Ball valve tap leak

[photek1000]

I have a ball valve tap as an upgrade on my Peco boiler but I can't get it to seal properly.

The hole is snug so I have to screw the thread threw it, I have re wrapped the thread as there was virtually no PTFE on it, the washer metal and rubber are on the outside and the leak is coming out between the metal washer and the tap body.

Should the washer go inside the boiler, should I have two rubber/silicon washers one either side, I'm not sure if more tape will solve the issue.

 

[blawford]

Mine has generally leaked from the threads, I was actually surprised how easy it was to get a seal between the tap and the plastic wall (although I didn't buy a full tap kit, just the component parts and a pack of these). I would try more PTFE tape on the threads and tighten as much as possible.

 

[photek1000]

Thanks, will wrap some more and try again.

In your opinion should the rubber washer be inside or outside the boiler?

 

[chesters-mild]

I'd thought of this upgrade for mine, as the plastic tap supplied with the boiler is a bit naff.
However I'm sure I've seen somewhere a report that a metal ball valve is too heavy for the side of the boiler and the weight will distort the boiler side - if this is so then that may be the cause of the leak and an extra washer may help, the only way is to try it. (Mine is the digital one BTW)
Hope you are able to sort it out!
Cheers

 

[photek1000]

I am also starting to think this also, there isn't much rigidity to the Peco even when cold, so this tap may get saved for the first bit of shiny I get if the leak continues to occure.

 

[chewie]

If your simply trying to make a seal using an ordinary backnut inside the boiler then it can leak thru the threads in the middle of the nut, the washers are useless at this point. Use a 1/2" tank connector with washers inside and out and screw your valve directly onto it after applying at least 15 turns of ptfe on the threads.

If the valve ends up being to close to the boiler then connect a few inches of copper pipe onto the tank connector and use a 1/2" x 15mm 611 screwed into the valve.

 

[Fil]

You only need ptfe tape to effect a seal, not only can you wrap male threads with it but you can also thread it through the eye of a M20 washer, this reduces its inner hole diameter to seal around the male aspect of the connection as well as forming a nice cushioned soft surface to seal against the pot wall.

the trick to wrapping a washer like this is to transfer the tape off its spool onto a smaller 'bobbin' you can thread through the washer, i found a burgerking drinking straw is a snug fit onto a philips screwdriver bit which when inserted into an electric screwdriver can be used to wind ptfe tape onto the drinking straw, go slow and build up a good ammount of complete unfrayed tape on the straw, once its almost too big to pass thru the washers eye use scissors to snip off the straw either side of the tape. after you have coated the washer 1-2x you will start to capture a bit of air with the wraps and the tape will start to form soft cushioned surfaces, keep wrapping ...

with the set up pictured above i would wrap both washers as pictured above and the taps male thread all the way to its hilt/shoulder, the washers should be wrapped until you need to shove them over the male thread as long as you can shove them on far enough to engage the lock nut you can use the locknut to wind up the connection and effect a good heat and foodsafe cheap seal solution that has yet to fail..

This is a fil-*******isation of a US distillers take on the everlasting gasket which is a heavy ptfe wrap around a card template. such seals are used where the materials you can use safely are limited, under compression and heat the ptfe seals against itself and becomes rigid sealing both the joint its used for and its card core within its centre. fwiw ive been using everlasting gaskets for years with 2" (64mm flange) triclamp fittings..

you could make everlasting gaskets to seal your pot i was going to do this myself when i wondered why not use the thrust washers instead of a card template, and it simply just worked

 

[bigbud78]

I had a similar setup as you have for my igloo mash tun, could not get it to seal. I had the added issue that the seal had to be on the inside of the tun as I didnt want liquid leaking into the wall. I solved it by changing the nut for http://www.screwfix.com/p/bsp-female-flanged-backnuts-x/66268

Now seals against the inside wall against the silicon O ring very well with not a huge amount of pressure

 

[private4587]

If your simply trying to make a seal using an ordinary backnut inside the boiler then it can leak thru the threads in the middle of the nut, the washers are useless at this point. Use a 1/2" tank connector with washers inside and out and screw your valve directly onto it after applying at least 15 turns of ptfe on the threads.

If the valve ends up being to close to the boiler then connect a few inches of copper pipe onto the tank connector and use a 1/2" x 15mm 611 screwed into the valve.

