Teflon tape, teflon paste???

[Guest Kimo]

Hi everyone -

 

I have a MRC-2 skimmer, and I am having some leaky plumbing issues with it.

 

The beckett injector houseing, first off, screws into a bulkhead on top of the skimmer box. That connection leaks when it is under pressure from the genx mak4 pump I am using to drive it. I have tried both teflon tape (3 turns) and teflon paste (a LOT) with no success.

 

Additionally, the plumbing from the output of the mak4 leaks, at a rate of 'drip,drip,drip'. I have tried both tape and paste and neither worked.

 

What are your secrets to leak-free threaded PVC connections?

 

Thanks!!

 

Jamie

[ErikS]

More wraps :D

 

Here's a link that describes how NPT fittings seal - NPT vs NPTF

 

IF you're getting drips try adding a few more wraps of tape - you can add tape until it's tough to get the fitting started.

 

OF course there could be issues with the connections such as a few stripped/damaged threads = leaks.

[dhoch]

On my calcium reactor there were problems where the flow comes out to the recirculating pump... I tried all kinds of things to get it to not leak...

 

Finnally I just used a whole bunch of plumbers putty... doesn't look pretty, but at least it doesn't leak (till the next time I have to clean that pump....when is that calcium reactor build party again?

 

Dave

[keeperofthefish]

Just take some aquarium silicon and use that to make the connection. It's actually a heck of a lot easier to work with than teflon tape and produces a much better, more reliable seal. Don't put too much. Just put on a latex glove and use that to spread a bit around the male threads.

[xeon]

I second the more tape method... it is the only thing that I have tried that worked on a leaky joint I took out of my system a long time ago.

 

Another thing I found out when exploring another leaky joint was that all threaded fittings are not necessarily NPTF. I once ran across a piece of equipment with a BSPT... which is a British Standard Pipe Thread. The taper is slightly different and subject to being a PITA to get a leak free seal using a Nxxx fitting. The animal in question was a Turbo Berlin skimmer... the input thread type on that puppy is BSPT. If anyone ever needs a PVC socket to the BSPT threaded fitting for a Berlin skimmer... I've got a whole bag of them.

[johnnybv]

Just take some aquarium silicon and use that to make the connection. It's actually a heck of a lot easier to work with than teflon tape and produces a much better, more reliable seal. Don't put too much. Just put on a latex glove and use that to spread a bit around the male threads.

I use 2-3 wraps of teflon tape, then use the white teflon paste on top of that, in all my koi & marine setups.