Bodge(s) for leaking isolating valve?

[Robin]

Any suggestions please for what to try ? or not try ? to bodger an isolating ball valve by the CH pump which is leaking (not just oozing) past the screw?

Background is that CH pump failed yesterday morning. (Sod?s law as whole boiler is scheduled for change next summer.)

I drained down and replaced the pump head and the system worked OK. But I must have caught the ball valve in the process (which did involve some effort to free the old pump head after 30-odd years) as it is leaking freely past the screw. And I do mean leaking, not weeping.

A proper fix ?replacing the valve - would be a buggeration as the pump?s crammed against the pressure vessel, with a bypass weaving round them, in a corner of a cupboard, with connections not touched for 30-odd years. And of course there?s no clue as to the make/length of the valve.

So ? given it?s only got to last a few months ? I wondered about bodges. I?ve failed to find any on the ?net. But I?m open to suggestions. ('Er indoors has already covered ?angle grinder? ? as in ?fall on it if the heating?s not fixed?.)

photo of the other valve:

[Bob Minchin]

Maybe cover the area in 2 part epoxy putty. awful bodge but it will get you through the winter.

[tabbypurr]

should last long term, if the water pressure doesn't push it off first. Other resins set quicker & come stiffer.

NT

[Tricky Dicky]

Self amalgamating tape might do it and at least you will be able to get to the valve to turn it off should the need arise.

Richard

[John Rumm]

Some of the two part plumbing epoxy repair putty might be your best bet... kneed it until mixed, push into place, and perhaps bind with some insulating tape to support it while it sets.

[AJH]

I agree as it's not under mains pressure, I have just had to use this on the stem of a towel rail valve where the gland failed and it is still holding after 3 weeks. I'll drain down and repack in the summer.

It has the advantage of being removable.

AJH

[tabbypurr]

IMLE it has no ability to hold onto a surface while it sets.

NT

[Dave Liquorice]

+1 That would be my first choice. I assume that by "screw" the OP means the on/off slot not the large flange and nut that connect the valve to the pump. If that latter they do need the faces ot be cleaned off and a new fibre or rubber washer to seal...

I'd start the SA tape around what is available around the screw for afew layers leaving a bit protruding, squish that against the screw and wrap several layers right round the valve over the screw. If those tend to form a tent from screw to body wrap more around to tighten it up.

[Robin]

I forgot to say this is a sealed system which sits at c. 1.25 bar when cold and usually runs at at c. 1.9 bar.

Sorry, not a lot of sleep last night.

[www.GymRatZ.co.uk]

I've used it as an emergency bodge^M^M^M^M Repair on 22mm CH pipe when it pin-holed above the suspended ceiling in our shop. Didn't drain down the system just mixed up the putty, moulded it around the pipe and IIRC bound it up with self amalgamating tape.

That was about 16 or 17 years ago. Haven't looked at it since.

Self amalgamating tape in it's own right would probably do the trick in OP's situation.

[Nick Odell]

Milliput epoxy putty claims to grip and set underwater - there's a testimonial regarding an underwater repair at sea on their page here:

If I were in your situation I think I would emery paper around the leak to give the Milliput something to key into then give it a go. Disclaimer: I've used Milliput for all sorts of things but never tested its underwater qualities myself.

Nick

[newshound]

I'm surprised to read of success with self amalgamating tape but in any case you probably won't have room to wind it round a pump coupling securely enough.

I'd endorse proper plumbers' epoxy putty though. I would depressurise the system before trying to apply it, though; I've used it on a "dripping" DHW cylinder with about 4 foot head of water (i.e. about 0.1 bar) but would be less optimistic about applying it against a 1 bar plus leak. It will hold this fine when it is set, though.

[newshound]

Not my experience, I've had it stick fine to wet copper and brass. Even with a (tiny) leak. It will depend on the pressure behind the leak though.

[tabbypurr]

Depressurising it fully for 24 hours will be necessary if gluing. The only other thing I'd try under pressure would be a jubilee to put back pressure on whatever's sealing it.

NT

[Robin]

Thanks to all for their the suggestions - if only for the entertainment value :)

2-part epoxy was my uneducated guess (bearing in mind the temperature) so I'm going with that.

But not just yet. Having decided on epoxy a quick look online showed Toolstation had Everbuild Plumbers Epoxy Aqua Repair with 3 in stock at my local branch. I've just returned empty handed as I'd missed that they also showed them as "Currently unavailable". Seems they've had reports of problems with the batch so have recalled the lot.

I hope I'm more tired than I'd realised. That's better than the alternatives :(

[Graham.]

33 years ago I applied some Araldite around a weeping bleed valve BSP thread in the top of a radiator It's still fine.

[Roger Mills]

Like many others, I'd go for self-amalgamating tape. But before doing that, try turning the screw backwards and forwards a few times. I've had ball valves which have miraculously re-seated themselves and stopped leaking when I've done that.

[Cynic]

Those 1/4 turn valve pump unions are spawned by the devil. I stopped using them and moved to gate valve type. Even though they sometimes failed to shut off tight at least they had an accessible gland on the spindle.

[Robin]

I tried self-amalgamating tape given the many votes for it. Turns out pressure on the screw causes the flow to increase - quite dramatically so if the force is a tad off-axis :(

[Harry Bloomfield]

Roger Mills expressed precisely :

I would agree with that, it may just be a bit of grit or limescale has worked into the sealing surface. Operating it will break it up and allow it to reseal (maybe).