Ohio Reef
Reef Discussion => Do It Yourself => Topic started by: lazylivin on April 01, 2010, 20:53:09
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1. Always install bulkheads clean and dry, no silicone's, teflons or thread lubricants. Silicone's and lubricants cause the gasket to scoot out or not seal properly. Have you ever removed an old automobile windshield or other gasketed glass? The rubber vulcanizes to the glass with time and creates a perfect seal without any help.
2. Before installing the bulkhead take a few minutes using a jewelers file, nail file or pocket knife and clean any excess flashing off both the male and female threads and from the flat gasket mating surfaces. This is a common source of leaks.
3. Always install the gasket on the flange side of the bulkhead, never on the nut side, regardless if its inside or outside the tank. Installing the gasket next to the nut will lead to leaks. Hand tighten only with maybe 1/4 to 1/2 turn additional, no more.
4. When using threaded bulkheads, again clean the excess flashing from the threads and valleys and use a small amount of teflon tape or better yet the stick or crayon type of thread lubricant designed specifically for PVC treads. These can be found at Lowes, HD, Ace and all hardware stores under names like Laco, Permatex and others.
I use this one and have since the 1980's with great success.
LA-CO: Product Detail - PLASTO-JOINT STIK® - Plastic Thread Sealant (http://www.laco.com/productDetail.aspx?ProductID=121)
It stays pliable forever and does not tear or roll out of the threads like teflon tape. My swimming pool plumbing up to 2" was all installed with this in 1983, outside in Phoenix AZ and its still pliable to this day!
5. Never support any pumps or piping from a bulkhead, always use supports so weight is not on a bulkhead and gasket causing differential stresses on the mating surfaces.
6. Never screw anything to the external threads of a bulkhead, these are not standard tapered pipe threads and will leak. They are there to screw the nut on is all and are not normally even a standard diameter like 1" etc.
Hope you get some use out of this
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great find
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Thanks for the Info.....
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i know this is a little old of a post but i have a quick question on bulkhead seals......
i get bulkheads from napa, bulkamp line and they have 2 seals one for nut side and one for flange side
granted these are automotive related but they dont leak when mounted in steel tanks or other apps
why couldnt you use both seals in our hobby???????
i wouldnt think saltwater is much worse than chemical spray
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You could use both without issue as long as their is one on the flange side. If using standard bulk heads the nut will generally spead and damage the gasket. They are to soft.
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If it works for those steel/whatever tanks I am sure those would work in salty tanks. Aquarium bulkheads do not come with two gaskets, only 1 and if its not on the wet side it will leak! Nut side is always the dry side......
I think a gasket on the dry/nut side is pointless the way aquarium bulkheads are designed, not sure if what you get are any different. If the wet side gasket fails and there is a dry/nut side gasket, the water would still come out the threads on the bulkhead. Thus plumbing tape would need to be used
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http://partimages.genpt.com/largeimages/787959.jpg (http://partimages.genpt.com/largeimages/787959.jpg)
the reason I am asking is because I can get these for nothing or close to it
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Those are FPT size. You may have to find an adapter to fit PVC. I may be completely wrong here. Here is spec page for someone who might know more about these things. http://www.agequipmentusa.com/productCatalog/Main/Item.aspx?fl=630&m=-2147483074&ii=383777&mod=I (http://www.agequipmentusa.com/productCatalog/Main/Item.aspx?fl=630&m=-2147483074&ii=383777&mod=I)