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ryanlee

Hi everyone, got a question...

Got a leaking (well, very slowly dripping) connection between a short length of 15mm copper and a washing machine hose inlet pipe. The leaking connection is a 15mm compression fitting with blue isolation switch. It joins on the copper side with a normal nut and a plastic washing machine inlet tube connector on the plastic pipe side. The plastic connector is screwed onto the thread of the compression fitting.

From looking at websites offering these items it seems they would be bought separately. Are they even meant to be linked up like this?

The sites all show the washing machine connector as having a 3/4inch thread. Is this the same size as the thread on a compression fitting for 15mm copper pipe? If so, then I suppose the problem will just be the fitting or washer itself.

Sorry for what is probably a stupid question but I can't work it out by staring at it and scratching my head. Have tired that for a good half an hour.

photo1142t.jpg


Thanks for your help in advance...

Oh, forgot to mention, although you could probably guess it from my talk of washers but the leak is dripping from the plastic side..
 
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Firstly the right angle bend on the hose is normally on the washing machine end.

The leak could be washer, faulty hose or simply not tightened enough. They are supposed to seal hand tight but I've often found you need to nip them up with a pair of water pump pliers. You can pick up a new hose from B&Q etc. if needed.

Mike
 
Hi it may be the shoulder of the plastic nut is fouling the valve when tightened,disallowing the joint to pinch up on washer.
 
Turn off, bung a new washer from B and Q in, turn on again. Usually its that simple. You can if you like use more than one washer. Just ask for washing machine hose washers. Should be about ÂŁ1 for a few of them.

Oh! yes and don't forget the tap only turns a quarter to the off position, so don't force it.

Some I've had only turned a quarter one way.

Sometimes it helps to put a bit of silicon grease on the threads, but watch you don't get it on the washers, if you do they can slide about all over the place as you tighten it up. Some reckon Petroleum jelly is just as good, the stuff Mum puts on the babies bum to stop nappy rash or Dad puts on the car battery terminals to stop them furring.
 
For the price of a new hose (3 or 4 quid) your better off renewing the hose, and this time fitting it the correct way as Mike states. In my experiance by the time you've messed around with the washer you could of changed the hose and this way if it wasn't the washer in the first place causing the drip then you dont then have to go out again and buy a hose. (crikey that was a long sentence). By the way its not the valve causing your leak but sometimes a few wraps of PTFE around the thread (of valve) before screwing on hose can help.
 
God please do not wrap ptfe on the threads!

Only if you want it to leak - the seal is made by the washer, which will not compress if you restrict the threads with ptfe.

People want to cover everything with bloody ptfe - it does acually cause problems if used incorrectly, particually on compression type fittings.

Rad tails, lcs pipe threads and the like rely on it as a jointing method. Elsewhere use with discrimination . . . .
 
Thanks very much everyone for your suggestions, the drip be vanquished!
 
God please do not wrap ptfe on the threads!

Only if you want it to leak - the seal is made by the washer, which will not compress if you restrict the threads with ptfe.

People want to cover everything with bloody ptfe - it does acually cause problems if used incorrectly, particually on compression type fittings.

Rad tails, lcs pipe threads and the like rely on it as a jointing method. Elsewhere use with discrimination . . . .
glad to see im not alone in my hatred of ptfe on every thread seeing it on comp fittings makes my blood boil
 
Went to a job this evening (im on call this week) to look at a leak from a flat going through the ceiling into the flat below. Anyway it was only a flexy supply (by the way i hate these) to the cold tap, and i renewed the washer and re-tightened. Job done. Then the tenant mentions that she gets a small leak from her washing machine hose and would i take a look. I turned off the valve and unscewed the hose, ah no washer, thats why it leaks. With no washing machine hoses or w/m hose washers on the van i wrapped around some PTFE around the thread of valve slightly overhanging the end of the threads, added a fibre washer to the hose, re-attached the hose turned on the valve and guess what no leak. Took me all of 30 seconds. Had a cup of tea and a chat for ten minutes and still fine. Told her to keep an eye on it for a few days and if it should leak she will need to get a new w/m hose washer or hose (washing machines/hoses are tenants responsability) im not a betting man but i would think she wont have any more problems with it.
So Avatar to say by adding some PTFE will cause it to leak is a daft statement and Steve who mentioned PTFE tape on compression fittings?
I posted the reply to the original poster based on experience and i stand by it.
By the way ryanlee, did you replace the washer or the complete hose?
 
If you use ptfe as a repair, you better know how to use it. I suppose it is possible to do what you say - I have used ptfe to beef up leaky olives, and once, very carefully as a tempory replacement for a washer.

I wouldnt wrap it round the threads of such a fitting however . . .

I use compression fitting all day long, and never use ptfe with them unless i repair an old leaky one.
 
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Can always tell which customers were avid Readers Digest manual DIYers from the 80's P.T.F.E. on everything - ha!
 
Nip to Diy superstore for this,Nip to Diy superstore for tha

B and Q is a good store but do not forget to support your local hardware store and plumber merchants,.On items like washers and fittings(and yes ptfe tape!) they will propably even are bit cheaper :)
 
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Using ptfe on the thread of a compression fitting or tap/hose connector, is like trying to use a car to try and fly to New York!

(not going to work/likely to make a mess of yourself/try to use things for what they are made for, please . . .)

Could make a good name for a new business for some avid wotsit.

'PTFE Plumbing and Heating'

We just wack ptfe on everything, then charge you ÂŁ50 !!!


Ha!!!!
 
I think this is exactly the problem I'm having... how do you fix this if the plastic nut is in the way of the valve so it can't be turned completely?
 
I think this is exactly the problem I'm having... how do you fix this if the plastic nut is in the way of the valve so it can't be turned completely?

Take the plastic handle off and rotate it 180 (so the tip points to the pipe) if I remember right
 
Oh my God!
Had a Leak. Bought a new cold tube from Homebase. Thought that would fix. Now two days, leak at one end then the other.
What other industry or walk of life would a product not work. We had Concorde, we have mobile phones, but to connect water pipes we have a large thread and a bit of rubber!
Reading up on what I studies at College as Polytetrafluoroethylene

PTFE, people say they use this as it has low friction to get nuts on further. I think by association it also acts to fill the voids in the threads and hold back the water.
Cannot believe that some improved method has not been invented, where the presence of water pressure actually increases the lack of egress.
Good luck all.
 
Many of the push fit fitting manufacturers would say they are already there but joe public won't pay 3 more for his washing machine so those fittings aren't used.

Anyway, topic is is quite old and already revisited once so closed off, start a new one if you want to carry on
 
You'll find more up to date threads than this in the main Pluming Forum. But I'm reply to this so we bump it up the list and get the pages indexed correctly because of the new update we've had. So just ignore this if it's all old news.

If you do reply, keep it polite and professional. You can disagree with the above posts, and just be professional with your reply.
 
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