Can anyone help - leaking cylinder repair suggestions?

[WHPES]

I have a problem with a leaking cylinder. At the connections to the coil, it looks like the rubber washers between the coil and the cylinder have perished and water is leaking out. The nuts are welded on by the manufacturer so there's no undoing them and replacing the washers in the normal way.

There's nothing wrong with the cylinder other than this (and that is out of warranty) and I was wondering if I might be able to enact a repair.

The thing I thought of was to remove the traces of the washer, clean up and flux and make it into a soldered joint. Has anyone ever tried this or have any other suggestions?

In theory I don't see anything preventing me from doing this, but maybe I'm missing something?

 

[Best]

Are you sure the nuts are welded to cylinder? Often they just look like that, as the whole cyl is sprayed later.

 

[quality]

I have carried out a similar repair in the past but rather than soldering I have brazed the stubs with a phosphorous brazing rod as its stronger and easier

 

[ecowarm]

as above see if you can get them undone, if not I would try to solder

 

[WHPES]

Tried already and checked with Manufacturer. They are resistance welded on.

 

[quality]

Brazing or replacement seem the only two options then

 

[stevetheplumber]

cant see why the would use a nut and then weld it ??ive wound the nuts back on primaries and wound tape in then retightened works about 50 50

 

[aido]

The best repair would be to replace the cylinder with a new one .:smartass:

 

[Sanke]

My local suppliers have a product called plumbers gold (silicone type tube) this can be used to seal cracks/leaks etc even under water so may be worth a try if you can get it

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

the problem with soldering as i see it is getting the surfaces clean you really need to braze or solder behind the nut why the need for repair whpes rather than replace?

 

[Puddle]

As you say ,clean out rubber joint,make sure you tin it well and tin bonds to nut ok and just get some stick solder or two and wipe a joint round them

Trouble is however in this modern world with live in,although you are doing the customer a favour ,if anything happens in future,customer will probably be straight on to you to carry blame

Unless a special ,I would just say sorry,new cylinder......... stupid nuts are welded,wonder why they do that ?

 

[scotty plumber]

I agree with puddle

 

[REDSAW]

i did one with lsx last year.

 

[southcoastboile]

same ere, lsx, ptfe, lsx, ptfe lsx till u get boored, just wrap it around it, worked for me

 

[Puddle]

same ere, lsx, ptfe, lsx, ptfe lsx till u get boored, just wrap it around it, worked for me

Not saying it does not work and if family maybe

But in professional terms,I look at it as 'risk' and 'reward' and I can not see the reward being big enough to take the risk

imho

 

[Best]

I have used flax & Boss White paste on several coils that were leaking due to fibre washer failing on old cylinders, - or sometimes no washer on outside. This works perfectly, & permanently, as heat from cylinder will make Boss White seal well.
Ptfe & Boss White would do same.

 

[Mike Jackson]

As Puddle said if it goes pear shaped you'll get the blame. At best I would attempt a temp repair to keep the customer going while a new cylinder was being ordered.

 

[Best]

If it was my own cylinder & in good condition, I wouldn't worry about doing a repair with jointing materials - nothing to go wrong. A few hundred quid or a few minute job, I know what I would choose!
Appreciate you have to be careful doing a quick fix favour, as you are the fall guy if something later happens.