Hi all
I have recently installed an automatic shutoff on my home water supply. I have all of the connections soldered and threaded properly, but one of them won't stop leaking.
Look at the ball valve with the red handle. Coming out above it is a male threaded fitting that is then soldered to the pipe above it.
I can't get the connection between the ball valve and the male fitting to stop leaking. I cranked it really tight and am afraid to tighten it more for fear of stripping or breaking it. This is with two 12" wrenches on it so it's pretty tight.
I had thread lubricant on it (Megaloc?) and removed it and things got slightly better. A very tiny pinhole type stream of water went away and now the threads are just dripping slightly. One drip about every few seconds.
Replaced the ball valve, no change. Thought the threads were stripped or damaged even though it was brand new.
Replaced the male fitting (desoldered and then re-soldered a new one on the pipe) and no change.
All of this is 3/4 copper
Wondering if maybe I have the wrong male fitting? Is there a different type and I have the wrong one? (compression, MPT, etc.)
This is the exact male fitting I purchased:
https://www.homedepot.ca/product/aq...er-to-male/1000116933?searchterm=773638758161
Since the copper nipple coming out of the bottom of the ball valve doesn't leak, I'm considering just putting the same kind of nipple in the top, and installing a female fitting on the pipe and connecting to that. Basically the female version of the male fitting I've shown above, plus a nipple between that and the ball valve.
BTW when I put a 3/4" plug into the top of the ball valve and run everything with full water pressure, it works fine. It's definitely the male fitting that is the problem for some reason!
I guess another option is to go from the nipple (going into the bottom of the ball valve) to a female adapter, then solder in a ball valve on the pipe (so no nipples going into or out of the ball valve.. just a pipe with a ball valve soldered into the middle of it. Same # of connections but I can avoid this pesky leaky connection
Any thoughts?
I have recently installed an automatic shutoff on my home water supply. I have all of the connections soldered and threaded properly, but one of them won't stop leaking.
Look at the ball valve with the red handle. Coming out above it is a male threaded fitting that is then soldered to the pipe above it.
I can't get the connection between the ball valve and the male fitting to stop leaking. I cranked it really tight and am afraid to tighten it more for fear of stripping or breaking it. This is with two 12" wrenches on it so it's pretty tight.
I had thread lubricant on it (Megaloc?) and removed it and things got slightly better. A very tiny pinhole type stream of water went away and now the threads are just dripping slightly. One drip about every few seconds.
Replaced the ball valve, no change. Thought the threads were stripped or damaged even though it was brand new.
Replaced the male fitting (desoldered and then re-soldered a new one on the pipe) and no change.
All of this is 3/4 copper
Wondering if maybe I have the wrong male fitting? Is there a different type and I have the wrong one? (compression, MPT, etc.)
This is the exact male fitting I purchased:
https://www.homedepot.ca/product/aq...er-to-male/1000116933?searchterm=773638758161
Since the copper nipple coming out of the bottom of the ball valve doesn't leak, I'm considering just putting the same kind of nipple in the top, and installing a female fitting on the pipe and connecting to that. Basically the female version of the male fitting I've shown above, plus a nipple between that and the ball valve.
BTW when I put a 3/4" plug into the top of the ball valve and run everything with full water pressure, it works fine. It's definitely the male fitting that is the problem for some reason!
I guess another option is to go from the nipple (going into the bottom of the ball valve) to a female adapter, then solder in a ball valve on the pipe (so no nipples going into or out of the ball valve.. just a pipe with a ball valve soldered into the middle of it. Same # of connections but I can avoid this pesky leaky connection
Any thoughts?