• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • Carla Burke
  • John F Dean
  • Timothy Norton
  • Nancy Reading
  • r ranson
  • Jay Angler
  • Pearl Sutton
stewards:
  • paul wheaton
  • Tereza Okava
  • AndrĂ©s Bernal
master gardeners:
  • Christopher Weeks
gardeners:
  • Jeremy VanGelder
  • M Ljin
  • Matt McSpadden

Replacing Glued on IBC valve

 
Posts: 1
  • Likes 3
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Any ideas about how to replace this IBC tote valve? The valve stem cracked, and it leaks constantly. Has only been used for water, trying to give it new life as a rainwater collection system.

The whole valve mechanism / spigot looks like it is glued on, rather than screwed in.

I bought a replacement valve (with screw in threads) off eBay.

Any way to make that work? Or should I try a different solution? I can't get the whole valve off, although I only tried turning it relatively gently with a pipe wrench.

If the orientation in the photos throws you off, the tote is currently upside down for maintenance.
8006.jpg
Photo of the valve on the bottom of an IBC tote, arrow pointing to cracked stem.
Photo of the valve on the bottom of an IBC tote, arrow pointing to cracked stem.
 
Posts: 105
Location: Naranjito, PR
41
forest garden plumbing
  • Likes 4
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I think IBC totes are made from HDPE, so glue is not going to stick. You will want to have a mechanical connection (threaded). I would try to cut the leaky valve away leaving as much plastic at the valve base where the tank connection is, as possible. Then I would tap the hole into the tank to take a suitable pipe nipple. You can make a reasonably effective pipe thread cutter by purchasing a galvanized pipe nipple of the desired size and cutting four slots perpendicular to the threads with a side-grinder and wafer disc. Then bend the four resulting tabs inward toward the centerline of the pipe nipple a little bit by hammering with a rubber mallet or block of wood. The cut edge from the grinder disc cut is sharp and will cut thread into the plastic; advance your homemade tap a little at a time and back out to make clean thread cuts. Once the tap will go all the way in, remove it and put in a proper nipple with some teflon tape on the threads, and your valve.
 
gardener
Posts: 5412
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio,Price Hill 45205
1111
forest garden trees urban
  • Likes 4
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I would use a rubber coupling like this one:
black-fernco-pvc-fittings-p1056-125-64_600.jpg
Coupling.
Coupling.
 
It looks like it's time for me to write you a reality check! Or maybe a tiny ad!
A book about better recipes for green living
https://greenlivingbook.com/
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic