Hot Water Cylinder Leaking

[Paulo663]

After some advice please. Just installed a new indirect vented copper cylinder and I've got a small weep from the cold water in Male iron 22mm x 1. I use plumbers tape wrapping the threads approximately 10 times.
I've just ordered a 1inch fibre washer, will the washer help and should I apply a larger number of plumbers tape.
Thanks I advance Paul

 

[Rickster123]

21 raps of ptfe for me. And a smear of paste on the olive. (Balls to the paste haters!)

 

[Paulo663]

Thanks for the reply, will fitting a fibre washer double the chances of success as I don't want to have to drain down the tank a second time

 

[Chalked]

Try 20 turns, and a bit of paste. They are parallel threads.

 

[IDCHAPPY]

21 raps of ptfe for me. And a smear of paste on the olive. (Balls to the paste haters!)

Totally mate, I'd smear jet white on my balls if I could get away with it

 

[Irish]

Totally mate, I'd smear jet white on my balls if I could get away with it

what's stopping you?

 

[kris]

Totally mate, I'd smear jet white on my balls if I could get away with it

As long as its not Boss White Balls

 

[Irish]

As long as its not Boss White Balls

sounds like you've got experience there fella?

 

[IDCHAPPY]

what's stopping you?

I ran out last week

 

[Ray Stafford]

I ran out last week

Of balls or Jet white? One I can help you with. The other - you are on yer own...

 

[Bronze_tap]

21 raps of ptfe for me. And a smear of paste on the olive. (Balls to the paste haters!)

Fernox LSX is also great for this. Jut put a bit on a thread before screwing in.

PS: With old rusty iron pipes/threads jointing hemp + (LSX or paint) worked better than PTFE tape.
PPS: On a threaded joints used for high hot water pressure systems one can use hemp + metal oxide primer or oil based paint.
If strugling with old threaded hemp/paint set diss assembly - apply a bit of heat by the blowtorch to soften the paint.

 

[SimonG]

Tape and paste, never fails.

 

[Rickster123]

Fernox LSX is also great for this. Jut put a bit on a thread before screwing in.

PS: With old rusty iron pipes/threads jointing hemp + (LSX or paint) worked better than PTFE tape.
PPS: On a threaded joints used for high hot water pressure systems one can use hemp + metal oxide primer or oil based paint.
If strugling with old threaded hemp/paint set diss assembly - apply a bit of heat by the blowtorch to soften the paint.

lsx is the devils work!

 

[helpsy]

I thought it was illegal to use hemp now.

 

[helpsy]

Against the regs if I believe correctly.

 

[Ermintrude]

Locktight 55 and jet blue you knuckle draggers!

 

[Best]

A male straight should have been capable of tightening fully into the cylinder joint & therefore tightening against the flanges - so it should not have leaked!
You obviously must have used too little tape. Don't just think of the number of turns of tape required as what also is important is if the fitting feels nice & tight when going in at least the last two turns. If it is not having much resistance then it hasn't a well packed thread seal & might leak.
i tend to taper the tape, that is, I put 2 or 3 extra narrow turns of tape at the shoulder side of the fitting to guarantee it tightens up. Ptfe tape is superb & superior to hemp, which is from the past & frankly shouldn't be used on many things.
Always use paste, - Jet Lube is good & it gives a fine seal & lubricates the joint aiding more tape into it sometimes also.

And I should add, - I still very occasionally tighten a male fitting up & realise it is far too slack & remove it & redo the tape & tighten up again. My concern is I obviously don't want to overdo the tape which would mean it will push back off the fitting as I tighten it & risk splitting the threads on the cylinder or whatever. I never have any weeps.
Threads vary, believe it or not - male & female & some things require different amounts of tape.

 

[lame plumber]

never used a fibre washer on cylinder connections, you barking up the wrong tree there, do post some photos, they could be worthy of comment.

 

[Paulo663]

Thanks for all the advice chaps. Redrained tank yesterday and used Fernox LSX on the male irons. Tape seemed a bit of a gamble for a DIY chap as not enough will give a leak and to much could split the tank threads as advised.
Tank only needed replacing as whoever installed must've flush the system.
Replaced the electrical socket fronts last year finding the radiator mounting bracket bolt from the next room sticking through the plastic pattern box and hard up against the old socket front back.
These new builds are just thrown together - 8 years and needed a new tank !.

 

[Paulo663]

Cheers again for all the advice.

 

[Paulo663]

Cheers again chaps

 

[lame plumber]

watch this space, silicone sealant on a hot water joint bound to leak in the end

 

[Paulo663]

lame plumber, still not leaking !.

