Hi folks
I've seen that this topic has come up before, but I'm stumped as to what to do. I'm trying to fix a leaky joint between a lavatory cistern ball-valve and the water supply.
The ball-valve inlet has a plastic or nylon tail, and the connection to the water supply is by a brass tap connector. It's been working fine for years but recently developed a slow leak.
I've tried replacing the fibre washer on the tap connector with firstly a nylon one and then a rubber one (I had to more or less make the latter from a larger washer, as I couldn't find one the right size anywhere. I've read the comments here that the fibre washers don't work too well with the plastic tail. I thought the nylon one might work better, but it didn't seem to.
The best I've been able to get it is by putting some PTFE tape round the tail threads and using the nylon washer. Even then it still leaks. I've tightened it to the point where I'm scared to tighten it any more for fear of breaking the plastic part.
I've now resorted to putting some of that radiator repair sealent (the stuff that's a bit like plasticine or putty, and hardens, not just boss white type stuff) around the nut on the tap connector, hoping it will stop the leak.
I don't like doing this osrt of bodge and at the time of writing I don't even know if it will work.
Is there anything else I could try? I realise I could replace the ball-valve with another one and start from scratch, but I don't have any confidence it will work any better. I can't see any obvious problem
- the existing tail looks flat at the end, the threads look OK, the brass parts look fine with no damage to anything.
Any further advice would be much appreciated! I've never had this type of problem before in years of (admittedly amateur) plumbing jobs.
Cheers
Scrump