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I got a water tank (like this) installed which is leaking from an unused outlet at the bottom. The fitting is as shown in the figure below, it looks somewhat like a bulkhead installed in reverse:

enter image description here

Pic from outside:

enter image description here

I think that the water is seeping out from either side of the outside gasket. The obvious way to fix this is to tighten the nut on the inside. However I can't tighten the nut from the inside because the tank has a narrow opening and is very deep. I will have to drain it, disconnect it, move it on its side and then crawl into it, which is a lot of work and risks damaging the tank.

I am asking if anyone has ideas or knows of tools which provide an easier way to do this.

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  • Is that a nut next to the pie plug??
    – JACK
    Commented Nov 24, 2019 at 12:15
  • @JACK It seems joined to the threaded pipe. Like I said it is like a bulkhead fitting
    – user78790
    Commented Nov 24, 2019 at 12:18
  • Any chance of tightening the plug, which will turn the pipe and maybe not the inside nut, ?
    – JACK
    Commented Nov 24, 2019 at 12:19
  • @JACK Yes I can tighten the plug or even directly move the outside 'nut', which will move the entire assembly, however I don't know how to prevent the inside nut from rotating.
    – user78790
    Commented Nov 24, 2019 at 12:22
  • How deep is the tank?
    – Platinum Goose
    Commented Nov 24, 2019 at 13:30

2 Answers 2

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Use a deep well socket and two 36" extensions. Tape them together really good otherwise you might have to fish them out with a magnet if they come apart. If the nut is at a right angle then fasten a long handle (piece of pipe works well) to a ratchet wrench.

36" Extension

deep well sockets

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I had exactly the same problem when I re-purposed some 45 gallon plastic drums to collect rainwater.

My solution was to use a broom handle to hold the socket - bear in mind I had to get the nut & washer down there and get it to start on the thread...

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    I ended up removing the entire fitting and reinstalled it the other way around, so the nut is now on the outside. This makes it much easier to service and also to install, using a wire to guide the fitting to its hole and then tightening the nut from the outside.
    – user78790
    Commented Nov 26, 2019 at 12:15

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