Hot Water Cylinder Leaking

[Paulo663]

After some advice please. Just installed a new indirect vented copper cylinder and I've got a small weep from the cold water in Male iron 22mm x 1. I use plumbers tape wrapping the threads approximately 10 times.
I've just ordered a 1inch fibre washer, will the washer help and should I apply a larger number of plumbers tape.
Thanks I advance Paul

 

[Rickster123]

21 raps of ptfe for me. And a smear of paste on the olive. (Balls to the paste haters!)

 

[Paulo663]

Thanks for the reply, will fitting a fibre washer double the chances of success as I don't want to have to drain down the tank a second time

 

[Chalked]

Try 20 turns, and a bit of paste. They are parallel threads.

 

[IDCHAPPY]

21 raps of ptfe for me. And a smear of paste on the olive. (Balls to the paste haters!)

Totally mate, I'd smear jet white on my balls if I could get away with it 😱

 

[Irish]

Totally mate, I'd smear jet white on my balls if I could get away with it 😱

what's stopping you?

 

[kris]

Totally mate, I'd smear jet white on my balls if I could get away with it 😱

As long as its not Boss White Balls

 

[Irish]

As long as its not Boss White Balls

sounds like you've got experience there fella?

 

[IDCHAPPY]

what's stopping you?

I ran out last week 🙁

 

[Ray Stafford]

I ran out last week 🙁

Of balls or Jet white? One I can help you with. The other - you are on yer own...

 

[Bronze_tap]

21 raps of ptfe for me. And a smear of paste on the olive. (Balls to the paste haters!)

Fernox LSX is also great for this. Jut put a bit on a thread before screwing in.

PS: With old rusty iron pipes/threads jointing hemp + (LSX or paint) worked better than PTFE tape.
PPS: On a threaded joints used for high hot water pressure systems one can use hemp + metal oxide primer or oil based paint.
If strugling with old threaded hemp/paint set diss assembly - apply a bit of heat by the blowtorch to soften the paint.

 

[SimonG]

Tape and paste, never fails.

 

[Rickster123]

Fernox LSX is also great for this. Jut put a bit on a thread before screwing in.

PS: With old rusty iron pipes/threads jointing hemp + (LSX or paint) worked better than PTFE tape.
PPS: On a threaded joints used for high hot water pressure systems one can use hemp + metal oxide primer or oil based paint.
If strugling with old threaded hemp/paint set diss assembly - apply a bit of heat by the blowtorch to soften the paint.

lsx is the devils work!

 

[helpsy]

I thought it was illegal to use hemp now.

 

[helpsy]

Against the regs if I believe correctly.

 

[Ermintrude]

Locktight 55 and jet blue you knuckle draggers!

 

[Best]

A male straight should have been capable of tightening fully into the cylinder joint & therefore tightening against the flanges - so it should not have leaked!
You obviously must have used too little tape. Don't just think of the number of turns of tape required as what also is important is if the fitting feels nice & tight when going in at least the last two turns. If it is not having much resistance then it hasn't a well packed thread seal & might leak.
i tend to taper the tape, that is, I put 2 or 3 extra narrow turns of tape at the shoulder side of the fitting to guarantee it tightens up. Ptfe tape is superb & superior to hemp, which is from the past & frankly shouldn't be used on many things.
Always use paste, - Jet Lube is good & it gives a fine seal & lubricates the joint aiding more tape into it sometimes also.

And I should add, - I still very occasionally tighten a male fitting up & realise it is far too slack & remove it & redo the tape & tighten up again. My concern is I obviously don't want to overdo the tape which would mean it will push back off the fitting as I tighten it & risk splitting the threads on the cylinder or whatever. I never have any weeps.
Threads vary, believe it or not - male & female & some things require different amounts of tape.

 

[lame plumber]

never used a fibre washer on cylinder connections, you barking up the wrong tree there, do post some photos, they could be worthy of comment.

 

[Paulo663]

Thanks for all the advice chaps. Redrained tank yesterday and used Fernox LSX on the male irons. Tape seemed a bit of a gamble for a DIY chap as not enough will give a leak and to much could split the tank threads as advised.
Tank only needed replacing as whoever installed must've flush the system.
Replaced the electrical socket fronts last year finding the radiator mounting bracket bolt from the next room sticking through the plastic pattern box and hard up against the old socket front back.
These new builds are just thrown together - 8 years and needed a new tank !.

 

[Paulo663]

Cheers again for all the advice.

 

[Paulo663]

Cheers again chaps

 

[lame plumber]

watch this space, silicone sealant on a hot water joint bound to leak in the end 🙂

 

[Paulo663]

lame plumber, still not leaking !.

 

[oz-plumber]

lame plumber, still not leaking !.

Give it time sunshine

Experience V DIY'er.

Hot water can do amazing things to pipe joints - expanding and contracting continuously.

If you haven't used tape then you may be up for a joint that will be a problem in the future.
Good luck with it anyway.

Hope you don't or won't require insurance cover for this in the future.

 

[Paulo663]

Got me worried again, I've a free day next week so I will redo with tape as thats the general a pinion on how best to do the job!. The cylinder will be able to drain it's self shortly.