Help Required with Washing Machine Valve Please

[Wurzel83]

Hi.

My washing machine (Appliance) Valve leaked water when being turned on and off so I set about changing it. I got a Plumsure one from B&Q as Screwfix were out of stock. I followed what I beleive to be the correct procedure with of course no PTFE tape and copper pipe:

- Saw off pipe to get rid of old Olive
- File the end of the pipe square
- Clean up the edges with wire wool
- Fit new valve fingure tight with new Olive
- Tighten with a spanner by 4/6th of a turn
- Watch for drips then tighten by 1/6th of a turn

Over the course of the afternoon I kept tightening it up after seeing drips appear until I had tightened it over one and a half turns and the leak rate was getting worse. I took it back and got a replacement which seemed OK for a few hours then did exactly the same. The machine was not connected (just had the valve turned off).

I then went to Screwfix and got a JG Speedfit push fit one. I bought a compact pipe cutter and cut the pipe clean. I smoothed off the edges with wet and dry paper before flushing a bit of water through. I measurted the hole in the valve then marked the distance on the pipe. I have put the new Speedfit one on with ease however It feels so light I can not beleive it can take mains pressure and Im reluctant to turn the water back on!

A couple of questions:

- Are these light, flimsy feeling Pushfit connectors generally up to the the Job to use for this sort of aplication?

- Was I doing something wrong with the Compression version or is it common for Plumsure to supply "Dodgy Batches"?

Thanks in advance.

 

[crockett]

You're very thorough with your planning!!

Pushfit fittings are fine, if the pipe has no burrs or scratches on it where the fitting will go, and the fitting is pushed on fully.

With regard to the original fitting, the issue probably lay with the olive you cut off leaving an indent in the pipe, and the new olive, not pressing enough to fill the original indent. Sometimes you can get away with using the original olive and nut with a new fitting. It would have been better to have cut off the pipe as well, but this would have left too big a gap for you.

 

[Wurzel83]

"the issue probably lay with the olive you cut off leaving an indent in the pipe".

Thanks for the advice.

I did cut the pipe, twice! I find it easier to do this than cut through the Olive, especially when working under a kitchen worktop!

Its frustrating as I have about 10 compression joints in the kitchen and none of them leak one little bit!