Is sealant usually used when re-assembling an immersion heater to the cylinders flange?
found a leak at the flange on the calorifier in the motorhome (it's basically a mini 30 litre hot water cylinder, 2 heating coils and the immersion heater at the top) origional seal was a flat O ring, i.e. about the thickness of an O ring, but had flats for the sealing surface, hence it only sealed where the threads meet, which is normal i guess.
New seal is a waxed paper gasket type, hoped it'd seal better, but nope, still leaking.
Is there a better seal? i was going to get one from toolstation along with a spanner for the immersion heater, but they were closed when i discovered the leak, but theirs look more like a compressable copper washer,
so i got the waxed paper seal from Q&Q, but not a spanner as they wanted 11 quid for it, toolstation want 4 quid,
i got the element out using a coil spring compressor clamp, but im thinking i cant get the element tight enough like that (the arms rotate when too much pressure is applied.. which isnt much as i dont want to twist the copper cylinder)
Should i have used a sealant with the type of seal i have? and if so any particular type?