230 Tank Build

After plumbing the heck out of this system I continue to have two very small leaks at the inlet and outlet of the Sequence Dart powering the Closed Loop.

My question is, is their a rule of thumb regarding leaks, drips, seeps in this hobby?

When I was in the Navy we actually had acceptable levels of engine oil leakage with the aforementioned terms used to define the degree or extent (flow) of a leak. Drips and seeps were usually acceptable until they became leaks. <true story>

Cheer
 
What is the fitting that is leaking? I employ a "zero-tolerance" policy with leaks, drip, seeps, whatever you call it. Water belongs in the tank, and thats where I expect it to stay. I get enough salt creep to worry about without having leaky plumbing joints.
 
The leak is coming from where I screw the fitting into the threaded inlet.

I am zero tolerance as well which is why I have been painstakingly plumbing and modifying this project for over 3 months. However, I am becoming concerned if I tighten the threaded fitting any more it might crack the housing on the pump.

I am not worried about a catastrophe as I have valves located strategically on each line and specifically around this pump. Perhaps, I'll continue to perform 1/8th turns and observe until the leak stops, the fitting bottoms out on the inlet, or the inlet housing cracks...

Wish me luck. ;)
 
On my sequence reeflow hammerhead, I had the same exact thing happen...
I took it apart 4 times trying to fix it..
The end result was alot of teflon tape, and pipe dope, and a very very slow seep...
It sealed up quite quickly with SW in it...
 
That was my next question, I'm assuming you are using teflon tape? I'd try a few times with that, take it apart and try rewrapping it.
 
7faces said:
On my sequence reeflow hammerhead, I had the same exact thing happen...
I took it apart 4 times trying to fix it..
The end result was alot of teflon tape, and pipe dope, and a very very slow seep... It sealed up quite quickly with SW in it...
Click to expand...


This is the third time re-taping and applying the pipe dope or similar product, still a very slow seep.

Ugh.
 
No drips. If the fittings or pump threads are so out of spec that they can't be made to work they should be replaced.

I have often found cheap Chinese fittings to be unsealable. They make them in two halves then glue them together. If they do a bad job they won't seal! Replace the pipe fittings and give it another try. Use only two wraps of tape. If that doesn't work use RECTOR SEAL. It will do the trick.

http://www.rectorseal.com/index.php?site_id=1&product_id=217
 
kcress said:
No drips. If the fittings or pump threads are so out of spec that they can't be made to work they should be replaced.

I have often found cheap Chinese fittings to be unsealable. They make them in two halves then glue them together. If they do a bad job they won't seal! Replace the pipe fittings and give it another try. Use only two wraps of tape. If that doesn't work use RECTOR SEAL. It will do the trick.

http://www.rectorseal.com/index.php?site_id=1&product_id=217
Click to expand...


Rectorseal? :nono: Sounds perverse. :hitting:

Thanks for the advice.

I continue to tighten the inlet fitting gradually, about 1//8 turn each attempt. Overnight it still produced a minute leak, less than a drop, but palpable water nevertheless. The outlet fitting is now bone dry. :thm:
 
The other option is that if you have a union and ball valve or true-union just past the fitting, just glue the threaded fitting onto the pump housing. I've never glued a fitting to a pump, but I have glued threaded fittings together before to seal up leaks, as long as there was another option close by for separating them in the future.
 
sploke said:
The other option is that if you have a union and ball valve or true-union just past the fitting, just glue the threaded fitting onto the pump housing. I've never glued a fitting to a pump, but I have glued threaded fittings together before to seal up leaks, as long as there was another option close by for separating them in the future.
Click to expand...


Nice idea, but I do not wish to glue anything to the pump itself as it would likely mean I am stuck with whatever fitting I glue into it. Long-term I do not feel that is a good idea.

I do have union ball valves on each side of the pump so I can isolate the pump and remove it as needed without having to drain the tank.
 
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