

It does matter, you want the seal inside where the water is...it was probably shipped that way to keep the long part of the bulkhead inside the oveflow instead of sticking out to avoid potential damage. Can you partially empty the tank to fix this? Usually hand tightening bhs is enough, more than that and you can break glass or acrylic, specially thiner panels

 

[3FordFamily]

I just used adjustable wrench

 

[Htfdwhaler]

Yea, I am going to do it right. I don't want this thing leaking down the road.

Man this is so frustrating..

Probably going to need 3 new 1 1/2 bulkheads. I'll be calling LFS in area tomorrow.

On the bright side I was able to pull the tank away from the wall without taking water out.

 

[Easttuth]

Did you buy the colored PVC from BRS? How did you like the result of using it? I'm consider doing it myself but with much more plumbing runs

 

[janes_mw]

Yea, I am going to do it right. I don't want this thing leaking down the road.

Man this is so frustrating..

Probably going to need 3 new 1 1/2 bulkheads. I'll be calling LFS in area tomorrow.

On the bright side I was able to pull the tank away from the wall without taking water out.

Try and find the Schedule 80 Bulkheads. I just used a bunch of the ones you can get local and had one leaker myself. I was warned, but didn't listen. I ran the system in the garage for a week. No leaks. Moved to the house (did not touch the bulkhead in question)..... leaked. Couldn't get to it to tighten. (300 gallons of RO water in). Emmett and Rob (Thorn) warned me..... Just saying!
mike

 

[CrazyEyes]

Sch80 will require a bigger hole.