Slow Leak

[Dottie]

A few weeks back I posted that one of the pipes leading to the pool filter was leaking -- then I posted again and said, no - it wasn't leaking. I tho ught it was a mole that had caused the problem. The hole was not wet -- at least, it was only damp... Fast forward. I have a leak. There is a large plastic pipe - then a joint straight across - where the cholrinator is - t hen another plastic pipe. The chol. pipe is threaded...and dips in about 1 /4 in. where it joins the regular plastic pipe (3 or 4" size) ... it is lea king where the chol. pipe joins the regular pipe. I consulted with my neig hbors and they though caulking would stop it. I first put a layer of Dap t ub and tile caulk on it -- let it dry (meaning I turned off the pump so the water wouldn't be passing through it). It still leaked a little - so I pu t another layer, this time window/door caulk - good for interiors and exter iors. I had these on hand. I did go to Lowe's and look. They had some "m agic tape" ... but because of the "dip" I couldn't have gotten it in to cov er the leak. I let the caulk sit overnight. Went back this morning and as soon as the pump came on it started dripping again...I have cleaned off al l the caulk. It hadn't dried well - even in places where the water from th e leak hadn't touched it - and it didn't rain on it.

If have to call a plumber it will be a major job. I no longer use that ch ol., I just use the kind that floats in the pool.

Anyone have a suggestion about what I can buy to seal this leak. It's just a small one at the seam where the chol.pipe joins the regular pipe.

Thanks.

[trader_4]

r was leaking -- then I posted again and said, no - it wasn't leaking. I t hought it was a mole that had caused the problem. The hole was not wet -- at least, it was only damp... Fast forward. I have a leak. There is a lar ge plastic pipe - then a joint straight across - where the cholrinator is - then another plastic pipe. The chol. pipe is threaded...and dips in about 1/4 in. where it joins the regular plastic pipe (3 or 4" size) ... it is l eaking where the chol. pipe joins the regular pipe. I consulted with my ne ighbors and they though caulking would stop it. I first put a layer of Dap tub and tile caulk on it -- let it dry (meaning I turned off the pump so t he water wouldn't be passing through it). It still leaked a little - so I put another layer, this time window/door caulk - good for interiors and ext eriors. I had these on hand. I did go to Lowe's and look. They had some "magic tape" ... but because of the "dip" I couldn't have gotten it in to c over the leak. I let the caulk sit overnight. Went back this morning and as soon as the pump came on it started dripping again...I have cleaned off all the caulk. It hadn't dried well - even in places where the water from the leak hadn't touched it - and it didn't rain on it.

chol., I just use the kind that floats in the pool.

st a small one at the seam where the chol.pipe joins the regular pipe.

I would have tried epoxy. Anything you try now, make sure you clean all the caulk stuff off first, sandpaper probably. There is also a new product that was on Shark Tank on TV, Fiberfix. It's a cloth, weave type product together with a water activated glue. You wet it, wrap it and it's strong and waterproof. I've never used it, but they have it at Lowes.

[Stormin Mormon]

ecause of the "dip" I couldn't have gotten it in to cover the leak. I let the caulk sit overnight. Went back this morning and as soon as the pump came on it started dripping again...I have cleaned off all the caulk. It hadn't dried well - even in places where the water from the leak hadn't touched it - and it didn't rain on it.

As you're noticing, different plastics have different repair techniques. I'd want to get someone local (to you) and on scene to figure out the answer. We'd mostly be guessing.

[Mayayana]

I can't picture exactly what you're describing, and I can't guess what "chol." means. Is that supposed to be short for "chlorinator"? In any case, if you can get two straight pieces of pipe together you can use a rubber pipe clamp or a piece of rubber with band clamps. (By straight pieces I mean that you generally can't use a pipe clamp on the female collar of a PVC pipe. You'd need to cut that part off so that you have one diameter to deal with.)

There are also reducing rubber clamps. They work very well. It's basically just a thick black rubber sleeve with two or more band clamps on it. You can get them at HD. You can also get band clamps and sheet rubber at HD.

If you can work with the existing joint you might also be able to use pipe thread sealant. It's a paste that goes on the threads before assembly. There's a version that's OK for use with PVC.

A third option is a drying sealant to smear around the threads if you can't open up the joint. The product I'm thinking of is sort of dark red and gooey/sticky, a bit like gasket liquid. It dries out and seals well. The only trouble is that I haven't seen it around for awhile and I don't know what the name of it is.

If have to call a plumber it will be a major job. I no longer use that chol., I just use the kind that floats in the pool.

Anyone have a suggestion about what I can buy to seal this leak. It's just a small one at the seam where the chol.pipe joins the regular pipe.

Thanks.

[Dottie]

r was leaking -- then I posted again and said, no - it wasn't leaking. I t hought it was a mole that had caused the problem. The hole was not wet -- at least, it was only damp... Fast forward. I have a leak. There is a lar ge plastic pipe - then a joint straight across - where the cholrinator is - then another plastic pipe. The chol. pipe is threaded...and dips in about 1/4 in. where it joins the regular plastic pipe (3 or 4" size) ... it is l eaking where the chol. pipe joins the regular pipe. I consulted with my ne ighbors and they though caulking would stop it. I first put a layer of Dap tub and tile caulk on it -- let it dry (meaning I turned off the pump so t he water wouldn't be passing through it). It still leaked a little - so I put another layer, this time window/door caulk - good for interiors and ext eriors. I had these on hand. I did go to Lowe's and look. They had some "magic tape" ... but because of the "dip" I couldn't have gotten it in to c over the leak. I let the caulk sit overnight. Went back this morning and as soon as the pump came on it started dripping again...I have cleaned off all the caulk. It hadn't dried well - even in places where the water from the leak hadn't touched it - and it didn't rain on it.

chol., I just use the kind that floats in the pool.

st a small one at the seam where the chol.pipe joins the regular pipe.

