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  • Results 1 to 18 of 18

    Thread: Uniseal vs. PVC Bulkheads

    1. #1
      duckguy is offline Senior Member
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      Uniseal vs. PVC Bulkheads

      What's the deal with those Uniseal things? I'm looking to put a 3" bulkhead on the bottom of my Savio and wondering which would be best.
      -Mike
      ( ')> yes, we have ducks in our pond on purpose <(' )

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    2. #2
      Harveythekoi is offline Senior Member
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      I've had excellent results with Uni Seals,

      And the cost can't be beat. Long term I'll have to wait and see. Basically it's just a gasket like the sealing part of a true bulkhead fitting. The fitting gives you a way to tighten it if needed. On the Uni's the pipe does the tightening. It's important to get a good clean hole for the Uni's as this is what they seal to. The bigger hole saws are pricey but for the peace of mind they're cheap.

      Garrett

    3. #3
      RobR's Avatar
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      I was wary of the uniseals at first because I thought they looked flimsy. I relented and bought a couple of them for my TT sumps and so far they have been fine but its only been a couple of months, so time will tell. In my situation it will not be as critical if they fail as they would be at the bottom of a skimmer. So while they have been great so far, in your application I would spend the money and get the bulkhead. Piece of mind has a price sometimes.

    4. #4
      catson4 is offline Old Float
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      Thumbs up Uniseals are Great

      I have Uniseals in my buried plastic tote pump house to keep water OUT. They work super.

      I have them in my 55 gallon plastic barrel Vortex Filter and they keep the water IN where it belongs.

      I have them in my Skippy filter and not a leak to be seen.

      The ones in the Skippy have gone through freezing, thaw, freezing, thaw,numerouse times and Heat of Summer.

      The best way to put a pipe into a container.

      As Harvythekoi says, you need a clean hole to install them in. And cut the corect size hole for the size Uniseal you are using.

      H.P. :D

      Claude

    5. #5
      timiny is offline Senior Member
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      Where do you buy your uniseals at?
      Carolyn
      Esteemed Charter Member of the Koiphen Fan Club

    6. #6
      Meagain #1b is offline 1B Slapped? Koiphen's Slap Happy Super Elustrious Member
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      Like Catson, I have them most everywhere. Including the bottom of my Savio. I love Uniseals!

      You can get them at aquaticeco. Also another place that is cheaper but I can't remember the name. Someone will chime in soon.
      ~ Lisa ~
      Booyakasha! Respek

    7. #7
      jamie is offline Member
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      I've bought quite a few from A.G.S. Australian Global Services.
      http://www.aussieglobe.com/uniseal1.htm
      My husband is the one who does the actual installing and he likes working with them. Sometimes the larger ones are harder to get the pipe through - I think he files down the edges on pipe or something.
      jamie
      If it is true that we are here to help others, then what exactly are the others here for?

    8. #8
      Meagain #1b is offline 1B Slapped? Koiphen's Slap Happy Super Elustrious Member
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      That's the place!

      Yes, fileing the edges on the pipes (esp. larger ones) helps. I also use spray cooking oil. Hubby used a dremmel cutting wheel to make a smaller diameter rough hole, then used a sanding barrel on it to enlarge to the final size & make smooth.
      ~ Lisa ~
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    9. #9
      Ryan S.'s Avatar
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      I have 6 of them in various sizes in use in 1/2" to 4" sizes. In the future (also if I had to do it over again) I would pass on them. They are OK for the seals, these where on very "thick walled" 55 gallon barrells, so an ideal situation. I also sealed mine with a 50yr clear silcone. Here is what I don't like: They provide little "support" for the connecting pipes (less than a bulkhead would, so I used bulkheads in these spots). You really need hole saws, which can be quite expensive, and in smaller sizes you don't have the drill bit lead, a PITA for the 1/2"s so I cut those with dremels. Bulkheads are eaiser to install, more reliable, easier to reuse, easier to change connections with (treaded fittings instead of just pipe). Cost advantage is a small one IMHO. The cost difference is a couple dollars on the sizes 1/2"-2" (via online prices, found out after the fact that our local farm store has bulkheads as cheap as uniseals), so I would go with bulkheads. On 3"-4" sizes toilet flanges work great and are cheaper than uniseals. 6" size I would go with the uniseals (and get some help to push the pipe in).

    10. #10
      Dennis Woollum is offline Senior Member
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      I just installed a 2" black PVC bulkhead about 3" from the bottom of a 55 gal barrel and it is leaking where the outer ring meets the plastic. It seemed to have flattened out the slightly curved sides of the barrel ok and the (1/4"?)inside rubber gasket seemed to seal ok. I tried hand tightening, then using a rubber strap wrench. Still leaks.

      How much can I tightenen it without stripping the threads? It is made by Winnipeg Plastics and looks quite strong.

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    11. #11
      Gene's Avatar
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      Dennis,

      I have managed to get them to seal by using a large Channel Lock pliers to tighten them but it is risky. I've started using Plumbers Goop to get a good seal on the 55 gallon drums. That curve in the barrel starts getting too much on the 2". Using one of the 3" is a real bear!
      Gene




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    12. #12
      BickalDIYPond Guest - Time to Register
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      Gene, just heat the barrel up in that spot and make it flat !!! :D

    13. #13
      chipmaker's Avatar
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      Can someone describe what a Uniseal is? I know what bulkhead fittings are, but unfamiliar with a uniseal, unless perhaps its just another name for something I may already know about.

    14. #14
      Kathy W is offline Senior Member
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      chipmaker,

      You can go to this web site uniseal or this one aes uniseals to see and learn about the uniseals,
      Kathy


      Official Native Texan



    15. #15
      Gene's Avatar
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      Quote Originally Posted by BickalDIYPond
      Gene, just heat the barrel up in that spot and make it flat !!! :D
      I have considered doing that but was leery about over heating it and making it brittle. I have ten 55 gallon drum filters running right now and several more waiting to go into service.
      Gene




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    16. #16
      chipmaker's Avatar
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      Quote Originally Posted by Kathy Werner
      chipmaker,

      You can go to this web site uniseal or this one aes uniseals to see and learn about the uniseals,
      Ahhh haaaaa, I know what they are now....the same type of seals only smaller are used on the ends of the fittings on my irrigation system, so all I have to do is slip one piece into the other, no clamps etc needed. The side of the seal towards the pressure source has a lip so that the more pressure thats applied the tighter the lip squeezes against the pipe. May not be exactly the same but its very similar. But I suppose it has a sort of lip type seal that seals around the pipe itself and the seal gets expanded by inserting the pipe through it. Just a big rubber snug fitting grommet.

      One thing thats neat with the irrigation seals is if no pressure is applied to the system, you can easily pull the pipe joints and fittings apart, very little friction to hold them together, but just couple of pounds of pressure buuiltup in the system and its next to impossible to pull it apart.

    17. #17
      LouAnn NOrman is offline Senior Member
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      I have used 3,4,6 inch seals and like them. I would use them again.

    18. #18
      Koin-Onia is offline Koi Kowboy
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      Big bucks but cool

      16479 2" Self Aligning PVC Tank Adapters Each $109.40
      Attached Images Attached Images  

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