thru-hole fittings for the side of a plastic barrel

I have a 55 gal plastic barrel that I would like to put a 1-1/2" NPT connection at the bottom of. I am thinking of using a flanged ball valve (marine thru-hole, Flange on one side). This is for a test stand (cheap) to test flow on some equipment.
Anybody have any suggestions on how I can seal this?

There will be mostly water.

I was thinking of a backer ring to the flange (flat) and squeeze the plasiic between them.

What do you think????


Thanks

Randy

Take a look at what is available in PVC pipe and fitting at one of the "box stores" like Lowes or Home Depot. You should be able to find valves and fitting cheap to do what you want. If you need a gasket use some of the RTV gasket maker.

Joe

Can you get to the inside of the barrel? If so, I would just bolt two steel pipe flanges back-to-back with the the plastic inbetween. Not sure what sort of sealant to use, but I would try Permatex #2 first.

There is a product available in Canada that is made in Winnipeg Manitoba by Winnipeg Plastics and Tool Limited. It takes a 1 5/8" hole in the barrel and is equipped with a 3/16" thick rubber gasket to seal it up. In some small communities up here, that are primarily on wells we are severely restricted during summer dry periods for garden water. Two years ago we set up 5, 45 gallon plastic barrels, put these fittings through the bottom. The fitting has a 3/4 NPT female thread that we installed a brass fitting in each one that has a 6" piece of 3/4 copper pipe soldered in, then a 3/4 brass union another 3" of copper pipe. Across the bottom of the barrels they are all the same length to connect a 3/4 elbow to the first barrel and a Tee to the next four and then connected by lengths of 3/4" copper pipe down the the last barrel. The piping system is then connected to a standard shallow well pump with a built in preassure switch that starts pumping as soon as the the preasure is released by the watering hose attached to it.

The water supply comes from a sump system connected to our weeping tile piping around the house. In spring the pipe manifold is reconnected to the barrels by the unions and the pump is connected up. This is a twenty minute job and the barrels are being filled up by the ground water from the tile system. In late fall we pump the remaining water out of the barrels and remove the 3/4" copper manifold and pump for the winter.

My wife has discovered that since using ground water instead of city water, she is getting a far better yield and quality seed growth for the flower garden and watering all summer with ground water, her garden has far better flowers and shrubs. Also its fun standing out in front of the house watering the lawn and garden on water restriction days.

If you can not find a source for these barrel connections I will see what we can do for you up here. I will also try an send a picture of the fitting this weekend. The local hardware store carries them so I can go over there and get some pictures of it.

Regards Ed Miles

I did what George suggested, used two galvanized pipe floor flanges bolted together on the side of a plastic trash can. I think I used silcone for bathtubs as the sealant. It held rain water for a few years no problems.

swiming pool supply for thru wall fittings

Also called bulkhead ftgs. at any good plb supply house.
Lee

BRESCO (Birmingham Restaurant Supply Co) has these with a ball valve spigot for just a few bucks. You just need either rubber gaskets or some RTV to seal it up. There's probably a rest supply near you that will also carry them.

A farm supply store will have them for sprayer tank fittings. A horse supply store will probably also have them.

Your question had to do with sealing. Apply a liberal blob of silicone bathtub caulk on all the mating faces of the connection parts. Use a partial rotation to spread the goo at assembly. Draw up the nut. Allow to set over the week end to set and toughen up.

Makes for a real stout connection so long as the plastic barrel isn't sprung out of shape or large forces (wrenching, prying, etc) aren't applied to the connection.

Don't know whether it will work for you or not, but I have a plastic barrel that needed a similar set up. The barrel was thick enough to drill and tap with a pipe tap. I did exactly that and it's never let me down. The fitting I used was smaller than 1 1/2" though. Might be a consideration. If it didn't work you could always take the next step of using a flanged fitting.

Randy: Go to McMaster Carr website and type in "bulkhead fitting" in the searchbox. Lots of choices there.
One thing that came to mind is the curvature of the barrel relative to the gaskets and flanges for a 1-1/2 inch pipe fitting. Like trying to tighten something flat on to a curved surface. I know it will work OK for a 3/4 inch fitting.