sealing a 1/2 round hole

[samksy]

Anyone know what is the best way to seal a 1/2 inch diameter round hole...i was thinking of a bulkhead or something similar but not sure what exactly to get. The hole was meant for float valve but drilled too low, now it needs to be seal......any advice would be appreciated. thanks,

 

[lazibonez]

Your thumb?

 

[artie1209]

If it is acrylic I would use a patch. you can make a plug with PVC fittings and O-rings or gasket material.

 

[junglebase]

just use a bulkhead then put a pvc pipe on it with a threaded cap (if you don't want the cap to be permanent).....that should seal it .....

 

[House of Laughter]

acrylic or glass? if in sump, patch with 3" square and use silicone (glass) or weldon (acrylic) to seal. make sure you use glass on glass or acrylic on acrylic.

House

 

[samksy]

sorry, i mean to mention 1/2 inch diameter round hole. It's my current running sump. it's glass.

 

[QUESTIONMARC]

stick a bulkhead in it and cap the bulkhead with pvc.

 

[Marteen]

Yep use a bulkhead and cap it. Otherwise you risk a leak, plus if you ever decide to use it, say for draining your tank or something it will be easy to access.

 

[samksy]

the hole is only 1/2 inch in diamter, is tehre such a small bulkhead?

I can do what House mention but i have lots of siclone around the area and it's hard to get it off.

 

[aaron23]

agree bulk head + cap

 

[aaron23]

1/2" SLIP x 1/2" SLIP requires 1 1/8"-1 1/4"hole - i dont think they have 1/2" hole bulkhead.

going smaller - 1/4" pipe size requires 7/8" hole

 

[autoponicz]

yes the bulkhead need a bigger hole to fit....goto home depot and look for a 1/2" adapter and threaded cap...but it gets tigher as you thread it....so also try the electric conduit section...the threads are straight and you can thread it all the way in....just look for something similiar to a bulkhead and a cap that can plug it...remember to use silicone....and pickup a sheet of rubber gasket in the plumbing section to help seal it better...(you will have to cut it to size)

 

[aaron23]

If it were my tank -- if it was acrylic i would weldon since acrylic to acrylic seal is invincible.
But if silicone glue to glue- i dont know i'd be shaky on wanting to glue something to it to cover the hole.

If i were you I would make the hole bigger and then bulkhead / cap it to ensure 100% that it does not leak etc

 

[cali_reef]

Your thumb?

acrylic or glass? if in sump, patch with 3" square and use silicone (glass) or weldon (acrylic) to seal. make sure you use glass on glass or acrylic on acrylic.

House

These are the only two good ideas here.

All other suggestions are well intended but impossible as you can't find bulkheads fitting into a 1/2" dia hole. Just fyi, 1/2" pipe adapters are slightly bigger than 1/2" :duh:

 

[aaron23]

wat about my iDEA!!

 

[cali_reef]

wat about my iDEA!!

Which DUMB idea?:bablefish

How do you plan to make a 1/2" hole bigger in glass? I know I can do it, but what do you propose?

 

[aaron23]

i have to consult with my peers first.. lol


dremel with a diamond bit to widen the hole is that possible?

 

[autoponicz]

yea thats possible...but seem like only calireef knows how to do it...so have him fly back from cali and help you out

 

[masterswimmer]

These are the only two good ideas here.

All other suggestions are well intended but impossible as you can't find bulkheads fitting into a 1/2" dia hole. Just fyi, 1/2" pipe adapters are slightly bigger than 1/2" :duh:

Ditto

The only viable options are your thumb and:

acrylic or glass? if in sump, patch with 3" square and use silicone (glass) or weldon (acrylic) to seal. make sure you use glass on glass or acrylic on acrylic.

House

Since we now know it's glass, get yourself a 3" square piece of scrap glass and silicone it to the INSIDE of the sump over the hole. Clean the existing silicone from around the hole with a nice clean (preferably new) straight edge razor blade. It'll come clean very easily. Then clean the area with rubbing alcohol. Let it dry (about 2 minutes is all it takes). Then do the patch work.

swimmer

 

[michaelm2431]

Sam, I would get a half inch or 5/8 inch X half inch long plastic nut and bolt and tighten that up with caulk on them. Do you have any thumb screews lying around off an old reactor or something?