Water leak in threaded connectors

[KenK]

I am trying to replace the leaky water line to my evaporative cooler. I
made an adapter to go from the male end of a water hose to the 1/4" copper
line cooler connection. This worked with no problems for the old water line
for a decade or more. The adaptor is a brass round piece that screws on the
hose male connection with a center threaded hole. Into the hole is a little
brass adaptor from that thread/diameter to a 1/4" copper-line compression
fitting. I am having water leaks at the threaded connections - hose,
adapter and copper-line connector - it's hard to tell exactly where the
water is coming from. I tried teflon tape - it helped a little but I still
get drip, drip, drip.

Any suggestions? Some sort of anti-leak fluid that will harden and seal
things? Something to put on threads in addition to or along with the teflon
tape?

TIA

--
"Where there's smoke there's toast!" Anon

[Nate Nagel]

When you say "water hose" do you mean a garden hose? You didn't lose
the little washer that goes in the FGH connection did you?

If that's not the problem, Permatex No. 2 will pretty much stop any
leak, but it is alcohol soluble so don't use it for your still. (it's
also messy as hell, so keep some shop rags and a bottle of alcohol handy...)

nate

--

replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

[KenK]

Nate Nagel <njn...@roosters.net> wrote in
news:krrml...@news6.newsguy.com:

> On 07/13/2013 09:48 AM, KenK wrote:
>> I am trying to replace the leaky water line to my evaporative cooler.
>> I made an adapter to go from the male end of a water hose to the 1/4"
>> copper line cooler connection. This worked with no problems for the
>> old water line for a decade or more. The adaptor is a brass round
>> piece that screws on the hose male connection with a center threaded
>> hole. Into the hole is a little brass adaptor from that
>> thread/diameter to a 1/4" copper-line compression fitting. I am
>> having water leaks at the threaded connections - hose, adapter and
>> copper-line connector - it's hard to tell exactly where the water is
>> coming from. I tried teflon tape - it helped a little but I still
>> get drip, drip, drip.
>>
>> Any suggestions? Some sort of anti-leak fluid that will harden and
>> seal things? Something to put on threads in addition to or along with
>> the teflon tape?
>>
>> TIA
>>
>
> When you say "water hose" do you mean a garden hose?

Yes.

> You didn't lose
> the little washer that goes in the FGH connection did you?

No

Also, I turned down the water pressure to hose as low as I could.

> If that's not the problem, Permatex No. 2 will pretty much stop any
> leak, but it is alcohol soluble so don't use it for your still. (it's
> also messy as hell, so keep some shop rags and a bottle of alcohol
> handy...)
>
> nate
>

Won't hurt the cooler water pump? Never tried this, or even heard of it.

[Jon Danniken]

On 07/13/2013 06:48 AM, KenK wrote:
> I am having water leaks at the threaded connections - hose,
> adapter and copper-line connector - it's hard to tell exactly where the
> water is coming from.

Perhaps so, but unless you want to replace the entire adaptor train, you
will need to do so. One trick that helps is to use a strip of an
absorbent fabric, and wrap it in a targeted manner around each specific
interface (hose-adaptor, adaptor-adaptor, adaptor-compression), then see
if liquid water is still coming from somewhere.

By this process, you can determine specifically which fitting is leaking.

Bear in mind that the more you twiddle with pipe threads, the less
chance they have to do their job, as the threads are cut on an angle so
that there is interference, and the threads deform to create the seal.
Repeated disassembly/reassembly starts to weaken this interface, leading
to leaks and/or the requirement for an amount of force which will break
the fittings (hence the suggestion to just start off fresh with new
fittings).

That having been said, sometimes teflon paste (not tape) can help stop a
very small leak, but if you are getting a constant dripping it is
probably a bit too much of a leak.

Jon

[Stormin Mormon]

Sometimes Rectorseal #5 non hardening painted over the top of the teflon tape helps. Found at most hardware stores, and Walmarts, and Kmarts in the plumbing section.
.
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.
.
"KenK" <inv...@invalid.com> wrote in message news:XnsA1FC454D48...@130.133.4.11...

[Don Phillipson]

> On 07/13/2013 06:48 AM, KenK wrote:

>> I am having water leaks at the threaded connections - hose,
>> adapter and copper-line connector - it's hard to tell exactly where the
>> water is coming from.

"Jon Danniken" <jonSPAM...@yaSMPAhoo.com> wrote in message
news:krrpd2$r22$1...@speranza.aioe.org...

> . . . sometimes teflon paste (not tape) can help stop a

> very small leak, but if you are getting a constant dripping it is
> probably a bit too much of a leak.

