4 days cycling...Now a freakin' leak shows!

Idoc · Aug 18, 2017

Back to the drawing board! Everything great for 4 days after starting the cycle, then noticed the full siphon line making a lot of noise empting into the sump this morning (Herbie style drain). Further inspection showed the noise was from a lot of air in the line causing bubbles to be released into the sump (drain line submerged 1").

Checking the overflow, I noticed the water dripping about an inch over the weir which was causing some bubbles going lower into the overflow that could be sucked into the full siphon line... but the larger amount coming out into the sump didn't make sense. Anyhow, i raised my emergency pipe to only let the water drop about 1/4" over the weir, minimal bubbles in the overflow, but still a lot in the sump!

So, totally shut off the siphon drain and forced everything through the emergency drain line. When opening the gate valve up again over the full siphon line, I noticed some water leak out of the bottom threaded connection on my gate valve!!! I'm only an eye doc, so plumbing definitely isn't my area of expertise... but learned something today...a leak on the full siphon line won't leak water out, but rather it must suction the water back into the line!

Well, I'll be tearing this apart and rebuilding that connecting! I used very little thread sealant the first time... won't make that mistake again!

ReeferMaddness843 · Aug 18, 2017

Whew. I expected way worse when I read the title. Congrats on locating the leak and catching it early!

Idoc · Aug 18, 2017

ReeferMaddness843 said:
Whew. I expected way worse when I read the title. Congrats on locating the leak and catching it early!

I guess you are right, it could have been a much worse (and way more messy) of a leak!

Flippers4pups · Aug 18, 2017

Been there and done that! Hey at least you caught it early! Let us know when you get it sealed.

Side note off topic, I use to make cataract surgery forceps for a living.
Capsulorhexis forceps, lens inserter forceps, tying forceps........etc.

wwhite · Aug 18, 2017

If it's below the valve it's a easy fix. Close the valve and cut the line and fix it without stopping the cycle.

Idoc · Aug 18, 2017

wwhite said:
If it's below the valve it's a easy fix. Close the valve and cut the line and fix it without stopping the cycle.

Since its leaking at the threaded connection, I think I can just un-thread that connection, put on more thread sealant, and re-thread the connection...as long as the threads aren't damaged! If that is possible, I'm going to reseal the top threaded connection as well. I used very little thread sealant the first time (only covered the first 2 threads)...watched a freakin YouTube video recomnending that..big mistake!

Idoc · Aug 18, 2017

Flippers4pups said:
Been there and done that! Hey at least you caught it early! Let us know when you get it sealed.

Side note off topic, I use to make cataract surgery forceps for a living.
Capsulorhexis forceps, lens inserter forceps, tying forceps........etc.

Small world! Now not too many people can say they made cataract forceps for a living, lol. I do other minor surgeries, but don't mess with invasive surgeries, like cataracts...optometrist type eye doc here, lol.

wwhite · Aug 18, 2017

It looked like that wasn't possible from the picture. I'm not a fan of thread sealant but prefer teflon tape.

dowsetts101 · Aug 18, 2017

This is very timely for me...I'm literally about to walk out the door to the plumbing supplier to buy all my PVC fittings for my new build...

"Mental note...buy teflon tape"

Good thing you caught it early...but the four day delay....it was lulling you into a false sense of security!!

wwhite · Aug 18, 2017

When wrapping the pin end with teflon tape wrap it in the same direction that the box end screws on. If you wrap it in the opposite direction it will try to unwrap as your screwing the two pieces together. Hope this makes sense

Idoc · Aug 18, 2017

dowsetts101 said:
This is very timely for me...I'm literally about to walk out the door to the plumbing supplier to buy all my PVC fittings for my new build...

"Mental note...buy teflon tape"

Good thing you caught it early...but the four day delay....it was lulling you into a false sense of security!!

Best to use solvent welds over threaded connections! But the $45 for a spears gate valve convinced me that I might want to change the plumbing later and use the gate valve again...so wetting with threaded. Check out this Lasco PVC fitting maker... says don't use teflon tape with PVC... but many do without problems!

http://www.lascofittings.com/threads

dowsetts101 · Aug 19, 2017

Idoc said:
Best to use solvent welds over threaded connections! But the $45 for a spears gate valve convinced me that I might want to change the plumbing later and use the gate valve again...so wetting with threaded. Check out this Lasco PVC fitting maker... says don't use teflon tape with PVC... but many do without problems!

http://www.lascofittings.com/threads

I chatted to the plumbing supplier today about that. Most of my connections are going to be glued, but a couple will be threaded.

The guys recommended to use teflon tape but only a little. He reckoned 5 turns was all that was necessary as a rule of thumb. His observation is that most plumbers use waaaayyy too much and that leads to problems as well.

I'll have threaded connections into my bulkhead and also one of my non-return valve but the rest will be glued.

Idoc · Aug 20, 2017

Took the drain line out to fix...it wasn't a leaky thread after all. Cracked valve at the threads! I guess I must have over tightened the connection... vs just a weak spot.

Well, looks like I need to get a new valve after all.

Bdog4u2 · Aug 20, 2017

Idoc said:
Took the drain line out to fix...it wasn't a leaky thread after all. Cracked valve at the threads! I guess I must have over tightened the connection... vs just a weak spot.

Well, looks like I need to get a new valve after all.

Non-hermit need to crank that hard on them let the pipe sealant do its job. Put a good bead around the beginning of the threads and it will go where it's needed as you tighten. I have around 30 years experience in plumbing and have never had any joints leak and I've plumbed a lot of tanks.

Big G · Aug 20, 2017

Yeah, that happens a lot. Suggest you look for Heavy Duty Teflon Tape. Home Depot sells it. It's much thicker and doesn't fall apart like the cheap stuff. Just a couple of wraps. Never had a leak with the Heavy Duty tape. Toss the cheap stuff.

Idoc · Aug 20, 2017

Bdog4u2 said:
Non-hermit need to crank that hard on them let the pipe sealant do its job. Put a good bead around the beginning of the threads and it will go where it's needed as you tighten. I have around 30 years experience in plumbing and have never had any joints leak and I've plumbed a lot of tanks.

I'm tempted to just replace it with a slip valve I could just solvent/cement instead of the threads. I used very little thread sealant on this broken one (just the first couple of threads)... but the schedule 80 adapter would only go in about 3/8" until it was hand tight. I've read only to go another 1-2 rotations past hand tight... does that sound right?