need help

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jack barnes

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Aug 5, 2005
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Location
Springfield, Ma.
I finally put my paint pot together, but it will not hold pressure. I checked and made sure all the fitting tight. I'm beginning to thank it has to be the gasket. Is there any tricks to getting it to seal? Thanks for any suggestions

Jack
 
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DISCLAIMER: I know nothing about the pressure pots y'all are using for casting.

The best way to find the leak is to spray a mildly soapy solution (dish soap in water) all around the pressured tank and look for bubbles.

If you suspect the gasket, the easy fix is to grease it and see if that helps the seal. I would suggest a thin coating of vaseline on both sides of the gasket and put the air to 'er again.

Cheers!

Gary (shoot, it works in the tire industry....)
 
Go to Lowes or Home Depot and get some Silicone Plumbers Grease. It comes in a little(flat) round plastic fliptop container packaged on a card. Remove the gasket from the lid, wear some disposable gloves and coat the entire gasket liberally(but don't go crazy) with the grease. Now replace the gasket without getting the grease on every surface around you. Remove your gloves and dispose of them before you do anything else or you will have silicone grease smeared on things you didn't realize you had even gone near.
 
Ditto on the above with the plumbers grease and the soapy water. My HF pot leaked pretty good until I removed gasket, cleaned it and the gasket groove then sealed with the grease. Then found a couple of leaky fittings with the soap solution that I just tightened up. At 40 psi I loose 1/2 pound in 48 hours. I can live with that, lol.
 
The first thing I did when I got mine (after the soapy water) was to take
off all of the fittings and wrap them with Teflon tape. I mean EVERYTHING.
But they're right .. the soapy water will blow bubbles any place there's a leak.
 
I tryed soupy water except around the rim of the lid. I also put thick ca around the factory fitting which might be something I shouldn't have.
Neil it is cold in my shop.

Jack
 
The sealant that is used from the manufacturer will disolve with DNA so I would, for building another pot, heat the original fittings loose. Soak them in DNA or if you want them clean faster, acetone, dry and reassemble in the new arrangement of your choosing using your favorite sealing system.

But I would definatley use plumbers grease on the lid gasket.
 
I've spent most of today trying to get the pot to hold pressure. I took it completely apart. I had a hell of time finding rubber flat washers for the fitting that go though the lid. I aired it up to 40psi
it dropped to 35 right away, but it has held there for the last 3 hours. I'll see how it holds over night. Just wondering why it didn't hold at 40.

jack
 
Even better if you can find a bigger vessel, fill with water and totally immerse your pot.

It should bubble where the leak is.
 
jack barnes said:
I've spent most of today trying to get the pot to hold pressure. I took it completely apart. I had a hell of time finding rubber flat washers for the fitting that go though the lid. I aired it up to 40psi
it dropped to 35 right away, but it has held there for the last 3 hours. I'll see how it holds over night. Just wondering why it didn't hold at 40.

jack
Click to expand...

Sounds like that one of the gaskets failure pressure is 40psi, after it lets off, it will hold the pressure. Get your soapy water sprayer, open the valve wide, set the pressure gauge to 60 and spray away and find were the failure points are.

I gave up on the washers, as they always seemed to splinch out when you tightened it up. Silicone Gasket sealant works great though.
 
jack barnes said:
I finally put my paint pot together, but it will not hold pressure. I checked and made sure all the fitting tight. I'm beginning to thank it has to be the gasket. Is there any tricks to getting it to seal? Thanks for any suggestions

Jack
Click to expand...

I totaly dismentled my HF paint pot all threads as been sealed with teflon plumbing tape ( no washer ) I use the spray soapy water like other to see any leak if the lid gasket deosn't seal properly you can put some glycerin around the pot that will hold the pressure just try, I do it myself as the gasket dry quicker in summer time
 
I will point out the obvious just to be on the safe side. I am sure you already checked this but here goes.
Make sure that it is not the safety valve letting go at pressures above 35. The stock ones have been known to be set too low. They are adjustable.
 
jack barnes said:
I finally put my paint pot together, but it will not hold pressure. I checked and made sure all the fitting tight. I'm beginning to thank it has to be the gasket. Is there any tricks to getting it to seal? Thanks for any suggestions

Jack
Click to expand...
If you mean the gasket around the lid then,yes there is a trick. It might be too late for you, maybe not, but for everyone who is going to buy a pressure pot make sure the FIRST thing you do BEFORE you tighten the lid for the first time is put some kind of lubricant on the gasket. WD40, oil, light grease, vaseline will all work. Work it into the gasket real good and then put the lid on the pot.
Now what you want to do is put a register mark on the lid and the pot so that you can put the lid back on in the exact same spot EVERY TIME.:wink:
 
Got up this morning and the pressure was still at 35psi. I aired it up to 60psi and just checked it and after about 12 hrs. the pressure is holding at 55 psi. I think I can live with that but it's strange it only been losing 5psi and then holds study.

Jack
 
when you compress a gas, it will heat up slightly. in pressing up your new pot.....the initial pressure drop might be cooling of the compressed air....especially if it's 'cold' inside the shop...

just a thought
 
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