plumbers paste / putty

[Fray Bentos]

hello all. Absolute plumbing novice here.

I have a "lead-lock" pipe adaptor thing which joins the lead to the copper hot water pipe under my sink.

I have been replacing a bit of copper pipe further down the line and I have disturbed the lead lock as it has started to slightly weep from where the lead pipe enters the fitting.

It drips once about every 30mins.

I do not have the tools to tighten it up. My mole grips won't go near it.

Is there some sort of paste/putty I can use to put a thin bead around the lead pipe where it enters the fitting ?

Can it be used while wet ? (the missus is fed up of having the water off)

I hate plumbing. grrrrrr

thankyou

fray bentos

[Palindr☻me]

You might care to try a reel of self-vulcanising tape, applied generously, will work. Really stretch the tape whilst applying it and wind it on with a lot of tension.

The tape, if stretched and wrapped over another layer, will weld itself into a single solid piece of rubber.

IIRC, Maplin sell it, apart from other places.

HTH Sue

[BigWallop]

Take your Mole Grips and set the jaws apart so they slide along the thinner copper, but they don't slide passed the locking nut on the copper side of the Lead Lock fitting.

Now position the jaws around the copper pipe and slide the Mole Grips, quite firmly, along the copper pipe, until you hit the Lead Lock fitting. Keep tapping the Lead Lock fitting in this manner, for at least 10 to 12 firm thumps so that it pushes the Lead Lock slightly further on to the Lead Pipe.

Hopefully this will push the fitting on to the lead pipe enough to take up the little gap that has appeared between the cut end of the pipe and the inside of the fitting.

Good luck with it.

[Martin]

Hi, Pillowbag - welcome back. Where've you been this time...?

[EricP]

So.......you've bothered to come back have you!

Only went out to buy a packet of peas!!!

Excuse??

[Fray Bentos]

Well it appears to have stopped dripping by itself. Maybe the pressure of the water in the pipe has made the lead swell, sealing the joint ?

anyway, keeping my eye on it.

thankyou for your tips.

[Rob graham]

Small leaks are often self-sealing because tiny bits of junk in the water get trapped in the hole. A bit like Radweld in car radiators.

Rob Graham