jem
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,062
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Post by jem on Nov 14, 2020 17:58:38 GMT
I have a standard UK immersion heater tank which is used on its side as part of my solar hot water system, It works very well. The element packed up, used when there is no sun. so I took it out, and fitted another one, well Tefloned up. unfortunately and stupidly I cross threaded the thread, and so badly damaged the thread on the tank. Anyway, I can now screw up the element into the tank, but it is not perfect, and the felt washer between the element and tank flange does not seal it.I cannot use teflon, as it is very difficult to start the thread, so I thought that I might use an o ring, the only trouble here is that the flanges are flat, so I worry that an o ring might squeeze out under pressure, and or hot water! in the old days we used to use toe and red lead as a pipe seal. but does anyone know of a modern equivalent, that would seal this gap please? or any other ideas you might have. the two flanges only have a gap at one side of 10 thow or so, and the water pressure is not very high, less than one atmosphere.
Any ideas would be most gratefully received, from this huge hive of wisdom.
best wishes
Jem
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Post by dhamblin on Nov 14, 2020 18:16:25 GMT
Would Stag A do the trick? Or possibly the B version depending on the gap between threads to seal.
One of our members recommended it to me from his time maintaining police station hot water systems. He uses it to seal boiler fittings too.
Regards,
Dan
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Post by Roger on Nov 14, 2020 19:03:01 GMT
You might consider cleaning off the surfaces with Acetone and using clear Silicone which is flexible and heat resistant. It will also be possible to unscrew it at some point in the future.
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Post by steamer5 on Nov 14, 2020 22:12:22 GMT
Hi Jem, This end of the world the guys use hemp & a goop...technical term for a paste....they reckon it work ways better than Teflon tape. I guess the hemp swells a bit & takes up any gap.
Cheers Kerrin
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Post by ettingtonliam on Nov 15, 2020 3:05:05 GMT
Hemp and Boss White paste back in the day.
( A number of years ago I knew a guy who was rebuilding a full size showmans road locomotive. He'd had the cylinder block off, and used a modern gasket between it and the boiler when he refitted it. It leaked. In desperation he removed the block again, and used red lead and canvas, which had been the original method. It didn't leak.)
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Post by osiris09 on Nov 15, 2020 4:14:40 GMT
Loctite 567 is good for things like this. I used it on my hot water cylinder and all the pipe fittings in the wall.
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jem
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,062
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Post by jem on Nov 15, 2020 17:15:33 GMT
Thank you all very much for your ideas, I seem to have a lot to choose from, so some of them must work.I like Rogers idea of silicon, and think that I might use an o ring as well, as hopefully the silicon would hold it in place as well. I had already tried hemp and red lead, which did not work unfortunately, as at that time i couldn't screw the thread in uncross threaded.Stag sounds good, but I cannot get it quickly enough.I dont have loctite 567, but do have the 577, are they more or less the same please? anyway plenty of food for thought so thank you all very much, I will let you know how I get on.
best wishes
Jem
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jem
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,062
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Post by jem on Nov 18, 2020 17:13:41 GMT
I also went to my plumber friend who said wrap wet toe round the flat, and not in the threads, about 6mm dia then screw the element in, this seemed the easiest way of all, so I gave it a try, and at the moment it seems to work.anyway if it doesnt work I have plenty of options from all of you. I will report again when it has had a proper work out, as hopefully it could be useful to someone else out here.
best wishes
Jem
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