Leaky MDPE fittings

[MarkSmith]

Hi,

I've just had a new MDPE water supply pipe connectd to replace the old lead one. In routing the pipe through the house I've used about 6 various fittings (stop cock, tees, MDPE-copper adapters) and of the 14 joints, two have slow leaks.

I could cut off the ends of the pipes, replace the inserts and replace the fittings - but I expect only one of them is faulty. Is there a common cause of leaky MDPE fittings?

Thanks,
Mark

 

[landyandy]

Scored pipe.

Andy.

 

[keego]

Are they push fit or the Philmac compresion type?

 

[MarkSmith]

They are compression type. I got different ones from different places but I think the two which are failing were from Wickes.

 

[muggles]

Scored pipe.

Andy.

What he said, but in my voice also

 

[MarkSmith]

Right, problem solved. Replaced the pipe insert. Was dripping about every second, now dry as a bone.

Interestingly, perhaps, I did 14 connections, 12 with Screwfix inserts and two with B&Q ones (ran out at 8:45 at night, with no drinking water). The one which leaked badly was a B&Q one - and much shorter than the replacement I bought from the plumbing shop.

Untitled

• MarkSmith
• 23 Jan 2010
• 1

Both inserts would have gone up past the o-ring, but the B&Q one wouldn't have gone up to the clamp part. I wonder whether that was relevant.

The other leaking one is leaking so slowly - more of a seep really - that I haven't managed to sum up the energy to do anything about it yet.