Leaky bulk head

[BamBam507]

need some advice on bulk head issue

originally the bulk head had a slow leak. re arranged location of sump so needed to invert the bulkhead to get closer to the wall.

unscrewed and swapped bulk head to face in and with gasket on inside. tightened. and water poured out. cleaned glass and gasket again. teflon taped threads re installed and back to slow leak. replaced with new bulk head taped threads and still seeping and salt creep (but leaking less then any other way)

have cleaned glass and gasket each time

using a 1" bulk head and bulk head threads just clear going in not tight but room. so hole is maybe 1 1/8 or 1 1/4 I i didnt drill the hole

 

[billdogg]

Where did you use the teflon tape? None is needed on the nut that holds the bulkhead in place. If it is leaking from the internal threads, I would take it apart, check for burrs, and then reassemble using plumbers (teflon) paste instead of the tape. I find it is much easier to use, especially on larger fittings.

Although it should not be needed (and too much can make it worse), a very small amount of silicone plumbers grease can be used on the gasket itself - just enough to make it shiny, but then be careful not to overtighten the nut or you will risk the gasket deforming. (sort of squirting out the side, as it were)


hth

 

[BamBam507]

is the leak caused from having the gasket on the inside and not on the outside?

currently the bulkhead threads, gasket, and nut is on the inside of the tank.

was told to put gasket on outside of tank

 

[Dr. Reef]

this is the proper way to install a bulkhead.... no teflon needed. no silicone no nothing and just snug hand tight. no tools required.

 

[Justdrew]

The gasket always goes on the flange side, whether it is inside or outside the tank does not matter.

Drew

 

[billsreef]

With the nut against the gasket, you scrunch the gasket when tightening the nut so that the gasket will not seat properly. Got to have that gasket on the flange side, and the flange should be on the water side. Having the nut on the water side also allows for water to channel down the threads, making a seal hard to obtain, if not downright impossible.

 

[MHG]

The gasket and flange of on the wet side only.... You can add silicone after it is installed to help keep it from twisting loose during maintenance as a little extra insurance...

 

[Palytoxin718]

also if it is a deep blue tank with included bulkhead you need to make sure everything is centered when its tightened down, otherwise you will get a slight leak.

 

[el aguila]

A lot of good advice already.

If your hole is a 1/4" bigger than the bulkhead, this could be a problem if the bulkhead is not centered or you accidentally bump the plumbing. Fought this on my tank for several years until I got an O-ring to place on the bulkhead threads the right size to keep it centered.

 

[penfold2]

It doesn't matter in the slightest whether the flange is on the wet or dry side. While it's quite common to install the flange on the wet side, it's by no means necessary. Just look at the commonly used glass-holes overflow kits. They are designed to be installed with the flange on the dry side. As long as the gasket is sitting against the flange, you will have a good seal, no matter which side the flange is on.

Other tips:

Never use silicone. The gasket is designed to provide a seal between two flat surfaces. Silicone will just create an uneven surface that is more likely to leak.

Don't overtighten the bulkhead nut. Hand tight is sufficient if you can get a good grip on it. A bulkhead wrench may be used in tight spaces, but be gentle.

If there is a leak, figure out whether it is coming from the bulkhead itself, or a fitting threaded into the bulkhead. Leaks from threaded fittings are much more common than leaky bulkheads, and can usually be fixed by using more teflon tape or paste. But as was stated, the bulkhead nut should NOT have any tape/paste on it. Check the threads and flange surface for burrs or damage.

 

[FlyPenFly]

Weirdly enough, the double gasket Deep Blue bulkhead is far more leak proof for me than the Lifegard bulkheads I purchased. I gave up on the lifeguards after hand tightening wouldn't work. The DB bulkheads are not leaking with hand tightening...

 

[stoelton]

There is a silicone grease that you can use to help with the larger bulkheads. I believe it is called wonderlube. You only use a little bit to lube the seals so they do not grab on the bulkhead and the glass.

Tighten only until you start to see the seals start to deform. Then back off a little. and reteighten till the seals are not deformed at all.

This grease is also commonly used for swimming pool O-rings. You can find it at the pools store.

 

[LouH]

One thing not mentioned is whether or not your standpipe or pump return line is applying any torque or lateral force on the bulkhead. I've found that any amount of torque on the bulkhead will make it very difficult to achieve a seal. Because of this, I've moved away from rigid PVC on the dry side of bulkheads, and run flexible tubing instead.