Help with leaking tap? Baffled....

[chalkstorm]

Hi guys

Firstly, hello. First post on here so be gentle!

Righty - I've got these taps in my house -

http://www.taps4less.com/PP/Q-BC301.html

The cold one is leaking. Not dripping from the spout - but leaking from underneath the basin. Friend suggested undoing the big plastic nut underneath and using some sealant.... which I did and it worked, yay....

Erm, well, nope. Next morning, floor was dry but the leak had moved and appeared to be coming from the bottom of the tap where it touches the basin and slowly filling the cut out for the soap. Hope this makes sense...?

I've checked the washer and that is fine - but again, it doesn't drip or seem to come from anywhere - just slowly allowing water to run from beneath the tap. There is an image here (I've removed it totally now)

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lE3F8Pw8230/T4r_STIfoLI/AAAAAAAAIyc/BtA33YKKRh0/s720/IMAG0100.jpg

Any ideas? It is almost as if it is leaking from the top of the thread where it joins the tap body - but surely that isn't possible...?

Can anyone help before I buy some new ones (don't mind buying them if I know it can't be fixed).

Thanks

Si

 

[MANDATE]

Normally a tap would leak under two circumstances.
1. If the washer is worn allowing water to pass and water drips from spout/
2. If the gland packing material has hardened or not tight enough allowing water to escape up the side of the spindle.

Other than the above, it is quite possible that too much force has been used on the back nut and caused a hairline crack. When the depth of the thread is taken into consideration, the remaining wall thickness of the pipe is quite thin.
No doubt you could easily make up a test rig to bench test the tap and would establish where the leak is.

 

[chalkstorm]

Thanks Mandate...

They've been installed for about 5 years - and only just started to leak which is why I thought initialy it must be a washer or something - but I (and you) have ruled that out I think...

Test bench, lol - no way I could do that!

Looks like a new tap(s) then....

Appreciate your reply...