It probably doesn't help, but I don't suppose it does any harm.
The solvent weld cement works buy dissolving the outer layer of the plastic of the pipe fitting/pipe, which then sets, joining it altogether (hence the name).
The is unlike a standard adhesive, which has to bond to disparate materials, where roughening the surface can sometimes help.
In that case, cut it off and re-do it with new bits. Not worth the hassle to fiddle with it.
It's often quite difficult to re-make a joint on an installed system, you may have to cut quite a bit out to get sufficient access. But in this case if you can do that fairly easily it is certainly the best solution. That said, I have a "taped" coupling which has been fine for
20 years. Not actually a failed solvent weld, it's where I have coupled solvent weld to compression pipe (telescoped) and didn't have room for a compression fitting. Have also used it on things like overflow pipes. The thing it won't work on is pressurised pipes (although self amalgamating tape plus jubilee clips will).
One manufacturer's recommended way to make a solvent weld joint is:
Clean all surfaces thoroughly.
Apply primer to outside of pipe Apply primer to inside of socket Apply more primer to outside of pipe
Apply solvent weld to outside of pipe Apply solvent weld to inside of socket Apply more solvent weld to outside of pipe
Press pipe firmly into socket with a twisting action, ensuring that it engages fully with the reduced diameter section deeper in the socket (fitting a flange onto a 4" pipe I find a club hammer is needed for that last bit)
Personally, as it doesn't need to hold against pressure, I would whack an extra bit of solvent weld around the join, leave that to dry off, then wrap it in a few layers of self-amalgamating tape.
Colin Bignell
Tim Watts scribbled...
All joints in all materials should be clean - I do them automatically. It's not something you need to think about, is it?
RobertL scribbled...
Get carried away and you'd lose the snug fit. Drop a spot of solvent onto some plastic, you'll see the reaction, it's more a weld than gluing.
i'm sure some people prefer to drink the alcohol rather than waste it on wiping pipe joints :)
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