Reefer Return Pipe Cracked

[Averhoeven]

I've been setting up my Reefer 750 for the past few weeks. Given how I have to run my RODI to it, it's taken about a week to fill it. Today was the day that it was finally gonna be full though. However, when the DT was full, I started to hear an unexpected dripping sound. There was water dripping from the first elbow in the return mostly into the sump, but a few drops inevitably go down the back glass of the sump into the stand. Eventually I just unscrewed from the threads coming through the bulkhead and discovered it was significantly cracked (see pic). I even had that sealant on it so I didn't HAVE to crank it down, but here we are anyway. I drained the overflow compartments that seemed to dry up the do for a while, but now it's back.
Any suggestions to minimize drips while I wait for Red Sea to send me a replacement (hopefully tomorrow)? Is there just a slight leak into the overflow compartment and that's why I keep getting some flow? How do you remove those pipes? They seem to have one way teeth when you screw them into the bulkhead.

Thanks for any tips

 

[Averhoeven]

I just siphoned out the overflow area again and got a decent amount of water. I thought more about it, if there was a leak into the overflow chamber or the bulkhead, I'd have noticed the issue anywhere during the past week. Therefore I think it must just be some water still getting through the removable overflow grates up top. Hopefully now that the water level is essentially below that the drip will stop.

 

[Averhoeven]

Just checked the other pipes by shocking my RODI output down the tank side of them. The backup overflow is fine, but the threads on both the return and the primary overflow are both cracked. Seriously? I didn't even turn that hard... I noticed when cutting the pipe that they were rather brittle compared to what I usually see, but man...

 

[Billdogg]

gotta love ABS. Your only real fix is to replace the damaged pieces. It sucks, but it's way better to do it right, and now, rather than 6 months from now when you have livestock in the tank too.

 

[enzo86]

Mine was shipped without the o-ring and started leaking as soon as it got wet, A call to RedSea and they sent me a pack of them. I also ordered extra return pipes for spares.

 

[Averhoeven]

I just received my replacement pipes yesterday. After struggling to remove the old cracked ones (its easier to push up and twist from below than get a hand into the overflows, but wasn't easy), I put the new pipes in. I screwed on the union to it and it seemed ok for a few, but both still have a slight trickle of a leak. I don't see any obvious cracks in the piping this time, but honestly it's hard to see the back (sliding my phone camera back there doesn't really give me anything meaningful). Water seems to come up out of the top of the union and drips down (1-2 drops every 5 secs or so). This is driving me crazy. I even finger-tip tightened them this time with thread sealant in. I'd be more inclined to blame my part of the plumbing if the unions that were leaking weren't completely baseline equipment that I then hooked up to the rest of it all.
Should I just silicone the whole thing in place with a tiny leak and be done with it? That makes me nervous, but I imagine it's probably an ok solution.

EDIT: Red Sea's tech support actually said they would say to never use any sort of thread sealant on their connections because the O-rings are designed to create the seal and they think my thread sealant may be preventing that from happening. I'll try to wipe it off tonight and see what happens.

 

[JoshH]

It could be that your thread sealant is preventing the union from sitting snuggly together. Causing the very small leak. I would wipe off all that sealant and try again, sealant isn't required for unions as the rubber O ring does all the work in that department.

 

[Averhoeven]

It could be that your thread sealant is preventing the union from sitting snuggly together. Causing the very small leak. I would wipe off all that sealant and try again, sealant isn't required for unions as the rubber O ring does all the work in that department.

It appears you and their tech support are on the same page. I'll give it a shot when I get home. God I hope so, these pipes have been my one complaint with the tank so far (but a big one).

 

[JoshH]

It appears you and their tech support are on the same page. I'll give it a shot when I get home. God I hope so, these pipes have been my one complaint with the tank so far (but a big one).

I'm pretty confident that will solve your issue, it might have even caused the original cracks given how brittle the plumbing is to begin with but we won't tell Red Sea that I hope it all works out and we can see that tank full of critters soon

 

[Green1181]

Just checked the other pipes by shocking my RODI output down the tank side of them. The backup overflow is fine, but the threads on both the return and the primary overflow are both cracked. Seriously? I didn't even turn that hard... I noticed when cutting the pipe that they were rather brittle compared to what I usually see, but man...

Could you tell me how you did your return line plumbing? I am trying to make a manifold to run my chiller but not sure where to go from red sea plumbing to standard.

 

[Averhoeven]

I bought an adapter (I believe from Coralvue.com). You have to go from metric to imperial piping. Also they don't use standard pvc. It is much more brittle so be careful when cutting the pipe.

 

[Rover]

Yeah, the sealant is likely the issue...

Too much 'help' to seal a joint can be a problem. Here is looking at you, tank I got where someone used teflon tape and pipe dope on a o-ring sealed connection.... it leaked.