 

[oz-plumber]

lame plumber, still not leaking !.

Give it time sunshine

Experience V DIY'er.

Hot water can do amazing things to pipe joints - expanding and contracting continuously.

If you haven't used tape then you may be up for a joint that will be a problem in the future.
Good luck with it anyway.

Hope you don't or won't require insurance cover for this in the future.

 

[Paulo663]

Got me worried again, I've a free day next week so I will redo with tape as thats the general a pinion on how best to do the job!. The cylinder will be able to drain it's self shortly.

 

[oz-plumber]

Mate,

You have come on here, wanting free advice, and people have tried to steer you in the right direction.

You have tried to fix the problem to the best of your ability and you have taken a DIY'ers approach and a DIY'ers remedy.

It's something you are obviously concerned about and you are having second thoughts about your ability to fix the problem.

If a Plumber did the connection and it leaked, you would call him / her back.
If a Plumber did the connection and it leaked and caused damage they would be covered by their insurance.

If you did the connection and it leaks and causes damage, your insurance would leave you high and dry ( or in the saturated state that you would be in)

The cost of repairs would probably have to be on you.

Why don't you get someone who can fix the problem - for your piece of mind at least.

Oz Plumber

 

[Paulo663]

Oz I'm not your mate or your sunshine either.
As I've said in my last post, I'm going to redo correctly as advised with tape and paste.
Came to this forum for advice, some people have gave it and some have just taken the :nonod:!.
Would have got a plumber but a number of them have dropped me in it, so decided to do the job myself.
I'm no plumber, but can turn my hands to most things. Just given the wrong advice in the first place by a ex plumber.
But knowing how much tape needs to be applied is down to experience, which by the time I've fixed it, I should have a little more DIY plumbing experience - maybe this forum should be for plumbers only - but then who would you have to take the :nonod: out of !.
I've a trade, and would gladly help with advice anyone who required it so they could sort out the problem and save themselves a few quid - us working people have to stick together.

 

[Ermintrude]

You tell the dirty ozzy! He's descended from criminals any way. Use ptfe and a snot of paste . Jet blue or hawk white

 

[PlumbBobBob]

Paolo663 lose the attitude it was clearly banter and not aimed at you personally.

 

[SimonG]

I thought oz-plumbers response was a good one. To the op I know a plumber who ended up buying another new cylinder because he couldn't get the cold feed connection to stop leaking, why, because he doesn't use paste.

15 wraps and a smear of paste.

We have a good sense of humour on here, sometimes there is a sense of humour failure. If it's not your cup of tea, fair enough.

 

[lame plumber]

Oz I'm not your mate or your sunshine either.
As I've said in my last post, I'm going to redo correctly as advised with tape and paste.
Came to this forum for advice, some people have gave it and some have just taken the :nonod:!.
Would have got a plumber but a number of them have dropped me in it, so decided to do the job myself.
I'm no plumber, but can turn my hands to most things. Just given the wrong advice in the first place by a ex plumber.
But knowing how much tape needs to be applied is down to experience, which by the time I've fixed it, I should have a little more DIY plumbing experience - maybe this forum should be for plumbers only - but then who would you have to take the :nonod: out of !.
I've a trade, and would gladly help with advice anyone who required it so they could sort out the problem and save themselves a few quid - us working people have to stick together.

could be why its the ukplumbersforum? dont understand where oz comes into it ??

 

[oz-plumber]

Oz I'm not your mate or your sunshine either.

Obviously!!

As I've said in my last post, I'm going to redo correctly as advised with tape and paste.

For the - how many times?

Came to this forum for advice, some people have gave it and some have just taken the :nonod:!.

What do you expect? Love?

Would have got a plumber but a number of them have dropped me in it, so decided to do the job myself.

Wonder why?

I'm no plumber, but can turn my hands to most things. Just given the wrong advice in the first place by a ex plumber.

As stated by yourself - 'I'm no Plumber' & 'given advice by ex-plumber'

But knowing how much tape needs to be applied is down to experience, which by the time I've fixed it, I should have a little more DIY plumbing experience

Now you know how much tape to apply, you can start your own Plumbing business

- maybe this forum should be for plumbers only - but then who would you have to take the :nonod: out of !.

Other Plumbers - we are like mangy dogs, we can smell each other from miles away!
And we only get close enough to each other so that the nits and lice we carry can jump - to stop inbreeding

I've a trade, and would gladly help with advice anyone who required it so they could sort out the problem and save themselves a few quid

Better them to save a few quid than you putting a few quid in your pocket.

us working people have to stick together.

