Replacement tank plug for carpet scrubber

**Paul Jones** · Nov 6, 2015, 08:44 PM

This is not exactly a tool but a replacement part to a handy tool. I have a Bissell Spot Lifter rug scrubber with a broken plug for its solution cleaning tank. The Bissell Spot Lifter cleaning solution tank plug holds the carpet cleaning solution in place while deep cleaning spots from the carpet. Bissell has the plastic replacement parts for the tank plugs built before and after 2003. I ordered both types but neither type had the correct threads. Manufacturing a replacement plug would have been an excellent project for those with 3D printers.

I decided to take a different approach by keeping the threaded end and replacing the rubber seal end. Using my 12” swing lathe, I machined off the broken end where the rubber seal is located, produced a short shoulder, and preserved the plastic threaded end. I held the threaded end in the lathe chuck using a slit section of thin wall stainless steel pipe. Lacking any 2” dia. aluminum stock, I cut a 2” x 2” section from a 3/8” aluminum 6061-T plate, drill a 1/2" hole in the center, and mounted it on an expandable mandrel for turning it down to a 1.7" OD . Using the 3” swing Unimat, I finished the part to a 1.6” dia. x 0.250” donut-shaped part with a groove for a number 218 Buna-N (Nitrile) O-ring. The salvaged threaded part was attached to the new aluminum section with cyanoacrylate (Super Glue). The replacement plug works well.

**PJs** · Nov 7, 2015, 10:33 AM

Nice end run, Paul! Working from plate adds to the work load but you did a great job with it! We have the bigger brother to yours and had similar leakage issues...leaving puddles in its path. May have to look into this as a fix. Thanks for the share! ~PJ

**jere** · Nov 7, 2015, 11:14 AM

I love it great fix! I have put up with leaky steam cleaners before too. They must be built to spill to keep sales up.

**Paul Jones** · Nov 7, 2015, 01:39 PM

Thanks PJs and jere,
I thought I had some 2" diameter aluminum material but had to resort to the using 3/8" aluminum plate. Turn it down on the mini lathe with a mandrel (using this lathe also helps prevent the mini lathe from developing a middle child syndrome

). I have also rebuilt/modified our full size carpet cleaner and works very well without any leaks. I found most of the leaks were coming from hairline cracks in the corrugated return line hose.
Regards, Paul

**PJs** · Nov 7, 2015, 08:12 PM

Turn it down on the mini lathe with a mandrel (using this lathe also helps prevent the mini lathe from developing a middle child syndrome )

Good One! Guess I'm going to have to get another one because mine suffers from Only Child syndrome sometimes (always needing attention).

~PJ

**DIYer** · Nov 10, 2015, 12:47 AM

Look at that! Nice work!

**DIYer** · Nov 10, 2015, 02:57 AM

Thanks Paul! We've added your Bissel Tank Plug to our Miscellaneous category, as well as to your builder page: Paul Jones' Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Bissel Tank Plug by Paul Jones

tags: plug, tank