I went to Ace hardware and it was the opinion of two people who work with t he plumbing supplies -- that the water pressure where the leak is, would pr event the caulk from working. I called a man we've used before to come by and look at it -- he does pool repairs. I think the Fiberfix is what I saw yesterday. The reason I didn't try it is -- there is a space between the cholorinator and the regular pipe....too small to get a piece of tape or an ything down there ... but without covering it with something, the leak woul d continue. Thanks again for your help.

[gfretwell]

If you can get the pipe clean enough that A/B epoxy (a brand sold at the pool store and just about any hardware store) I talked about a couple weeks ago would work. It is a putty when mixed and you just work it in well.

[micky]

So he hasn't come by yet?

If not, Trader's product sounds pretty good.

If you can't get that, or if some other reason precludes it, what you need is PC-11. It's not just epoxy, it 's the right epoxy. Well that's if the pipes are white. If they are black, use PC-7, which is dark grey. PC-11 is white. And though you should turn the water off like you did before, and scrape off the caulk you put on since it must not have worked --- and though it will stick even to glass, you should use some medium or coarse sandpaper to rough up the plastic pipes -- it will stick to anything (unless you coat it with vaseline or something similar first). It will go on a leaking drain pipe while the faucet is running slowly and the pipe is leaking and it will still dry waterproof. That time I had to keep pushing the stuff back where it was supposed to be. The dripping water made it fall down some. After a while I could feel it hardening. But when it's not leaking you won't have to keep pushing the stuff back in place, because the water won't be pushing it away.

Run a ring of it all the way around the pipe** and at least 1/2 inch away from the leak down the pipe, and in the other direction too. .

**That will take the place of wrapping with cloth.

Follow the instructions carefully. I used to use 2 popsicle sticks. one to spoon out substance A and the other for substance B, then mix them with one stick. Now I use screwdrivers, but I absolutely don't let the A and B touch anywhere but in the mixing area. Never a trace of A gets into the B can or B in the A can and the unused part lasts for at least 10 years, probably 20 or more. I get the 4oz. cans. They have it in the 2 - 4 oz. size at Ace Hardware, but probably not at HD or Lowes.

Not too small for PC-11. You can use almost anything to push it around with, like a spatula or a dinner knife or a plastic knife, and to clean it off, just pull a tight paper napkin or paper towell over it. A or B or maybe both will washes off in the sink. But I just wipe with paper.

If you want the surface to be smooth, suck on a finger and wipe gently over part of it. I've tasted the stuff and it's bad. To do the rest, I wouldn't put my finger in my mouth again. This is why God gave us 10 fingers. But it washes off your hands with soap and water

One time I was missing the cap for a wine sack (shaped like a goat's stomach but made out of plastic) so I put vaseline on the plastic threads, used PC-7 to mold a cap around the top with my fingers, used a nail or something to put a hole for the string through the top, used wet fingers to smooth it, and when it hardened, it was so tight I needed pliers to unscrew it the first time. PC-7 and 11 are fantastic.

[Thomas]

I had to real that twice. LOL

[micky]

Haha. I think I got mixed up on which finger I had used last, and licked it instead of the next one.

[micky]

Another thing you could do is use the PC-11 where the cloth won't go. And then cover all that with the Fiberfix.

I'd still put a ring of PC-11 (or 7 if your pipes are black) around where it is leaking, but maybe a less wide one.

The Fiberfix sounds like the last time I broke a leg. IIRC they had precut strips of cloth already impregnated with plaster of pais, and only had to soak the cloth in water for a while, and then wrap it around the cotton they'd wrapped my leg with. Warm while drying (unlike the previous cast the week before, that was cold and damp) Hard when dry.

[micky]

Are you saying that Fiberfix is flexible too?

[trader_4]

ter was leaking -- then I posted again and said, no - it wasn't leaking. I thought it was a mole that had caused the problem. The hole was not wet -

- at least, it was only damp... Fast forward. I have a leak. There is a l arge plastic pipe - then a joint straight across - where the cholrinator is - then another plastic pipe. The chol. pipe is threaded...and dips in abo ut 1/4 in. where it joins the regular plastic pipe (3 or 4" size) ... it is leaking where the chol. pipe joins the regular pipe. I consulted with my neighbors and they though caulking would stop it. I first put a layer of D ap tub and tile caulk on it -- let it dry (meaning I turned off the pump so the water wouldn't be passing through it). It still leaked a little - so I put another layer, this time window/door caulk - good for interiors and e xteriors. I had these on hand. I did go to Lowe's and look. They had som e "magic tape" ... but b

t the caulk sit overnight. Went back this morning and as soon as the pump came on it started dripping again...I have cleaned off all the caulk. It h adn't dried well - even in places where the water from the leak hadn't touc hed it - and it didn't rain on it.

t chol., I just use the kind that floats in the pool.

just a small one at the seam where the chol.pipe joins the regular pipe.

Since it's pool plumbing, it's reasonable to assume it's PVC water pipe.

[clare]

What kind of plastic pipe? ABS or PVC? I would try cleaning the joint/leak area very well with s aolvent (acetone??) and then work some solvent glue (the stuff used to join the plastic involved) into and around the leaking joint. It will chemically "weld" the fracture or gap in the pipe. If that doesn't work you will need to cut the pipe and install a "fernco" connector to rejoin the pipe, or involve a plumber or knowlegeable handiman / pool person.