Dip Tube / Ball Valve Alignment

[roger_tucker]

Anyone have any suggestions on how get the dip tube and ball valve in a kettle aligned correctly? What I mean by this is that I have the threaded npt nipple in the hole of the kettle wall with nuts, washers and gaskets locking it in place. I attach my ball valve so that the handle is aligned to the top. But when I tighten up the dip tube it's not aligned to the bottom of the kettle. If I align it to the bottom of the kettle my ball valve handle is not aligned to the top. Right now in order to keep my ball valve handle aligned to the top and the dip tube aligned to the kettle bottom I have to leave the dip tube pretty loose inside the kettle.

Any suggestions?

 

[Jorb]

Use a washer as a shim.

 

[Staticsouls]

Teflon tape the threads

 

[Auger]

My dip tubes are attached with compression fittings, so they can be rotated independently of the ball valve/bulkhead assembly.

 

[day_trippr]

Teflon tape the threads

^This^
Use twice the tape on both ends of the nipple to provide some flexibility in rotational positioning...

Cheers!

 

[Islandboy85]

Compression fittings for me. I made stainless dip tubes. Alternatively just join the two with silicone tubing and a nipple on the ball valve.