Watermaker Leaks

[chardis]

So I recently changed the membranes in my watermaker. I really made an effort to stop there from being leaks when I put it back together, but as per usual there is a leak on the brine out, where the hose connects into the housing. This particular fitting was where I expected a leak to be, because the thread had been partially stripped off the hard rubber plug it screws in to.

So I did a bit of a silly thing, in my frustration, and 5200 silicone sealed the entire end of the watermaker about an inch thick. "It won't get through that", I thought, "and I'll worry about it when I need to change the membranes in 10 years".

Naturally, the sealant did nothing, and it's leaking through it at the same rate, squeezing its way between the silicone and the housing, I should have known that the 5200 wouldn't make a watertight seal against the resin. Meanwhile, this 5200 stuff doesn't want to come off. I might be able to slowly and carefully cut it all off without damaging anything.

So now what? Anyone have any ideas? Watermakers are crazy. They leak and leak and leak. I fix it. Put on an entire roll of plumbing tape. Put epoxy on the thread. It leaks still. And then with all this fixing the thread get's stripped. Silly people then 5200 them all up. THERE MUST BE A BETTER WAY!?.

Someone tell me a secret leak fixing solution, please.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by chardis

So I recently changed the membranes in my watermaker. I really made an effort to stop there from being leaks when I put it back together, but as per usual there is a leak on the brine out, where the hose connects into the housing. This particular fitting was where I expected a leak to be, because the thread had been partially stripped off the hard rubber plug it screws in to.

So I did a bit of a silly thing, in my frustration, and 5200 silicone sealed the entire end of the watermaker about an inch thick. "It won't get through that", I thought, "and I'll worry about it when I need to change the membranes in 10 years".

Naturally, the sealant did nothing, and it's leaking through it at the same rate, squeezing its way between the silicone and the housing, I should have known that the 5200 wouldn't make a watertight seal against the resin. Meanwhile, this 5200 stuff doesn't want to come off. I might be able to slowly and carefully cut it all off without damaging anything.

So now what? Anyone have any ideas? Watermakers are crazy. They leak and leak and leak. I fix it. Put on an entire roll of plumbing tape. Put epoxy on the thread. It leaks still. And then with all this fixing the thread get's stripped. Silly people then 5200 them all up. THERE MUST BE A BETTER WAY!?.

Someone tell me a secret leak fixing solution, please.

The thread is stripped, therein lies your solution.

Dave

[Sailmonkey]

You can't fix a stripped thread with 5200, only a new thread will fix a stripped thread.

[Tellie]

Chardis
What kind of membrane vessel is it?
I'm out of town until this weekend but let us know what it is and we can go from there.

[NoTies]

Tap a new thread the next size up and either fit a reducing bush to suit you current fitting or fit a reducing hose tail.