Leaking Bulkhead

[Ugin]

I almost finished installing a new sump to fit a larger skimmer when I noticed my primary drain was leaking (in the new sump):

The red pipe is not cemented into the sump. None of my drains are. It looks and feels like the water is coming UP from the seam where the bulkhead meets the red PVC, but that makes no sense:

As you can see, the water level isn't up to that part of the bulkhead so the only water that COULD get in there is coming down with gravity.

I'm really at a loss as to what's causing this. Any suggestions?

full view of the drains

 

[Ugin]

I've confirmed the water is coming up from between the bulkhead and the red pvc. I used a dry paper towel and held it against the top of the PVC and waited till a pool of water formed.

Like I said, none of my drains are cemented into the bulkheads.

 

[AiKkz]

I’d try silicone, so if you need to remove drain you can just cut out. Or try changing bulkhead!

 

[fcmatt]

The only thing i can think of is the small red piece does not insert very far into the bulkhead. Water is hitting something and getting up and out like your pic shows.

 

[Ugin]

I’d try silicone, so if you need to remove drain you can just cut out.

I've never used silicone but I can google it. Are you suggesting applying silicone around the red circled area?

 

[Ugin]

The only thing i can think of is the small red piece does not insert very far into the bulkhead. Water is hitting something and getting up and out like your pic shows.

I understand what you're saying, but if you look at the 2nd pic in my original post, the water level isn't even close to the bulkhead. The return pump is off, so water is just trickling down the pipe and causing this.

 

[AiKkz]

I've never used silicone but I can google it. Are you suggesting applying silicone around the red circled area?

Yeah, try seating the drain pipe further down. If it is then I’d change bulk head, and last resort I’d put the silicone around the bulkhead where the water flows up!

 

[fcmatt]

could the trickle combined with capillary action be causing it? water can act odd in tight spaces?

 

[Ugin]

I'm honestly not familiar enough behind the physics of capillary actions to say, haha.

 

[Michael Rossi]

@Ugin were you able to resolve this? I’m currently having the same issue.