Despite Knowing Better...Bulkhead Gasket on Wrong Side...Options?

[Reefer1978]

First time I cut my own - it was just as bad, and I was a bit paranoid also. It held for 2 years before I took the tank apart.

 

[LilElroyJetson]

Looking at your pic I also don't think you need sch80. If silicone is not cured yet, take it out, move gasket to the right spots, and tighten is pretty hard. Gaskets create a seal so water can't get to the threads. When tightening it, hold the bulkhead as closely to the center of the hole as possible. It should hold.

Unfortunately the silicone is cured now. The gaskets were correctly aligned and very tight prior, I think regardless I was going to get the slow leak down the threads due to the missing gasket between the flange and overflow box on the inside of the box.

Given that the silicone has cured, do you think it matters if I remove or leave the nut side gasket?

 

[Fin]

The diagram below is essentially the setup that you have. An internal box, but no external box, like Ghost style Overflows have. More similar to the old Glass-Holes overflows.

A better diagram from Glass-Holes old site - I have installed about 6 of these style overflows in just this way and have never had a leak.

Of course, you definitely need to go back with a schedule 80 bulkhead, since the hole is already drilled to fit the larger bulkhead. I used to use Schedule 80 all the time. More solid than the Schedule 40. I doubt you will find them at the LFS or the big box hardware stores. You can check a plumbing supply or here is an online source - PVC Pipe Supply

 

[Reefer1978]

Unfortunately the silicone is cured now. The gaskets were correctly aligned and very tight prior, I think regardless I was going to get the slow leak down the threads due to the missing gasket between the flange and overflow box on the inside of the box.

Given that the silicone has cured, do you think it matters if I remove or leave the nut side gasket?

Shouldn't matter if silicone holds.

 

[LilElroyJetson]

The diagram below is essentially the setup that you have. An internal box, but no external box, like Ghost style Overflows have. More similar to the old Glass-Holes overflows.

A better diagram from Glass-Holes old site - I have installed about 6 of these style overflows in just this way and have never had a leak.



Of course, you definitely need to go back with a schedule 80 bulkhead, since the hole is already drilled to fit the larger bulkhead. I used to use Schedule 80 all the time. More solid than the Schedule 40. I doubt you will find them at the LFS or the big box hardware stores. You can check a plumbing supply or here is an online source - PVC Pipe Supply

This diagram is the way I set it up so the culprit must be the fact that the hole was just too large for the schedule 40 then or some combination of these things. My LFS was the one who supplied me with the Schedule 80 in the first place but they ran out, thanks for the link and thanks again for all the help with this. Looks like I have my project for next weekend cut out for me again!

 

[GK3]

Despite knowing better, I messed up. While removing and reinstalling my bulkhead from my overflow a couple of times while finalizing the sump plumbing on the tank I’m setting up, I had a lapse of focus and put the bulkhead gasket on the nut side outside of the tank. Unfortunately, due to the parts I was rigging together, I gorilla glued the pvc drain to the other side of the bulkhead, so I can’t get it off to slide off the gasket (dumb, I know). I should’ve done more research before hooking up the plumbing.

Anyway below are photos of what I’m working with. I think my options are:

(a) Leave it and hope it doesn’t leak because everything is pretty snug. (I know the most likely cause of leak is water coming down the threads, but the tolerance between the bulkhead flange, the overflow plastic maybe acting as a gasket, and the tank glass might prevent it?)

(b) Try to obtain another bulkhead gasket and just stretch it over the bulkhead from inside the overflow and re-tighten, thus, I’d have bulkhead —> gasket —> overflow —> tank glass —> gasket —> nut.

(c) Cut a slit into the gasket, sliding it in between the tank glass and overflow box with the slit at the top towards the edge of the water surface, and retightening that way? (This seems like a poor option because I’d ruin the integrity of the gasket.)

I’d appreciate any thoughts or suggestions! Was hoping to add water to the tank today.

