Hose Connections

[shrew]

I replaced the head, holding tank and sanitation hose this weekend. This was a very trying and frustrating process, particularly re-running the new sanitation hose. I replaced the older rubber sanitation line with the white high odor resistant stuff from Sealand.

I ran into two things that were a bit of a challenge:

1) (There are several 'elbows' which are threaded on one end and a barb connection on the other. I've seen these referred to as 'tailpipes' or 'forespars'.) The threaded end of the tailpipe/forespar screws into the holding tank, while the barb end is the sanitation hose connection. I used some teflon tape on the threads. I need the tailpipe/forespar to be pointing in the 'up' direction. When I screw the tailpipe/forespar on it will not be completely tight until it's in the Down Position. In order to have the tailpipe/forespar in the 'up' position, I need to unscrew it one half turn. At this point, the tailpipe/forespares turn a little too freely in the threaded holding tank connections. I used an entire roll of teflon tape on what was basically three connectors. Do I have to load that thing up with tape? Should I be using some kind of adhesive or sealant?


2) The head and sanitation line state to NOT use sealant on the hose connections. I placed the hose 1 1/2" hose onto the barbed end of the 1 1/2" tailpipe/forespar. However, when I began testing the system I began getting some weping at the hose connection for the holding tank fill (head to holding tank). I used 2 SS hose clamps and made sure they were tight. Still it weeps. I tested with water, but as you can imagine this is not ready for 'production' until the weeping is addressed.


Any thoughts as to what I'm doing wrong here? any advise?

Steve

[Stressleave]

Why can you not tighten it one half turn more instead of backing it off?
Is there a shoulder that it bottoms out on?

[shrew]

When the spares are fully tightened they were pointing Down, not UP. I ended up pulling the holding tank, rmovign the spars, adding a bunch of teflon tape to the threads (far more than I thought was initially necessary), then I reinstalled the spars, making sure not to cross thread due to the copious amounts of teflon tape. the leak from teh hose clamp to the hose was a result of the reluctance of the sanitation line to make tight complex angles. Rather than forcing it around two consecutive 90 corners (each at a different direction), I installed a vented loop instead. This took some pressure off the connection from the hose to the tailspar. I then used some teflon tape on the hose connection on the spar and some hose lube to each getting the hose on. I then double-clamped (in opposing directions) and tightened down the connection tight enough to make a good seal without breaking the plasic tail spar.

This seemed to work. The extra teflon tape on the threads made the threaded connection rock solid when screwed all the way in. The veted loop took some pressure off of the hose to tailspar connection and the teflon tape allowed a better seal when the hose clamps were tightened. I tested the system by filling with buckets of fressh water and pumping them through the head. No detectable leaks. (Fingers crossed).