Magnaclean leak help!!

FlaatusGoat

I just serviced my magna clean professional and god how I regret it. It leaked horribly when I put it back together again. Thankfully I've stopped the leak from the lid.

However I'm now getting some small seepage from the nut at the top where the bleed valve is situated. I've tightened the nut as far as it'll go, just keeps spinning.

What can I do? Do I need to take it apart again and maybe apply some lithium grease to the inside of the nut?

FreeBear

If it is just "spinning", that suggests you have stripped the threads or a metal insert has broken away from the plastic body (not fully familiar with the finer points of construction of these things). Normally, there will be a fibre washer or O ring to prevent water leaking out - Finger tight, and then nipped up should be all that is required. Gorilla levels of torque will only result in stripped threads and cracked housings.

Lithium grease will not seal the thread. A thin smear of silicone sealant or Plmbers Mait will (but shouldn't be needed). A bleed valve will have a conical seat on the end - You do not want to use any sealant on this - A small piece of grit trapped in the seat could be enough to cause a leak, Over-tightening would damage the seat. With the right tools, it can be repaired, but not if you have stripped the thread.

Defensivelynchpin

Magnaclean seal kits are available to replace the older ones when servicing the filter. Plumbers merchants have them on shelf.

ThisIsWeird

Hi Flaatus.

Isn't this a wonderful learning experience!

I'm guessing it's the larger chrome nut that's loose, and not the wee bleed screw in the middle? In which case, I'm hoping that if you remove the lid again, grab hold tightly of the magnet, and try tightening up the nut, it'll be fine.

If you have any silicone grease - and every house should have a wee tub imo - then smearing this on the lid's large O ring and thread might help seal around the lid too, and ease future removal.

FlaatusGoat

ThisIsWeird said:

Hi Flaatus.

Isn't this a wonderful learning experience!

I'm guessing it's the larger chrome nut that's loose, and not the wee bleed screw in the middle? In which case, I'm hoping that if you remove the lid again, grab hold tightly of the magnet, and try tightening up the nut, it'll be fine.

If you have any silicone grease - and every house should have a wee tub imo - then smearing this on the lid's large O ring and thread might help seal around the lid too, and ease future removal.

Yes this is exactly what I've got. And as per your comments I stripped and cleaned the internals and refitted with lithium grease which as you say should be an essential personally I had a tube for use on my bikes but I never imagined this utility as well.

When I first took the lid off I made the mistake of undoing the top nut when this isn't required. The magnet is a !!!!!! to grip so I'll try again with it possibly by holding it in a clamp whilst I tighten the nut, and I'll try putting lithium grease behind it and also on the nut thread o ring finger's crossed....

ThisIsWeird

FlaatusGoat said:

Yes this is exactly what I've got. And as per your comments I stripped and cleaned the internals and refitted with lithium grease which as you say should be an essential personally I had a tube for use on my bikes but I never imagined this utility as well.

When I first took the lid off I made the mistake of undoing the top nut when this isn't required. The magnet is a !!!!!! to grip so I'll try again with it possibly by holding it in a clamp whilst I tighten the nut, and I'll try putting lithium grease behind it and also on the nut thread o ring finger's crossed....

Hmm. It should do up quite easily, and not require the magnet to be clamped.

There's a smaller O ring at the end of the magnet, and once that gets squashed against the inside of the lid, the magnet should tighten up nicely, and one more tweak of the chrome nut should get it fully tight and sealed.

I'd therefore undo that nut again, remove the magnet, and check the rubber O ring is ok. 

It may be that the grease you applied is just so slippery that even the squished O ring is able to rotate?

Anyhoo, worth checking the O ring, and replacing it if needed.

Not sure that LITHIUM grease is ideal for this - please check if it's fine for use on rubber and neoprene. I was recommending silicone grease, which is inert and won't attack it - it's the stuff to use on plumbing fittings with O rings.

FlaatusGoat

ThisIsWeird said:

FlaatusGoat said:

Yes this is exactly what I've got. And as per your comments I stripped and cleaned the internals and refitted with lithium grease which as you say should be an essential personally I had a tube for use on my bikes but I never imagined this utility as well.

When I first took the lid off I made the mistake of undoing the top nut when this isn't required. The magnet is a !!!!!! to grip so I'll try again with it possibly by holding it in a clamp whilst I tighten the nut, and I'll try putting lithium grease behind it and also on the nut thread o ring finger's crossed....

Hmm. It should do up quite easily, and not require the magnet to be clamped.

There's a smaller O ring at the end of the magnet, and once that gets squashed against the inside of the lid, the magnet should tighten up nicely, and one more tweak of the chrome nut should get it fully tight and sealed.

I'd therefore undo that nut again, remove the magnet, and check the rubber O ring is ok. 

It may be that the grease you applied is just so slippery that even the squished O ring is able to rotate?

Anyhoo, worth checking the O ring, and replacing it if needed.

Not sure that LITHIUM grease is ideal for this - please check if it's fine for use on rubber and neoprene. I was recommending silicone grease, which is inert and won't attack it - it's the stuff to use on plumbing fittings with O rings.

Rescued from my own ignorance yet again. Lithium grease attacks rubber! And I don't think I'd want to be drinking that lithium grease tinged water either. Right I now know what I've got to do! Thanks

grumbler

Lithium grease is for moving parts, to reduce friction.

Silicone grease is much thicker - it's for sealing small gaps, to stop leaks.

macman

FlaatusGoat said:

ThisIsWeird said:

FlaatusGoat said:

Yes this is exactly what I've got. And as per your comments I stripped and cleaned the internals and refitted with lithium grease which as you say should be an essential personally I had a tube for use on my bikes but I never imagined this utility as well.

When I first took the lid off I made the mistake of undoing the top nut when this isn't required. The magnet is a !!!!!! to grip so I'll try again with it possibly by holding it in a clamp whilst I tighten the nut, and I'll try putting lithium grease behind it and also on the nut thread o ring finger's crossed....

Hmm. It should do up quite easily, and not require the magnet to be clamped.

There's a smaller O ring at the end of the magnet, and once that gets squashed against the inside of the lid, the magnet should tighten up nicely, and one more tweak of the chrome nut should get it fully tight and sealed.

I'd therefore undo that nut again, remove the magnet, and check the rubber O ring is ok. 

It may be that the grease you applied is just so slippery that even the squished O ring is able to rotate?

Anyhoo, worth checking the O ring, and replacing it if needed.

Not sure that LITHIUM grease is ideal for this - please check if it's fine for use on rubber and neoprene. I was recommending silicone grease, which is inert and won't attack it - it's the stuff to use on plumbing fittings with O rings.

Rescued from my own ignorance yet again. Lithium grease attacks rubber! And I don't think I'd want to be drinking that lithium grease tinged water either. Right I now know what I've got to do! Thanks

Why would you be drinking the water out of your sealed CH circuit?