Shower Elbow Joint Leak :o(

[sergeantash]

imho you bought the wrong shower. I would have fitted at home one which is accessible for servicing like a surface mounted round style one. Point elbows back at wall, first fix leave 2 15mm stubs sticking straight out of wall. Then entire valve with filters and all can be removed for changing cleaning new insert anything you like.

If custards are stupid enough to want something which can't be serviced I simply point out their stupidity. If after I have called them stupid they still want me to fit it then I go ahead. Usually a few weeks later something breaks because most thoings are so badly engineered today.

But customers are sweet, because they are eternal optimists. I like that.

But I don't like valves that stick out of the wall, they look untidy (in my opinion), lazy and tacky - inbuilt showers may be a hassle if they go wrong, but worst case scenario I will only have to remove the front siliconed plate and one tile, not the end of the world.

 

[Paul Barker]

They look fine to me.

 

[sergeantash]

I fitted the valve and pipework and left overnight, I even tested the shower (having flushed the system first) and it all works brilliant BUT...

Problem.... the intention being to leave for at least a week prior to tiling to check for leaks. Lucky I did, the Hot side of the elbow joint into the valve is seaping very slowly This is one of the elbows relating to my OP, I couldn't screw it in the full way because it didn't then point downwards and so I wrapped it in 10 wraps of double PFTE and it felt stable...but is leaking.

See the pic below, the elbow that is leaking is the joint at the top. The bottom joint is a compression and seems fine.

Untitled

• sergeantash
• 15 May 2010
• 1

The instructions state not to use any form of sealing compound but would I be best removing the elbow, covering the thread in sealing compound, positioning correctly and leaving to set fully?

Gutted! it was all going too well!

 

[sergeantash]

Really stuck until I can get help on this one

 

[landyandy]

With fear of repeating myself...

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/42142...ed-_-Plumbing-_-Loctite 55 Pipe Seal Cord 50m

Andy

 

[mickyg]

the man has told you already, Loctite 55 will make your life much easier.

majority of plumbers would happily do the job with ptfe but it probably requires a bit of experience with the stuff which many of us take for granted, especially when it comes to having joints facing a particular way.

 

[sergeantash]

With fear of repeating myself...

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/42142...ed-_-Plumbing-_-Loctite 55 Pipe Seal Cord 50m

Andy

Lol thanks Andy ill get some tomorrow if B&Q stock it - should I then apply it using the same method as PFTE?

 

[Richard C]

Christ alive you don't need Loctite PTFE is more than adequate, you just didn’t get it right this time; it’s inexperience, you didnt get enought to stay in the thread it happens, just have another go at it; I assume you wound it clockwise!

 

[sergeantash]

Christ alive you don't need Loctite PTFE is more than adequate, you just didn’t get it right this time; it’s inexperience, you didnt get enought to stay in the thread it happens, just have another go at it; I assume you wound it clockwise!

I'll checkout this Loctite stuff but in the meantime, Richard can you give a brief lesson on how to secure such a nut with PFTE for future reference

 

[Richard C]

Christ alive you don't need Loctite PTFE is more than adequate, you just didn’t get it right this time; it’s inexperience, you didnt get enought to stay in the thread it happens, just have another go at it; I assume you wound it clockwise!

I'll checkout this Loctite stuff but in the meantime, Richard can you give a brief lesson on how to secure such a nut with PFTE for future reference

Are you being sarcastic taking the pi ss My comment about winding it clockwise was a genuine suggestion as to where you could have got it wrong; if you wrap a right hand thread anti-clockwise, the tape will unwind when you screw in the fitting as your going in the oposite direction to the lay of the tape. In case you think I’m making it up, I managed to find this old thread for you;
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=112631

 

[sergeantash]

Christ alive you don't need Loctite PTFE is more than adequate, you just didn’t get it right this time; it’s inexperience, you didnt get enought to stay in the thread it happens, just have another go at it; I assume you wound it clockwise!

I'll checkout this Loctite stuff but in the meantime, Richard can you give a brief lesson on how to secure such a nut with PFTE for future reference

Are you being sarcastic taking the pi ss My comment about winding it clockwise was a genuine suggestion as to where you could have got it wrong; if you wrap a right hand thread anti-clockwise, the tape will unwind when you screw in the fitting as your going in the oposite direction to the lay of the tape. In case you think I’m making it up, I managed to find this old thread for you;
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=112631[/QUOTE]

No not being sarcastic at all, genuinely wondered if there were tricks to getting it right other than winding clockwise neatly (which I always do) - just arriving at Screwfix now to get some Loctite 55, looks like good stuff!

 

[sergeantash]

With fear of repeating myself...

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/42142...ed-_-Plumbing-_-Loctite 55 Pipe Seal Cord 50m

Andy

Got it, going to give it a go now, I assume the manufacturers instructions are adequate for installing this stuff? Any additional tips?

£3.00 for 50m of the stuff, seems good value!

 

[sergeantash]

I have just removed the elbow from the shower valve to remove the old PFTE and give this loctite stuff a go - remember that the valve has only been connected for a few days to the water supply, and yet upon undoing the elbow it has some odd discolouration already on its thread, is this fine or an indication of a poorly manufactered elbow/material?

Untitled

• sergeantash
• 19 May 2010
• 1

If I run my fingernail around the thread, where the discolouration appears it feels a bit rougher?

It is also worth pointing out that the discolouration only appears on one side of the elbow, the compression side (the other end isn't compression and just screws into the shower valve).

It is the same case for both hot and cold elbows.

 

[seco services]

indication of a poorly manufactered elbow/material?

cheap cr*p imports

 

[sergeantash]

indication of a poorly manufactered elbow/material?

cheap cr*p imports

.but ok to use?