Tank isn’t wet, it’s one bulkhead and looks like 4 PVC pieces before that slip on flex tubing. I suggest you cut off the pvc, take out the bulkhead, and redo it. If you don’t do it right, and it leaks in 2 months, you’ll kick yourself for now having to do it with a wet tank.

 

[LilElroyJetson]

Tank isn’t wet, it’s one bulkhead and looks like 4 PVC pieces before that slip on flex tubing. I suggest you cut off the pvc, take out the bulkhead, and redo it. If you don’t do it right, and it leaks in 2 months, you’ll kick yourself for now having to do it with a wet tank.

Ended up re-doing and doing entirely PVC. Sprung a leak anyway so now re-doing once more with a wet tank next weekend. Murphy’s law I guess.

 

[lbacha]

This diagram is the way I set it up so the culprit must be the fact that the hole was just too large for the schedule 40 then or some combination of these things. My LFS was the one who supplied me with the Schedule 80 in the first place but they ran out, thanks for the link and thanks again for all the help with this. Looks like I have my project for next weekend cut out for me again!

The diagram is actually opposite of what you did. Glass holes has the flange on the outside and the threads on the inside of the overflow which is why they have a gasket on the outside of the glass. You need a gasket between the tank and the overflow box either way and then one more between the flange and either the overflow box or the tank depending on how you plumb it. If you get a big enough gasket the bigger hole shouldn’t be an issue. I would use some plumbers grease on the gasket for a little added piece of mind.

 

[ca1ore]

At the risk of overwhelming you with ‘advice’ .....

Holes for Sch80 bulkheads general fit the next size up Sch40. So if the hole was intended for a 1” Sch80 it will usually accommodate a 1 1/4” Sch 40. If you install the bulkhead with the flange on the outside of the tank you only need a single gasket right under the flange and make sure it sits on clean glass not painted glass. If you install the bulkhead with the nut on the outside of the tank then you need two gaskets - one under the flange and the second between the box and interior of the back wall of the tank. Gooping silicone on may not work. It won’t adhere to a wet surface.

 

[Shaun Sweeney]

I agree with Ibacha. There may be more than one issue as you also have a layer between the box and the tank and it doesn't look like rubber. That aside, a good coat of silicon around the fitting on the inside could work. It has for me. The pressure is pushing the silicone as opposed to trying to escape from behind the silicone.

 

[Shaun Sweeney]

I agree with Ibacha. There may be more than one issue as you also have a layer between the box and the tank and it doesn't look like rubber. That aside, a good coat of silicon around the fitting on the inside could work. It has for me. The pressure is pushing the silicone as opposed to trying to escape from behind the silicone.

 

[Shaun Sweeney]

I agree with Ibacha. It looks like there is an additional issue associated with the layer between the box and the tank. It doesn't look like rubber or any other sealable material. That aside, I think a good coat of silicone around the fitting on the inside of the box will probably work. That is because the water pressure is compressing the silicone as opposed to trying to escape from behind it. This has worked for me. Of course nothing beats taking it apart and doing it right, particularly since there may be that other issue between the box and the tank.

 

[Buckeye Hydro]

https://www.buckeyehydro.com/bulkheads-heavy-duty/

 

[lbacha]

https://www.buckeyehydro.com/bulkheads-heavy-duty/

Where are you guys located

 

[Buckeye Hydro]

Cincinnati.... since the year 2000 :)

 

[lbacha]

Cincinnati.... since the year 2000 :)

Nice I’m up in Cleveland

 

[vetteguy53081]

There is Nothing like saltwater over your floor or carpet. Now is the time to address and redo it from scratch and use the threaded version and no glues. When done properly, pvc cement is all you need. DO not squeeze the gasket tight as it WILL leak sooner than later.
If you are going to use tubing, I would invest in braided nylon tubing which holds up to and is re-inforced for high pressure return lines.