Remove and seal off water butt tap

xxxxxxxx

Water butt tap broke.  I either replace the tap, -which I don't want to do because I don't use it, I dip my can in from the top to fill it.-  or I do something to seal it off permanently with glue or silicone or removable with some sort of blank screw fitting.  

The butt is completely round so this will be sitting on a round surface not a flat surface.  Radius approx 30cm 

https://www.screwfix.com/p/flomasta-blanking-plug/472fy  

I could try the plug from screwfix but it may not work due to it being a round tub.  

I would prefer a permanent waterproof glue solution.  i.e. could I glue on a piece of flexible sheet plastic?  could be from a milk bottle or a plastic food tray?

Other suggestions?

grumbler

xxxxxxxx said:

https://www.screwfix.com/p/flomasta-blanking-plug/472fy  

I would prefer a permanent waterproof glue solution.

ideas please.   

Do you mean that you don't like the blanking plug and prefer something else?

Not all plastics are easy to glue, so, IMO the above plug is better and more reliable.. When using it, make sure that the rubber washer is outside, under the screw cap, not under the nut.

Andy_L

How big is the hole?

Is the butt curved even where the tap fits? I would expect it to have a flat section where the tap screws in because of, as you say, the difficult of sealing to a curved surface.

https://outdooroutlet.co.uk/3-4-water-butt-blanking-plug-seal/

maisie_cat

I have a couple of round butts that look like old oak barrels, when the screw in taps broke I used corks in the holes and they have never leaked.

Bendy_House

maisie_cat said:

I have a couple of round butts that look like old oak barrels

Oh, my....

Section62

xxxxxxxx said:

...or temporarily with some sort of blank screw fitting.  

The butt is completely round so this will be sitting on a round surface not a flat surface.  Radius approx 30cm 

I never use the supplied taps.

Instead I fit a cistern overflow connector (thread side outwards) like this in the hole...

https://www.toolstation.com/solvent-weld-overflow-tank-connector/p29453

...then attach a 3/4 hose connector so I can use a hose to water the plants.  Equally the 3/4 thread of the connector would accept a 3/4 blanking cap like this -

https://www.toolstation.com/washing-machine-plastic-valve-cap/p30766

...which would give the option of taking the blanking cap off to drain the water butt down.

I doubt you'd get a reliable permanent seal by fixing a patch with glue or sealant, more so because the surface is curved.  As Andy_L says, normally there's a flat section where the tap fixes... the ones I've seen that don't have that have an integral moulded boss with a female thread designed to accept the male thread of the supplied tap.  If that applies in your case it might be a more complicated job than it first appears.

Bendy_House

xxxxxxxx said:

Water butt tap broke.  I either replace the tap, -which I don't want to do because I don't use it, I dip my can in from the top to fill it.-  or I do something to seal it off permanently with glue or silicone or temporarily with some sort of blank screw fitting.  

The butt is completely round so this will be sitting on a round surface not a flat surface.  Radius approx 30cm 

https://www.screwfix.com/p/flomasta-blanking-plug/472fy  

I would prefer a permanent waterproof glue solution.

ideas please.   

Photo of your butt, please, multi-x.

xxxxxxxx

maisie_cat said:

I have a couple of round butts that look like old oak barrels, when the screw in taps broke I used corks in the holes and they have never leaked.

Excellent suggestion. Thank you.

Slinky

Section62 said:

xxxxxxxx said:

...or temporarily with some sort of blank screw fitting.  

The butt is completely round so this will be sitting on a round surface not a flat surface.  Radius approx 30cm 

I never use the supplied taps.

Instead I fit a cistern overflow connector (thread side outwards) like this in the hole...

https://www.toolstation.com/solvent-weld-overflow-tank-connector/p29453

...then attach a 3/4 hose connector so I can use a hose to water the plants. 

How do you regulate the flow to stop the water flowing through your hose?

BUFF

Bendy_House said:

xxxxxxxx said:

Water butt tap broke.  I either replace the tap, -which I don't want to do because I don't use it, I dip my can in from the top to fill it.-  or I do something to seal it off permanently with glue or silicone or temporarily with some sort of blank screw fitting.  

The butt is completely round so this will be sitting on a round surface not a flat surface.  Radius approx 30cm 

https://www.screwfix.com/p/flomasta-blanking-plug/472fy  

I would prefer a permanent waterproof glue solution.

ideas please.   

Photo of your butt, please, multi-x.

Ooh,er ... missus!

Section62

Slinky said:

Section62 said:

xxxxxxxx said:

...or temporarily with some sort of blank screw fitting.  

The butt is completely round so this will be sitting on a round surface not a flat surface.  Radius approx 30cm 

I never use the supplied taps.

Instead I fit a cistern overflow connector (thread side outwards) like this in the hole...

https://www.toolstation.com/solvent-weld-overflow-tank-connector/p29453

...then attach a 3/4 hose connector so I can use a hose to water the plants. 

How do you regulate the flow to stop the water flowing through your hose?

Lift the outlet end of the hose up above the water level in the butt.  I keep a short length attached to the butt all the time which is enough to reach above the water level.

By not having a tap or a valve on the butt there's less risk of blockages, and if the outlet ever did block then the hose connector can be unscrewed which leaves a straight-through hole through the tank connector which is really easy to clear.