How to fix leak

[brainless]

I have a leak in solder connection on 1 inch cast copper/brass? "T" ..... this is hot water pipe for Boiler/home heating system..... I have made several modifications and when I refilled with water and pressurized found very small leak....about 5 drops a minute.....I thought I could repair with epoxy putty, but did not work...tried twice and still leaks, seem like the epoxy putty just does not seal the uneven surface of the cast copper/brass "T" fitting...and after 1/2 hour or so starts leaking again.........I know the right way to fix is to drain system and re solder connection, would like to avoid this if I can till next summer when I have to drain again anyway........Is there another product that might work?

[Speedy Jim]

Google: Boiler Stop Leak

A number of liquid and powder-mix products which might be very effective for your problem.

Or- The leak may plug itself over time due to the gunk (tech term) in the boiler water.

Jim

[Brainless]

I have a leak in solder connection on 1 inch cast copper/brass? "T" ..... this is hot water pipe for Boiler/home heating system..... I have made several modifications and when I refilled with water and pressurized found very small leak....about 5 drops a minute.....I thought I could repair with epoxy putty, but did not work...tried twice and still leaks, seem like the epoxy putty just does not seal the uneven surface of the cast copper/brass "T" fitting...and after 1/2 hour or so starts leaking again.........I know the right way to fix is to drain system and re solder connection, would like to avoid this if I can till next summer when I have to drain again anyway........Is there another product that might work?

[DerbyDad03]

I don't know anything about home boiler systems, so this might be way off base, but I'll throw it out there anyway...

An automobile radiator repair guy once told me that stop-leak products can cause more problems than they fix. Since they are made to clog up leaks, they may also clog up any passages that have narrowed due to corrosion and gunk, reducing the efficiency of the radiator.

Granted, the passageways in a home boiler system might be so large that this is not an issue, but I thought I'd mention it anyway.

[Jeff Wisnia]

If you can see exactly where the leak is coming from and there is solder surrounding it you might try swaging it closed by gently tapping on a small pin punch placed on the "hole".

Jeff

[Edwin Pawlowski]

OK, so we don't have to tell you how to do it the right way. Proceed.

[Mamba]

You are quite right about auto aspect - the cure being worse than the fix. I recieved a "recall" notice from Subaru several years ago recommending a "conditioning additive" be added to my cooling system free of charge at my dealer. It was supposed to ensure longevity of engine gaskets.

I dutifully took my 3 year old car to my dealer in September and had the stuff done. Didn't think anything further about it until next summer when my car started to overheat during long hill climbs.

To make a long story short, the "conditioner" was a rad leak-stop product. The service personnel added it then turned off the engine. The metallic agent congealed at the bottom of my rad, effectively restricting the fluid flow by over half.

I found all this out when I finally decided to replace the rad (not at the dealer). After seeing the cause of the problem, I approached the dealer who "did the deed". They declined to reimburse me because A) I had the replacement done elsewhere, and B) they hinted that I had added the product myself.

These guys get zero business from me now. But good/expensive lesson learned.

[EXT]

50 years ago, I fixed a leak in a pipe supplying a rad in the middle of winter when we couldn't drain the boiler, plus it was a threaded joint that was slowly leaking, which would mean disassembling a lot of piping.

I took some very small diameter electronic grade wire solder with rosin core, and a medium sized screwdriver with a new flat bottom to the tip, not rounded over from use. Wrap the solder wire around the joint and tap the solder into the area where the leak is coming from to compress and force the soft wire solder into the joint where the water is dripping. It may take a few tries, and it may not even work, but give it a try.

This method was used after seeing a cast iron drain pipe sealed with poured lead, the final waterproofing is to hammer the lead tight against the pipe edges with a square ended tool.

It worked for me, it may work for you.

[psmith005]