bottling buckets both leak

[johnnyt471]

Ok now I know it must be something that I'm doing wrong. When I put together my bottling bucket, it leaks out the underside of the spigot (right under where the bucket hole is). I have tried using various levels of tightness, and nothing works...it just keeps dripping, which causes a mess. I came to the conclusion that the bucket/spigot must be messed up, so I got another and of course this new one does the same thing. WHAT AM I DOING WRONG????

 

[jgln]

Ok now I know it must be something that I'm doing wrong. When I put together my bottling bucket, it leaks out the underside of the spigot (right under where the bucket hole is). I have tried using various levels of tightness, and nothing works...it just keeps dripping, which causes a mess. I came to the conclusion that the bucket/spigot must be messed up, so I got another and of course this new one does the same thing. WHAT AM I DOING WRONG????

The last one I bought did the same thing, I eventually gave up and siliconed the hell out of it and it stopped. I was leaving it in the bucket for a few days so even a small leak was no good.

 

[BoisePorter]

Are you putting the spigot into the bucket or is it coming already together? I recently purchased a new spigot and it came with 2 rubber washers/grommets/gaskets/whatever. 1 for inside and 1 for outside. Maybe you only have 1? Maybe if you're putting the spigot into the bucket you're cracking the bucket ever so slightly?

 

[DaveMcPhee]

flat spigot washers + rounded bucket

use a bottling wand attached to your auto siphon and go direct from secondary.

 

[johnnyt471]

Yes there are two washers, one for outside and one for inside.

 

[dvdanny]

My buckets only have one washer and don't leak (unless I accidentally rest them on the spout). They should only need one inside washer, it should be thick and the better ones are conical in shape to seal the round bucket.

That said, I only use a bottling want with autosiphon now, SO much easier and faster then the spout (I can literally use any bucket or carboy I have laying around instead of saving a specific bottling bucket).

 

[johnnyt471]

I really don't want to have to do the bottling-with-autosiphon method because it's a little trickier. I have to keep the bottling wand open somehow and then pump the siphon, and something always gets messed up and I end up causing a mess and getting bubbles everywhere in the beer.

 

[DaveMcPhee]

practice in the bathtub

 

[johnnyt471]

Ok, i think I figured out a solution. I just used some locking pliers and tightened it realllly tight, and it seems to have worked. Crude, but effective!

 

[1ratdog]

Ok now I know it must be something that I'm doing wrong. When I put together my bottling bucket, it leaks out the underside of the spigot (right under where the bucket hole is). I have tried using various levels of tightness, and nothing works...it just keeps dripping, which causes a mess. I came to the conclusion that the bucket/spigot must be messed up, so I got another and of course this new one does the same thing. WHAT AM I DOING WRONG????

grrrr. i just spent $13 on a new bucket from my LHBS today, and guess what it leaks.