Plumbing problem

[hearinggloss]

Hi everyone,

I redid some plumbing in my basement and it went well except for one thing:

I can NOT get one area to stop dripping. It's a spot in a hot water line to the shower where I joined 1/2 inch CPVC to 1/2 inch copper. I used a male, threaded CPVC fitting into a female, threaded copper fitting. I used pipe dope and tightened it as much as I could. Any more tight and it probably would break.

I have redone this fitting three times and it just won't seal, always drips. As I said, I used pipe dope one time. One time I used teflon tape. I was told that both of these are ok to use in this situation.

Now, oddly enough, when I take a shower and the pipe gets good and hot, it stops dripping. When it cools, it starts again as if the expansion was sealing it.

I'm out of ideas.

Help?

Thanks

[RayV]

Whenver I need to thread two parts together I put them together with nothing on them and tighten them up. Then I take them apart and apply tape or dope (gas lines). This helps clean and straighten any irregularities in the threads. You may need to insert a metal male piece into the copper to clean/straighten the threads. Then use a new male CPVC fitting with tape.

Could be that the CPVC fitting is bottoming out before the threads can get tight. Check this and trim a little off of the end if this is the case.

[avid_hiker]

Take a look here.....this will help you out a bunch. Its a power point presentation of your problem.

Dean

[hallerb]

Try applying a liberal amount of 2 prt epoxy, screw together than let dry for 12 hours.

[hearinggloss]

Ok, that's a good pps file. Exactly the problem I'm having. I see that it says that I shouldn't have used male CPVC into female copper and tells why. I was told to do it that way because the water pressure pushing out on the female edges could break it. Guess I was told wrong.

Should I just reverse it and use a female CPVC with gasket around a male copper fitting?

Or should I use the socket x metal thread where the CPVC is factory molded into a copper fitting?

Which do you think would be best?

Again, thanks.

[hearinggloss]

That might work.

[avid_hiker]

socket x metal thread where the CPVC is factory molded

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Why not use tape?

[John Gilmer]

On two separate occasions I just could not get a brass elbow for a diswasher to stop leaking. Between teflon tape and teflon filled pipe dope, I go with the pipe dope and use LOTS of it.

I know on one occasion, I used silicone RTV "stuff" and let it set up for a day. I think I used epoxy on the other.

I believe generally speaking that screwing in a male plastic part into brass often leaks. I have also found that at least in the 1/2" size, the adaptors from pipe to "plastic" don't leak if installed properly. The new ones can be taken apart if necessary.

In the case of the OP, I would suggest that he go directly from copper pipe to plastic. One of the benefits is that you can rotate the join without making it leak. Pipe dope also permits this but not as much.

>

[hearinggloss]

I don't understand. I AM trying to go from copper to plastic. Are you talking about the ones with the hose type, rotating fitting?

[avid_hiker]

Do what you will....but if you did it 3 times......why not a forth time and doing it the correct way. And never looking over your shoulder again to see if its dripping. Do it the quick and easiest way.....you are then mickey mousing the fix.....only to always have worries about it and will eventually fail. Up to you.....but wouldnt you really like to solve the problem once and for all? Good luck.

Dean

[hearinggloss]

I think we misunderstand each other. I must have said something that gave you the impression that I want to mickey mouse it. The opposite is actually true. My response was to an earlier post that confused me because someone said to go from plastic to copper which is exactly what I am trying to do. Obviously I missed their meaning. My whole point of being here is to get it done properly. Sorry for the confusion.

[avid_hiker]

No need to be sorry for anything. In reading my last post I pretty much sounded like a know it all and cussing you out......and I apologize for that. It was not intentional. I just wanted to direct you in the right way.......and to not listen to some of these people. Sure, the dripping may stop from some of these fixes some people suggested, but it is the improper way and most likely will fail......someday.

I apologize for my behavior ; forgive me. Dean

[hearinggloss]

Heh, heh...you're forgiven. It's not a problem and appreciate your help, I really do. I had already printed out the file you supplied and that's what I am planning to use. Epoxy doesn't sound right and I tried tape already. It didn't work. You had said 'CPVC Socket X Metal Thread' is the better option. I'll stop off on the way home and check them out. I just want to do it right. I'm sick of this drip. It's like the Chinese Water Torture. Thank you.

[ds549]

i try to keep a house all one thing or another.all copper or all plastic. has worked good for me.....lucas

[John Gilmer]

You are going from a female copper/brass to male plastic (if I read things correctly.)

I was suggest that (if the situation permits) you should go from 1/2" copper tubing to a female plastic adapter. The plastic "adaptor" could be a transition to all plastic with glued joints (plastic glued joints are VERY reliable when done right) or it could be an elbow or even a valve.

I used a 1/2" plastic valve when I needed to temporarily cap on 1/2" copper tubing. When I reconnect, I will not have to shut off the water.

These adaptors (tubing to plastic) "work" as well even when there is water present. You can't say the same for pipe dope, solder, or glue. Maybe you can have some water flowing when working with teflon tape.

>

[Harry K]

Any reason for recommending the female plastic? That goes against all the advice I have seen. I also had the benefit of using a female plastic to iron transition. Got to dig it up in the spring to fix the leak caused by the female adapter splitting on the casting line.

The only leaks I have ever had other than the above (and I've done a lot of plastic over the years) was in using 1/2" size. Never a big leak and fortunately were always in my basement so it wasn't a problem. I just let them go and they sealed themselves after a time.

Harry K

[John Gilmer]

I'm talking about the adaptors that have a elastic ring which actually seals the connection. Short of the plastic cracking, the seal should be sound regardless of on expansion due to temperature.

Threaded joints (with dope) often seal themselves. Occasionally, a sloppy solder joint will do the same thing. The sealing depends upon there being some crap in the water to slow down the leak and some minerals to really seal things up.

[Michael B]

The Powerpoint description 'Avid Hiker' gave shows that it's supposed to be done exactly opposite to what you describe. A male threaded copper into a female CPVC, containing the ring at the bottoming out point.

On Feb 16, 8:58 am, " [e-mail]" wrote: I used a male, threaded CPVC fitting into a

[avid_hiker]

Id be interested in how this worked out once installed. Keep us informed if you would, thx

Dean