Leak from DHW cylinder connection

[FoxtrotOscar]

Hi all

My hot water cylinder has a slow leak at the following connection:

Access is a bit of pig as you can see...what am I looking at here for a resolution?

Full drain down, disconnect everything, rotate cylinder and replace connection?

Re-plumb connection to entirely new joint and put an end stop on the existing pipe?

Or try and nip it up, in the hope that it doesn't destroy the connection and chuck nasty water everywhere?

Just seeking some advice about the best way to proceed here. Many thanks.

 

[moggridgeplumbing]

Your not in a position to give it a quick 'nip up'.

Drain down it looks like and redo joint - if you can. If joint doesn't take at least you won't have all that water going everywhere.

 

[misterdubya]

Just drain it (or preferably, bung it), and re-make as mog has said. Refill and job done.

You can get in there easily enough.

Mr. W.

 

[ChrisR]

A plumber would have many spanners that would fit, so he'd probably hold the elbow still with one and nip the nut up with another.
That's where the pro has a huge advantage.
Even to undo it I'd hold the elbow still.

Can't really give advice on how to do it without appropriate tools!!

 

[Agile]

I might try a basin spanner to see if it would fit and to grind it if it didn't.

 

[DP]

I might try a basin spanner to see if it would fit and to grind it if it didn't.

Very interesting. After the spanner has been altered, do you discard it and purchase another one? Do you have a grinder back of Volvo estate? You cannot be serious when making above statement.

 

[Happyplumber]

It would be better for you to drain the cylinder down ,then undo the nut making sure the olive is ok and if so put a smear off jointing compound onto it then tighten it back .

I would prefer to change the olive personally to make sure of getting a good seal ,as suggested before thats a very old cylinder make sure to hold the elbow correctly so you dont let anything move apart from the nut.You can cause more problems then you are trying to cure if this is not done correctly

Good luck

 

[misterdubya]

I was of the opinion it was the 'return' pipe and not on the domestic side. The only reason I suggest that, is because it looks like the 'flow' is directly above.

Could well be mis-guided though. I often am.

Mr. W.

 

[Happyplumber]

Dp what do you know!!! It looks good doesn't on internet forum,look how clever I am ,go and grind spanner down .Make relatively simple plumbing job into rocket science

 

[ironman1]

Never use these type fittings on primarys..........................always use union type (cu68).......................had a pig of a job getting the injector pump off a 7.4 litre diesel truck , ground the ring spanner down & job was a good un .............................basin spanner? ............................just sums it up how some of these 'experts' have no experiance when out in the big wide world.

 

[expertgasman]

I was of the opinion it was the 'return' pipe and not on the domestic side.

yep. well spotted. 99% sure it is the return

 

[Googlyhead]

Probably turn out to have been dripping from the one above onto it!

 

[FoxtrotOscar]

Thanks for the replies all.

Probably turn out to have been dripping from the one above onto it!

That's a damn good point actually. Don't want to go through fixing the lower joint, only to find that it's the upper that was leaking!

As to what the pipes in question actually are, maybe this picture will clear things up?



So we reckon the top one is the DHW feed from the boiler and the bottom is the return to the boiler. So the two pipes on the right of the pic going through the top of the airing cupboard are the vent for the boiler and...what? They're both connected to the same pipe!

Is that purple Grundfos thing the pump for the radiators? So that grey box diverts water to the radiators when the cylinder water is hot enough?

 

[Nige F]

I was of the opinion Could well be mis-guided though. I often am.

Mr. W.

Not as misguided as the more famous George W

 

[Nige F]

My missus asked me once --- what IS that purple thing. I call it Grunfoss, Dear