How to seal ss threaded gear? Constant leaks

TheSlash · 04-11-2011, 08:37 PM

So I have 2 welded 1/2inch full port couplers on my HLT and BK I use for a SS 2 piece ball valve and a thermometer. I for the life of me can't get these things water tight... I've tried wrapping 10 wraps of teflon tape, I've tried putting them on as hard as I could, nothing... Drip drip drip.

I can get them to not drip much, but there has to be a technique here I don't get.

I mean if it supposed to be super tight, how do you line up the thermometer or valve to the right position? Tight as it can go would never line up exact every time... So I tried adding more tape to line it up, but still drips.

I thought pipe tape only needed a couple wraps tops? Do I wrap to the end of the threads, or leave a few bare? Crank it down? I always heard the tape was for lubrication and not sealing...

I'm lost.

After all this trial and error, I have them slightly dripping so at this point in time, I don't ever want to take them off to clean them!!!

So do you all have a trick? Or is it trial and error every brew?

Can I just run starsan through the valve to sanitize or do you all remove the ball valve and hose every brew?

**Hammy71** · 04-11-2011, 08:41 PM

Not sure how your gonna stop the leak. But, I never sanitize my MLT, HLT or boiling pot. Anything that I use before the boil is finished I don't bother sanitizing. The boiling wort will do that for ya. I do clean my stuff using oxyclean and open and close the ball valves as I drain to clean/rinse them. I do squirt star-san into the ball valve on my boiling pot before I drain to the carboy though...

TheSlash · 04-11-2011, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hammy71

Not sure how your gonna stop the leak. But, I never sanitize my MLT, HLT or boiling pot. Anything that I use before the boil is finished I don't bother sanitizing. The boiling wort will do that for ya. I do clean my stuff using oxyclean and open and close the ball valves as I drain to clean/rinse them. I do squirt star-san into the ball valve on my boiling pot before I drain to the carboy though...

That doesn't sound too bad. I planned on squirting everything on the BK with starsan before each brew session. Might take the barb off to soak the hose tho.

Now for the leaking issues..

Catt22 · 04-12-2011, 12:27 AM

The only thing that I can think of that may be causing the problem is that the coupling may have been distorted by the heat of welding so that it is no longer round, but egg shaped. I would think that if you put enough tape on the threads it would seal. You could try using the liquid type sealant. I like the PTFE stuff a lot. A pipe fitter once told me that he uses both tape and the sealant together, so you might try that. I would assume that the couplings have tapered and not straight threads, right?

**Raider-11** · 04-12-2011, 12:44 AM

Look real close at the threads of the coupler it maybe cracked, cracks are sometimes very hard to see, use a bright light source and move it around slowly so the light hits the coulper at differnt angles as to highlight the crack if there is one.

**JRems** · 04-12-2011, 12:47 AM

Sounds like you might have a straight thread instead of a taper thread. Post up some pics.

TheSlash · 04-12-2011, 12:52 AM

Will inspect soon... I have 2 of the pots from here http://www.homebrewing.org/9-Gallon-Brew-Pot-with-2-welds_p_1684.html

They have been doing this awhile, so I'm fairly confident the couplings would be correct. Cracked or oval I will have to inspect...

Can anyone go over there process? Like wrapping the teflon, do you cover all threads even the first, how many wraps, how tight do you screw in the ball valves?

Do you use vice grips to put the closed nipple on, then hand tighten the valve? etc..

Catt22 · 04-12-2011, 01:05 AM

1. Wrap the tape in the right direction so that it doesn't unwind as you tighten the threads. I always start about one thread back from the end and use at least three complete wraps. It's not real critical how you do it and especially so in our application. You might try using the yellow tape made for gas lines. It's considerably thicker than the standard water line stuff. Tighten firmly by hand as far as you can go. Use a wrench on the valve flats (that's what the flats are for). No need to tighten the nipple first. Get them all started and tighten all by turning the valve. You will have to judge when to stop, but I would say that if you cannot back out the fitting by hand, you are tight enough. You don't need to put gorilla force on it to get a good seal and too much force can damage the fittings.

TheSlash · 04-12-2011, 01:13 AM

So a pipe wrench with a pipe on the handle was prolly too much and I could have damaged the threads... Got it. Will report back lol.

Damn gorilla hands.

**poislb** · 04-12-2011, 01:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheSlash

Will inspect soon... I have 2 of the pots from here http://www.homebrewing.org/9-Gallon-Brew-Pot-with-2-welds_p_1684.html

They have been doing this awhile, so I'm fairly confident the couplings would be correct. Cracked or oval I will have to inspect...

Can anyone go over there process? Like wrapping the teflon, do you cover all threads even the first, how many wraps, how tight do you screw in the ball valves?

Do you use vice grips to put the closed nipple on, then hand tighten the valve? etc..

I ordered the same kettle, have not received it yet and dont know how im gonna seal the nipples myself but would silicone or plumbers dope work? im a pipe fitter and use it everday but dont know how it would last up to the temp cause most my work wont exceed 140 degrees..I think i used tape once and honestly its worthless....