Slight leak when replacing High Pressure Ballcock Valve

[nodderdog]

Evening

Had an overflowing cold water tank which feeds my immersion heater so I decided to replace the high pressure ballcock valve which is fed from the mains.

Got everything fitted back together and now there is a slight leak where the mains pipe fits into the valve. Refitted it about six times and its doing my head in.

Anyone got any ideas how I can stop the drip? The mains fitting is just after a 90degree bend on a standard 15mm pipe which has a tiny olive ring (I think) and then a smaller diameter pipe of about 3mm in length which fits inside the new valve.

Here's a photo: http://imgur.com/ZVokJ

I've tightened everything up as much as I can. Would plumber's tape be the answer?

Thank you everyone

 

[Dan Robinson]

You need a fresh washer or some PTFE/Loctite 55.

Sounds like you have overtightened it and/or lost the original fibre washer.

 

[Terry lambert]

You have probably over compressed the olive.

You could try undoing it and putting a smear of jointing compound around the olive, check that it's suitable for potable water.

If the Pipe is necked or over compressed, you could wrap some ptfe around the olive to bulk it back out. ( temp repair really)

As above, misread the post

 

[Dan Robinson]

Just looked at the picture.

No olive - that is a tap connector fitting and you need a half inch red fibre washer or some tape.

No amount of tightening that will seal it.

 

[TicklyT]

That is a tap connector, not a compression fitting, so there's no olive.

There should be a fibre washer fitted over the spigot on the end of the pipe, clamped between the end of the float valve and the enlarged section of the pipe by the nut to make the watertight seal.
The old one may have fallen out, split or disintegrated when you dismantled the connector.

You might get away with winding several turns of PTFE tape around the spigot on the end of the tap connector, but the correct washer is preferable.

Replacement fibre washers for tap connectors are available from plumbers' merchants and DIY sheds.

 

[Terry lambert]

That is a tap connector, not a compression fitting, so there's no olive


My post says as above, misread post, basically I hadn't looked at the picture

 

[Dan Robinson]

I beat you to it anyway

 

[Terry lambert]

I beat you to it anyway

 

[nodderdog]

Thanks for all your replies everyone. I reckon the washers fallen out and I've not seen it as the access to the feed pipe is a right pain.

Fantastic.

Thank you