Sprung a leak. Help needed please ?

[B1N9S]

Hi,
Can anyone advise on fitting a thermostatic shower head to Plastic pipework.

I have fitted one this week and I think it has been the cause of quite a major leak.

I have used plastic JG Speedfit throughout the whole job (New En Suite). My question is, where the actual head joins the pipe work, should I still use an insert ? The joint is a compression type fitting at this point.

Would this connection be better with a copper pipe ?

Please don't say
" The whole job would be better in copper !!", that is too late now !!

 

[hansthebear]

yes always use an insert

 

[Charnwood]

The plain insert, not the Superseal one, if using compression.
Superseal on the left, plain on the right.

 

[B1N9S]

Thanks Charnwood.

I have been told that you can get metal inserts, to use with compression joints too ?

 

[B1N9S]

Another option I was considering, was to just use copper for that final (through the wall) bit and onto the shower head ?

So it would go from a JG elbow through the wall and onto the shower head.

Another question, is, should you use PTFE on compression fittings ? and how is it applied properly ? I see some with and some without !!!

 

[Muzz]

Another question, is, should you use PTFE on compression fittings ? and how is it applied properly ? I see some with and some without !!!

if you do a search you will see numerous topics debating ptfe on compression, it's been done to death, but to summarise, a compression shouldn't need ptfe if fitted correctly, but if you do need to use some, it goes on the olive, not the threads.

 

[Agile]

I prefer to use the stainless steel inserts as they are thinner but they are virtually unobtainable and would be far more expensive.

Tony

 

[B1N9S]

Thanks for all the replies and useful suggestions and advice as always on here.

I have now found the root of the problem and sorted it !!

Bit long winded, but here goes: Just incase anyone else is as stoopid as me !!!

I bought a "fast fit" kit for the shower head, which came with two brass fittings to screw to the wall, with a hole for the 15mm pipe to protrude, then place a copper olive over the protruding pipe, then a threaded union over that to complete a compression joint (Roger so far !). the shower head then screws onto the threaded union to complete the fitting (probably pretty standard I imagine).
However !!! The instructions (yes I did read them !!) said, leave at least 5mm of pipe protruding through the brass fitting.
I was using plastic pipe (remember) and in my tiny little mind, thought,
"The insert is about 5mm so I will cut the pipe flush and then the insert will stick out 5mm!!"
DOH !!!!! You can now guess what happened, the olive was thus only gripping the insert and hence the leak !!

I have now fitted a length of copper pipe for this last leg of the pipework and so far so good !!!!!

Next time it is copper all the way.....If Mrs Jones ever lets me loose with the plumbing again !!!!

 

[carlramsay]

you must use inserts, even in compression fixings.. even more so