Urgent Drain Bulkhead Major Leak Please Help

My drain bulkhead was leaking drops today. Tried to tighten it and apparently it wasn't set as good as I thought it was now it's leaking alot. Got it sort of under control but the second I try to tighten it- which it won't budge- it begins to leak like a sieve. The large BH washer won't tighten. Any ideas. Ps I have to leave for work in an hour.

 

Sounds as though the bulkhead nut is broken. You will most likely need to replace the bulkhead. I would place a bucket beneath the BH to collect the leaking water.

 

Pulled out 5 gals. Letting over flow drain out. I guess this will keep overnight til I can get another BH. I think it might not be threaded properly or broken. Either way it's getting replaced. I'm not chancing thus again. Thanks. I'm gonna keep workin on it.

 

Good luck

 

See if this helps:
Installing Bulkhead Tips

 

Thanks AJ. I had read that list you sent me earlier prior to setting up my tank. I think the one thing I didn't do- which was to file down the threads- may actually be what bit me in the a$$. I'll know more in the morning when I get home from work and remove the BH.

 

You want to file down any excess flashing that might be in the threads, not file the threads. This will not cause a leak, since the seal is not at the threads. It can make it difficult to turn the nut on the threads though, if these molding flaws are excessive. If the nut turns on easily by hand, which they should, don't bother with it at all. I have not yet seen this to be a problem on any bulkheads.

Check the back side of the flange, where the gasket touches. There could be a line going across it which looks like a seam. If it's raised up much, sand it down a little bit.

Check to make sure you put it on a flat, smooth, and clean surface. Maybe put a little lubricant on the threads to reduce the friction and make it easier to tighten and put pressure on the gasket.

I have also been known to put a little teflon pipe dope on the sealing surface of a gasket. Should you have minor imperfections on the flange or mating surface, it will help to seal it up.

 

Thanks for the help everyone. I removed the old BH and found no cracks or obvious reasons for why it might have leaked. I change it out with a new one and so far so good.

 

The flashing on the flange often extends to the threads thus the time necessary to clean. NEVER EVER use lubricants or teflon on the threads or gasket. If it won't seal dry then you have other problems and lubricants or teflon will not solve the problem, only mask or delay it. Do it right the first time and you never have to do it again.

 

Did this one right. Filed it and 3 days dry so far. Thanks again.