Leaking Kettle - Help Needed

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achy02

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Hi All,Today I tried to fit a 1/2" ball valve to my kettle but cocked up and drilled an inch hole which is not sealing properly. I have used a 20mm silicone washer on the inside and an SS washer in the outside. The kettle is leaking quite a bit. I have done a search and looked online but figured I would ask if anyone else has found an easy solution to fix it. (figuring I can't b the only one out there that's made this mistake)CheersAches
 
Grab a silicone baking tray from big w or the like then cut out larger washers for inside and outside. Then put a stainless washer before the nut both inside and out. So it goes nut, metal washer, silicone washer, pot, silicone washer, metal washer, nut. Should solve your problem.
Cheers
Robbo
 
Hi All,Today I tried to fit a 1/2" ball valve to my kettle but cocked up and drilled an inch hole which is not sealing properly. I have used a 20mm silicone washer on the inside and an SS washer in the outside. The kettle is leaking quite a bit. I have done a search and looked online but figured I would ask if anyone else has found an easy solution to fix it. (figuring I can't b the only one out there that's made this mistake)CheersAches


I've always used a bit of aquarium grade silicone sealant on things like that. Use it sparingly and you should be OK.
 
Selleys Knead it metal putty General purpose (for a quick fix)
Its potable and copes with high temp
Or get it welded properly ( for permanent fix)

Edit : sounds dodgy but it works (metal putty that is)
 
Brilliant. Thank you all. I will start wit the silicone baking tray idea and work my way through. I had thought about silicone and the knead it but want something I can pull apart to clean. I will head down this path if the DIY silicone washers don't work.Cheers Aches
 
Just checking you've used thread tape (I prefer the pink pro plumbers stuff) on all your fittings....?

Cheers
 
i tried all the o'rings, flat seals but the only thing that worked was making a seal using thread tape not wound around the tread flat but by turning the tape roll on its side and use heaps
to create a spongy seal between the s/s washer and the kettle, never leaked since.
 
Not sure if I would like too much in there that may harbor germs. I think I would splurge out and get a 3/4" valve. Here is one for $14 (posted), or if you want a 3 piece for $20

Just something else to think about :lol:

QldKev
 
Or for a more perminate fix get a 1" bulkhead fitting to fit a 1/2" bsp valve ;)
Russ
 
Whenever I can't weld one in I tend to use a couple of Industrial Nylon washers backed by Stainless Washers and a " Stainless Lock Nut on both sides, these are much heavier than the type sold through most home brew shops.

With the aid of a couple of 12" shifters you can get enough squeeze on to flatten a SS pot/keggel between the two washers.

You will still need to seal the thread where it goes through the Lock Nuts, for that I use Loctite 567, it might be worth putting an O-Ring in the space between the thread and the hole just to keep it all centred, and slather it all with L-567, any excess will squeeze out when you tighten up and can be wiped off.

Mark
 
Thanks to everyone for your help. I have fixed the leak by cutting some silicone washers from a couple of cupcake moulds and applying a ton of heavy duty teflon tape in the join. Sealed up as tight as a drum. Will give it a boil test this arvo to see if it holds.Cheers Aches
 
I reckon probably the best weldless way to put a threaded fitting
through a kettle is to use something like those below where a silicon
washer on the inner side of the kettle gets clamped by the lip/barrel
edge against the kettle wall and the threaded fitting is completely
sealed from the ketle inside.



or like early attempts by the BargainFittings guy welding a washer to
threaded pipe:

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/soldering-...82/#post1793660
 
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