After over 30 years working offshore I am no longer amazed at how much PTFE tape people are prepared to put on a pipe fitting. I wish I had a pound for every leak i had to fix because people had put on too much tape. On fittings up to 1 1/4" there is only a requirement to place 1-2 wraps of tape on the fitting. To seal against the metal wall of the boiler the best in my mind a a dowty washer either side of the metal wall. For those of you who do not know what a dowty washer looks like see this here http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-8-1-BSP...hash=item23287e1db1:m:mnyWLVpCXmHWpR3FgoCF8rA

 

[mr_bridger]

I've just this morning fitted a tap to a big pan, use one single Kevlar washer on the outside between tap and vessel, then washer / nut on inside. No PTFE at all. Not even a single drop on the outside. 👍

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

[r-evans]

I had the same problem, this solved it.

(Excuse the shoddy paint job)

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
Same problem - solved by cutting out a sealing washer from a silicon cake "tin" and placing on the inside of the boiler (right-hand red ring on @r-evans' photo).
It ain't pretty, but it works!

 

[JapanBrew]

Hi!
Same problem - solved by cutting out a sealing washer from a silicon cake "tin" and placing on the inside of the boiler (right-hand red ring on @r-evans' photo).
It ain't pretty, but it works!

I've heard others do this with amazing results because it's a flat seal rather than a ring so as you compress it, it seals firm rather than distorting the ring. I have a little leak on my boiler and I'm going to try this.
I also used to work in the automotive field many decades ago and also thought about high heat gasket sealer. Has anyone tried that? Thought about applying a small thin coat around the hole of on the pot and let dry completely. Then attach the ball valve. In theory it should work.

 

[photek1000]

Resurrecting this old thread as my leak is now solved and it may help others.

It would seem the main reason I had a leak was the supplied O-Ring was the wrong size and now I have an O-Ring that fits inside the nut recess perfectly, as a belt and braces approach I have added a Dowty washer on the outside wall and one between the nut and the bazooka filter adapter, probably over the top but leak free now after a couple of wet tests.

Means I can crack on the next brew on the upcoming bank holiday with the new cheap as chips mash tun.

A �£9 32 Litre bucket with a wrap of insulated bubble wrap, 2 layers of insulated foam and a final wrap of silver backed bubble wrap, the old BIAB set up had less and held a decent temp so I have reasonable hopes for this, but time will tell.

 

[JapanBrew]

One member, has a YouTube channel, showed his system and I instantly saw his fittings. There were 2 washers. I thought, how in the h e double tooth picks does that work!? He gave a link and after looking around saw what they were doing... and it is brilliant.
Standard washer goes on. Then the silicone o ring. Now the second washer's inner diameter is a tad larger than the o ring. So as you tighten it, the ring gets crushed and fills the gaps around the inner washer. I might be geeking out a tad but that is the poopu!!

 

[photek1000]

The eBay seller I used does advertise that over sized ID washer but didn't have any stock, but I was pretty sure that having a proper 1/2" O-Ring would solve most of my issues.

The one I was supplied with the tap was like a hula hoop and was never going to seat properly.

 

[whealsie]

One member, has a YouTube channel, showed his system and I instantly saw his fittings. There were 2 washers. I thought, how in the h e double tooth picks does that work!? He gave a link and after looking around saw what they were doing... and it is brilliant.
Standard washer goes on. Then the silicone o ring. Now the second washer's inner diameter is a tad larger than the o ring. So as you tighten it, the ring gets crushed and fills the gaps around the inner washer. I might be geeking out a tad but that is the poopu!!

Glad it helped. [emoji106]



I love the smell of mashing in the morning.

 

[whealsie]

One member, has a YouTube channel, showed his system and I instantly saw his fittings. There were 2 washers. I thought, how in the h e double tooth picks does that work!? He gave a link and after looking around saw what they were doing... and it is brilliant.
Standard washer goes on. Then the silicone o ring. Now the second washer's inner diameter is a tad larger than the o ring. So as you tighten it, the ring gets crushed and fills the gaps around the inner washer. I might be geeking out a tad but that is the poopu!!

Glad it helped[emoji106]


I love the smell of mashing in the morning.

 

[Klemay83]

I've got the exact same ball tap. i got 2 red O rings with mine. i never had a problem with it leaking where the tap meets the wall of the Mash tun. I had a slight leak were the threaded connector goes into the tap valve. An extra half a dozen turns of PTFE tape sorted it out.

 

[photek1000]

Never had a problem there, isolated it down to fluid getting down the threaded pipe and leaking out before that point.

No need for any PTFE now on any thread except for where it threads in to the tap body.