Leak - How to Fix

Hi. This plumbing feeds my pool lever. The 90 degree fitting is leaking. I was just going to cut it out but the pipe to the left looks like copper?

How would I fix this.

Thanks!

 

I posted your picture directly. Photobucket is restricting 3rd party hosting from their site.

In the picture below......
1) is a compression fitting with 1/2" copper pipe.
2) short piece of copper pipe with male threaded adapter
3) PVC fitting with 1/2" NP female thread

You should be able to unscrew the locknut(1) on the valve. Then you should be able to unscrew the copper pipe and threaded adapter out of the PVC fitting. It may just need to be resealed where the copper connects to the PVC.

 

I would cut the pvc midway between #3 and the spigot... (cut #3 in half if needed to spin it off) replace #2 if needed or clean up the threads... and replace #3, adding a short piece to the bottom of #3, and join it to the existing with a coupling.

Use TFE paste on the male copper threads and don't turn the fnpt pvc elbow onto the copper too tight or you will crack it.

 

The only problem may be finding a matching compression nut/ring for that valve.

 

Thank you. This site would not let me upload the photo directly for some reason. If I try to reuse the fittings, what do I seal the copper male thread into the female PVC with..Thanks!

 

Teflon tape would be good.

This may help......... How-to-insert-pictures

 

Actually, I took it apart. There is no compression fitting. The 90 degree piece looks like every day white PVC, but the pipe has a threaded end and the color is blue. What is this.

 

It is called a pipe nipple. Home centers and plumbing suppliers carry them in varying lengths with both ends already threaded.

 

Ok. I figured out how they plummed this originally. They used Rainbird threaded irrigation pipe, threads on both sides, used a couple PVC female threaded reducers and put it together. More joints more leaks.

I am wondering if I could put a PVC 1/2 mail fitting on the valve and then do the rest with white PVC, then I would only have one threaded joint. ? Thanks

 

I know what you mean, the fewer threaded connections the better. But I think you will have to make sure you have enough play in the remaining piping so you can spread things apart in order to put the last PVC joint together.

Maybe you need a union so you can put it together, and that would also allow you to take it apart in the future should the need arise. I’m not good at spatial, but it looks to me like you could put a metal union where that ball valve is, then the ball valve to its’ right, then the PVC MIP adapter connected into the ball valve. More threads, but I believe the PVC unions aren’t the best and you’re better off with metal. It looks to me like with that arrangement you could take everything apart that’s in the picture. You could fix a drip after you put it all together if need be (don’t think the PVC joints would drip).

Other guys here may see a flaw in the above and may disagree.

 

Ok, I have the exact parts that were used originally. What sealant do I use for the gray plastic pipe going into the brass valve. And then which sealant for the threaded PVC. I keep reading do not use teflon. Thanks!

 

Like I said in post #3, use TFE paste. If you read the label, it should specifically say safe on plastics.

https://www.oatey.com/2376695/Product/Harvey-TFE-Paste

 

Thank you. Do I use TFE paste on the plastic to plastic threads as well as the copper to plastic thread connection points. Thanks!

 

You use paste on all the male threads.

 

Dry fit the PVC joints first and consider that they will seat a little deeper after you use the solvent. Don’t forget the primer. I have my doubts as to whether you will have enough spring in the piping to get that 90 elbow onto the vertical piping – but dry fitting will show whether that’s the case. Hope I’m wrong. Certainly could be. (I’m sure no expert but I’ve done many joints.)

(If there's a problem maybe a repair coupling on the vertical might work. I never used one - but maybe that's the type of coupling XSleeper referred to)

 

The pipe nipple would be the last item he would install, since the pipe on the right will flex to the right side.

 

I can’t picture it – but then again there are many things I can’t picture LOL!

Nipple connects into brass FIP on left and PVC FIP on right. Turn nipple one direction and you tighten into brass FIP but you loosen from PVC FIP at same time. Or turn nipple in opposite direction and you tighten into PVC FIP but loosen from brass FIP at the same time. Maybe I misunderstand.


Oh!! Just thought of something. Maybe that would work with tfe paste, you back out one side to some extent while you tighten the other side to some degree, but you won't get drips becuase the paste maintains a seal even when reversing the turn. Never tried that.

 

Yes, That's what I'd do. But it's possible the pvc coupling could slip over the vertical pipe too.