Speedfit to copper drips

[JackieA]

Hi all,
I'm replacing my bathroom and decided to go for speedfit plumbing for ease. I'm pretty pleased with the results so far! However, the hot water pipes are dripping where the copper is connected to the speedfit elbow. The cold pipes are fine. Can anyone tell me if I'm missing something please?? The pipes weren't in great condition so perhaps just not a great seal and purely coincidence it's only on the hot pipes..?
Any suggestions for a solution? I thought perhaps ptfe tape around the copper pipe before inserting into the elbow? Or just get more elbows and give it another go?
Please don't say "get a plumber to install copper pipes"! Unfortunately that's not an option...
Thanks in advance!

 

[sbgasman]

how did you cut the copper?,you can damage seal if cut with hacksaw.

 

[Madrab]

Clean the copper - use a green scourer - and polish till shiny, remove any paint etc. Then use a burr remover/file/sandpaper to remove any sharp edges on the cut end that could compromise the seal when inserting. Replace with new fittings and make sure they are pushed fully home. Do not use any other sealing medium.

 

[JackieA]

Thank you for replies
I used a pipe cutter so i think the cut is good, but certainly the pipes have seen better days so I'll give the scouring a try. I think it must be the pipes as I've just tried hep20 and that's the same. Funny how all three hot water pipes cuts have leaked though and cold have all been fine! One was just capping off so i used a copper push fit which did the trick, can't do the same on the remaining two unfortunately - not if i want to continue having a water supply anyway!!

 

[gasmanstu72]

put a mark on the pipe with a pencil or marker to roughly the depth of the fitting, then you'll know they're fully in

 

[primetime]

Is the speed fit connector a twist lock one? Might give you a bit more compression if not already locked.

 

[I Like Sleeping]

A possibility is if its 22mm DHW pipe it may in fact be 3/4" imperial and your push fit fittings will be to big.

 

[dilalio]

A possibility is if its 22mm DHW pipe it may in fact be 3/4" imperial and your push fit fittings will be to big.

Agreed.
This could be an imperial vs metric issue! The hots are likely leaking due to expansion of the hep fittings when running water through them - just enough to leak!
When pipes are hot, try pushing the elbows further on! Otherwise you may need to swap for compression fittings!