Hi all,


Does anyone know if a grease nipple would provide a watertight seal?

I'm need to source a small valve to be use to fill a minature tank with water, and was wandering whether a grease nipple in conjunction with a grease gun filled with water might work. Any thoughts?

Cheers,

Jek

I doubt it.. Could you not use a tire valve (say from an old bikel inner tube?)..

dan

i wouldn't think so. i think in a nrmal grease appliucation, the grease will stop water getting in...

though, i suppose, if you want to stop water getting OUT, they're not really that different to those water things you get for hamsters are they? they seem to work. i guess it might depend how much water you want to hold back

There should be a small ball bearing and a spring behind that in a nipple (Quality nipples that is!)
coupled with the grease it sould be reasonably water tight.
On My Land Rover I had more trouble with the axle breathers than with grease nipples. I extended them to the roof line in the end. Water getting into anything and staying there long term is the kiss of death.

Just keep them pumped full of grease and there is no room for water to get in.
Also it's such a small hole, you wont get a lot of water in there through splashing, only through a good submerging in water.

Also agree with the nipple covers, its a good and simple idea. Once should always protect ones nipples

Thanks for the replies guys,

The valve has to be completely watertight - a tyre valve is a good shout. Preferrably looking for something screw in though, will have a look online to see if such a thing as a screw in tire valve exists!

Something like this would be ideal, but I can't find anything similar for sale in the UK.

link

[Edited on 29/1/10 by JekRankin]

^^ Take a look in a push bike shop some of the valves are indeed threaded on the outside...

Dan

[Edited on 29/1/10 by Bluemoon]

If you strip the rubber off some tyre valves you will find a metal valve inside - worth playing about with a few to see what you get, as some of them are very 'adaptable' if you know what I mean... easy to modify to suit your needs, maybe.

Brake bleed nipple would work if screwed into something like a pipe joiner . You would have to slacken it before filling and then tighten it but that shouldn't be a problem.