Install ball valve poly drum?

[djkswiss]

I am wondering if anybody has installed a ball valve on a poly drum. If so how did you go about it? What did you use to seal the threads.

I am looking to create a setup similar to the collection barrel that clay has a sticky on. I will be using this for both settling and for my clean oil, this way I have minimal need to pump, as I collect the oil in the cubes. Second reason for doing this is I don't want to have to pump oil during the winter, I am hoping I can drain clean oil out of the barrel during the winter months.

Thanks for looking!

[ridiculously_necessary]

ive seen everything from bolts, to jbweld to actual welds.

imo, easiest might be drill the hole, get a valve that has a backplate, drill bolt holes, then put a support backing in the inside, make a cheap gasket and bolt them together. ive seen this one one the greasecar forum a few times. seems to work well.

another option is to attach a cone bottom and elevate the drum, works well for drainign setteled crap.

[hheynow]

Seems easier to use a steel drum that has the interior painted and de-head the bottom. A de-heading tool is a gigantic can opener on steroids. That way you have two threads at the bottom (3/4" & 2") 3/4" for a water drain valve and the other gets adapted down to 3/4" which takes a threaded pipe upward (standpipe) and a valve underneath. So with steel you can heat the drum to >140*F, the interior paint keeps out rust and using the standpipe drain allows you to drain the clear oil from above the bottom of the drum.

[ridiculously_necessary]

sorry, didnt see the "poly" part. but i agree, its probably easier to use a steel drum. you can probably bolt on a valve of soem sort with the use of a gasket on a poly. but i wouldnt trust too much heat.

[Clay Henry]

For collection you will want to use steel barrels. Resturants typically change the grease when its hot. drill a 3/4" hole about 3" from the bottom, take a 3"x 3/4" threaded nipple, cut it in half (now you have an extra nipple for another barrell) weld the nipple over the hole you drilled and screw on the ball valve. I would use a locking ball vlave or make a lock point that you can lock the handle shut so it doesn't get opened whe you don't want it to.
When using poly drums, you can use a 3/4" paddle bit, drill a hole and a 3/4" threaded npt fitting will thread right in and be very tight. I have done this many times and they never leak and are tight. The poly barrels are pretty thick too so you have alot of surface for the threads to cut in. My current settle drum is like this and it does not leak and i don't worry about it.

[Aaron Berk]

Originally Posted by Clay Henry

The poly barrels are pretty thick too so you have alot of surface for the threads to cut in. My current settle drum is like this and it does not leak and i don't worry about it.

That was a gutsy move, glad to hear you have success with it. I'll be using your technique in the future.

Thanks for bringing it to the table.

[Clay Henry]

Originally Posted by Aaron Berk

That was a gutsy move, glad to hear you have success with it. I'll be using your technique in the future.

Thanks for bringing it to the table.

no really, like I said, it was very tight. I had to use a wrench to cut the threads in. That plastic is very tough. I then filled it with water and let it set to check for leaks. No leak...works great but the key is proper hole size as with any thread tap process.

[djkswiss]

I used a 3/4" paddle bit to drill a hole and have a 3/4" nipple. However the hole seems to be way to small. I look at the 1" bit and it seems to be just a tad on the large size. Right now I have got a drum with oil in it on its side with a hole drilled in it. Not I think I will go and try to coax the nipple in with a hammer...

[Clay Henry]

Originally Posted by djkswiss

I used a 3/4" paddle bit to drill a hole and have a 3/4" nipple. However the hole seems to be way to small. I look at the 1" bit and it seems to be just a tad on the large size. Right now I have got a drum with oil in it on its side with a hole drilled in it. Not I think I will go and try to coax the nipple in with a hammer...

If I remember I had to use a round rasp to slightly enlarge the hole. But I was doing this to an empty barrel!

[djkswiss]

Okay so my solution was to use a 1" paddle bit. Before drilling the hole in the barrel this time I drilled it into a piece of wood. I then threaded the nipple in to check for tightness(This is what I should have done first, it is always a good idea to check on something else, also not using a half full barrel is a decent idea, no fault to clay henry!)

Now the thing about enlarging an already drilled hole with any bit, never mind a paddle bit is that it is challenging because you don't have the pilot tip to guide you. I managed to enlarge the hole and keep it pretty round, however it was not perfect. I applied some permaxtex # 2 to the threads of the nipple and threaded it in. I then took some plumbers goop and smeared it 1/4" think around where the nipple meets the outside of the barrel. Hopefully this holds up, I will be sure to keep an eye on it when I set it back upright.