Agreed - I don't associate with the unemployed.
I get too jealous

Hope you fix your leak!

 

[oz-plumber]

You tell the dirty ozzy! He's descended from criminals any way. Use ptfe and a snot of paste . Jet blue or hawk white

The criminal element has survived and is thriving.
Went to a family reunion 5 years ago.
Wife was shocked .. related to some of Melbourne's underworld.
Feeling lonely at times - half of them are now dead

 

[Paulo663]

Wouldn't be putting money in my pocket, work for a car manufacturer now, final salary pension, private health care, paid holidays.
So would be helping someone like yourself Oz save money instead of taking your car or van to a main dealer and getting charged ridiculous prices per hour.
Reading other threads that you have replied to, I'm not the only one who has suffered from the Oz sense of humour.
Your most likely a well skilled plumber and does a very good job, can't knock a man for that !.
The plumbers I call, only one of the four turned up to give an estimate after saying they would.
Then the plumber that gave me the estimate, dropped my job for a full central heating install - didn't even phone up to let me know, had taken a holiday off work for nothing.
Then a week later turned up as he had a free day inbetween jobs asking if I still wanted the job doing
I hope I get it fixed too !.

 

[josh]

Got a bit catty chaps!


loctite on everything other than rad valve tails, PTFE for that.
Don't need paste with Loctite, never let us down yet.
paste is only for olives!

and LSX for anything other than getting you out of trouble is expensive and a bit messier!

 

[kris]

I here alot of folks say locktite ive never used it in my life, im not saying not to im just saying i never have ,,

 

[SimonG]

Never used it. Just swapped to an electronic fga, that's enough change for one year. I'll stick with my ptfe and paste

 

[kris]

Not to off subject simon but what one did u get??

 

[josh]

Lol when you recover from the cost give it a whirl in the future, does its job.

 

[SimonG]

TPI, it's a rental. 24 a month inc vat. Hand it back in 12 months and get another. No calibration or repair expenses.

 

[kris]

Nice one its like a kid on xmas day when they first arrive, i use the testo 330-1ll some piece of kit,

Appoligees to anyone for going off the topic ,, continue

 

[lame plumber]

TPI, it's a rental. 24 a month inc vat. Hand it back in 12 months and get another. No calibration or repair expenses.

Kane 455 CPA1 kitfm JMW costs £586 + vat and 5 x £80 + vat for 5 years calibrations and postage totalling £50 gives total of £1233.20.

TPI rental at £24 x 5 x 12 = £1440 ie costs you £206.8 more and you dont have the printer and other bits left over to carry on using when you replace it. Being that the kane has warranty of 5 years, better to buy it surely, plus the fact its a better bit of kit

 

[SimonG]

Quite happy renting it. What do you mean about the printer?

 

[kris]

The 455 is a favourite of mine then when the cells were due to be changed (all of them) i went for the newer testo with the coloured screen , (fancied a changed) it does have a pretty price tag , but really worth every penny for all that it does,

Testo 330-1 LL - Flue Gas Analysers | Testo Limited Instruments

 

[lame plumber]

Quite happy renting it. What do you mean about the printer?

I'll replace the fga at yr 5 probably but my printer is already 8 yr old and going fine so I will only buy the fga isrelf which will be cheaper again, but my old one will also go on e bay and raise £100 plus so win win again

 

[SimonG]

Ah with you now. It was a bit late last night. Does the warranty cover the cells?

 

[lame plumber]

Ah with you now. It was a bit late last night. Does the warranty cover the cells?

covers the lot as I understand as long as kane service it annually under their fixed cost scheme

 

[Ray Stafford]

Kane 455 CPA1 kitfm JMW costs £586 + vat and 5 x £80 + vat for 5 years calibrations and postage totalling £50 gives total of £1233.20.

TPI rental at £24 x 5 x 12 = £1440 ie costs you £206.8 more and you dont have the printer and other bits left over to carry on using when you replace it. Being that the kane has warranty of 5 years, better to buy it surely, plus the fact its a better bit of kit

Depends on whether you have the spare cash, and what value you put on the option to change your mind annually. Buying is almost always better than renting IF YOU ARE SURE that you want to own that specific model/car/house/wife for a long period. The benefit of renting is usually that the exit cost is lower if you change your mind.

 

[Centralheatking]

Yes to PTFE BUT we always twist it 8x half way through the wrap and then go flat to finish
in my opinion this makes the joint better centralheatking and why not smack some boss on it
each to his own - CHK

21 raps of ptfe for me. And a smear of paste on the olive. (Balls to the paste haters!)

 

[kay-jay]

Never looked back since I discovered loctite.