Is hand tightening a bulkhead enough?

[shoelaceike]

lock nut wrench. It's located in the pvc pipe aisle in Lowes. Show them the photo

Will do...hopefully it will work. I need 1-3/4 to get to the nut

 

[fishface NJ]

If you are at HD this is it:

 

[fishface NJ]

Will do...hopefully it will work. I need 1-3/4 to get to the nut

It will fit 1" to 3" nuts

 

[shoelaceike]

It will fit 1" to 3" nuts

I mean vertically

 

[shoelaceike]

I mean vertically

This area needs to be at least 1.75 inches long

 

[fishface NJ]

Here you go

 

[shoelaceike]

Here you go

Yup just picked it up and it works perfect. Thanks!

 

[Rjramos]

Always check the bulkhead flange prior to installation for smoothness. I have seen molding defects that I’ve had to file down prior to. Cleanliness before installation is key. After hand tight, a quarter turn at most is all that is needed. If you hear a crack, it’s not the glass, it’s the flange that cracked. Had this happen a very long time ago. Time to find a new bulkhead.

 

[shoelaceike]

I did it as tight as possible by hand and then like an 1/8-1/4 with the wrench....no leaks so far...how can I tell if I over tightened it?

 

[DaddyFish]

Silicone grease makes a big difference. Also sold as Dielectric Tune-up Grease and Spark Plug Boot Grease at automotive parts stores. They have handy little single-use packets at the counters.

 

[shoelaceike]

Would I know right away that I did it too tight or can the glass cracked later on? Not sure if I should loosen it and try again

 

[JoshH]

I would leave it, you're probably set. Set it up and see if it leaks or not before you do anything else

 

[shoelaceike]

I would leave it, you're probably set. Set it up and see if it leaks or not before you do anything else

I poured some water in the overflow and no leaks....once I set the tank in its spot, it will be a very big pain to get to the bulkheads....so trying to get it right now but I don't want the glass cracking

 

[polyppal]

I hand tightened a few bulkheads on a new tank as hard as I could once, only to have all of them loosen up when the pvcs attached to them wiggled around Deff use a proper wrench!

 

[Brett S]

Would I know right away that I did it too tight or can the glass cracked later on? Not sure if I should loosen it and try again

I think it’s unlikely that the glass will crack from over tightening. If something bad was going to happen it would either leak and/or the bulkhead would crack. Over tightening can cause leaks because it can deform the gasket.

 

[shoelaceike]

I think it’s unlikely that the glass will crack from over tightening. If something bad was going to happen it would either leak and/or the bulkhead would crack. Over tightening can cause leaks because it can deform the gasket.

Thanks....if it were to crack, would it do so right away or at some point later? The glass is pretty thick at 15mm so it would take a lot to crack it.

 

[Rjramos]

The thin plastic flange would break from over tightening way prior to the glass. Glass doesn’t resist impact, blunt compression it can take.

 

[shoelaceike]

Any reason I can't silicone around the bulkhead so I don't get leaks later? On the outside of the tank

 

[Brett S]

Any reason I can't silicone around the bulkhead so I don't get leaks later? On the outside of the tank

Yes, it’s ugly and it creates a big mess if you ever need to adjust or remove the bulkhead later. Additionally it’s unlikely to fix leaks anyway as often the water leaks out through the threads as opposed to around the outside of the bulkhead.

 

[shoelaceike]

Yes, it’s ugly and it creates a big mess if you ever need to adjust or remove the bulkhead later. Additionally it’s unlikely to fix leaks anyway as often the water leaks out through the threads as opposed to around the outside of the bulkhead.

Ah ok....on at least one of them, the bulkhead on the inside was moving as I was trying to tighten....I needed someone to hold the standpipe as I tightened it