Teflon tape seems to stop major leaks if you use enough of
it. For pool connections (all plastic) expert Sam at the pool
store recommends six turns of teflon tape over the threads
and three more over the butt, where the threads end. This
cured major leaks here.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

[Erik]

In article <krsjj4$ui0$1...@speranza.aioe.org>,

"Don Phillipson" <e9...@SPAMBLOCK.ncf.ca> wrote:

> > On 07/13/2013 06:48 AM, KenK wrote:
>
> >> I am having water leaks at the threaded connections - hose,
> >> adapter and copper-line connector - it's hard to tell exactly where the
> >> water is coming from.

If I understand correctly, you have a garden hose connection involved?

If so, I've had issues in the past where those flimsy stamped sheet
brass male couplings develop cracks in their threads. I think most were
caused by dropping the hose end with nozzle attached... but could see
them cracking over time as well.

If it is such a connection, all the sealing is done with the washer...
and I doubt any sealer would seal big sloppy threads like that.

Just my .02¢ worth, good luck, let us know what you find!

Erik

[Stormin Mormon]

Permatex IIb non hardening is good gasket
stuff. It's mostly sold for automotive (like
thermostat gaskets on the engine). Rector-
seal #5 soft set is sold for water pipe threads.

.
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.
.

"KenK" <inv...@invalid.com> wrote in message news:XnsA1FC4A44B6...@130.133.4.11...

[dadiOH]

New washer.


--

dadiOH
____________________________

Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race?
Taxes out of hand? Maybe just ready for a change?
Check it out... http://www.floridaloghouse.net

[hrho...@sbcglobal.net]

On Saturday, July 13, 2013 8:48:44 AM UTC-5, KenK wrote:
> I am trying to replace the leaky water line to my evaporative cooler. I made an adapter to go from the male end of a water hose to the 1/4" copper line cooler connection. This worked with no problems for the old water line for a decade or more. The adaptor is a brass round piece that screws on the hose male connection with a center threaded hole. Into the hole is a little brass adaptor from that thread/diameter to a 1/4" copper-line compression fitting. I am having water leaks at the threaded connections - hose, adapter and copper-line connector - it's hard to tell exactly where the water is coming from. I tried teflon tape - it helped a little but I still get drip, drip, drip. Any suggestions? Some sort of anti-leak fluid that will harden and seal things? Something to put on threads in addition to or along with the teflon tape? TIA -- "Where there's smoke there's toast!" Anon

You say the original system worked for a decade or longer. What is new, the garden hose????

[Bob F]

Find the leak, then fix it.

Dry everything completely, then apply water pressure and start touching each
joint, looking for water on your finger. Once you find the leak, fix it.

Replace the washer of there is one in the joint.

For pipe threads, wrap them with 7 or more wraps of teflon tape, then tighten
securly. Or, coat the male threads with joint compound, then wrap with teflon.

For compression fittings, tighten them replace them, or possible try a thin
washer or teflon wrap on the contact surfaces.

[KenK]

"Don Phillipson" <e9...@SPAMBLOCK.ncf.ca> wrote in
news:krsjj4$ui0$1...@speranza.aioe.org:

I redid the teflon tape. First time I used only one or two layers. This
time I wound around five or six layers on all connections. That may have
done it! Thanks much.

[KenK]

"hrho...@sbcglobal.net" <hrho...@sbcglobal.net> wrote in
news:68542f49-19c3-410d...@googlegroups.com:

Everything but the short copper line between the adapter and the cooler.

[dpb]

On 7/14/2013 10:11 AM, KenK wrote:
...

>> You say the original system worked for a decade or longer. What is
>> new, the garden hose????
>>
> Everything but the short copper line between the adapter and the cooler.

Prime candidate for a leak then would be the old compression
fitting...did you replace it on the tubing or try to reuse the existing one?

There's no mating thread that is a sealing thread in the whole thing
excepting for the threaded compression fitting end into the adaptor so
there's the only place where any use for teflon tape or pipe dope or
whatever.

The garden hose seal is the washer in the FGH fitting to the hose end;
if it's new to be pliable and not dirty and the hose end isn't boogered
up then hand tight or a little extra w/ a pair of pliers certainly ought
to be enough.

The compression fittings seal around the ferule and mating surfaces; the
threads are only for the application of closing pressure between the
two. Again, if one end was used, the highest probability is that it is
dirty from sediments and/or scratched or otherwise not mating well w/
the new end. One thing that can help is just a little grease (or
vaseline, even) -- it'll seal really small imperfections and not harm
anything else in a non-potable supply like this (and really not in
potable either unless you just gob it all over everywhere...)

--