Joint now dripping

[diycaitlin]

Hi,

I've just installed a new ballcock in the water tank that supplies our heating system. It seemed easy enough, but when I reconnected the ballcock to the water supply and turned on the water, the joint began to drip quite a bit.

Can anyone please advise me on what I might have done wrong? If I tighten it as much as I can, the dripping slows but does not stop. I've tried putting a washer in between the ballcock pipe and the water mains pipe but this doesn't seem to help.

Thank you very much.

With best wishes,

Caitlin

 

[seco services]

was it a new fibre washer you fitted ?

 

[diycaitlin]

Hi,

Thanks for replying. No it wasn't, although now I google that, it looks as though that's what the old one seemed to be (it was very old and corroded).

What I've put in there now is a rubber washer from an old shower installation.

Caitlin

 

[Ray84]

if thats still leaking id just turn it off tonight to save your overflow running and pick up a fibre washer tomorrow and swap it over, shouldnt need to tighten it too much either but that will be the cause

Ray

 

[seco services]

be better with a new fibre one.

 

[diycaitlin]

Thanks so much. You've both saved me a lot of heartache tonight! I'll do as you suggest.

Just out of curiosity, how did you know it should be a fibre washer? Since doing a little work on the sink in the toilet this afternoon, I've noticed it's started a (low-volume) leak as well; I was wondering if I should also try a fibre washer on the pipe there too.

Thanks.

 

[seco services]

Just out of curiosity, how did you know it should be a fibre washer?

comes with experience.

Since doing a little work on the sink in the toilet this afternoon, I've noticed it's started a (low-volume) leak as well; I was wondering if I should also try a fibre washer on the pipe there too.

Thanks.

if its copper pipe it'll be fibre waser if it's a flexi pipe it'll be rubber washer.
and make sure you get a 1/2" fibre washer.

 

[diycaitlin]

I see; it is copper.

Just so I get it right, are you saying I need 15 mm fibre washers for both the ball cock valve and the sink?

 

[seco services]

1/2" fibre washers yes.

 

[diycaitlin]

Great, many thanks. Have a good night.

 

[seco services]

Have a good night.

 

[diycaitlin]

Hello. I got some half-inch fibre washers as kindly suggested on this thread yesterday. Unfortunately now I can't get the nut back on after fitting the washer. Any thoughts on how I could do this more effectively would be most welcome! Thanks.

 

[JohnD]

first check the nut goes on OK with no washer, i.e. you have not cross-threaded it and damaged the thread.

If so, push the washer deep into the hollow of the nut before you try to screw it on. Fibre washers tend to jam at the opening and prevent you pushing the nut on.

Apply regular pressure all round, with a bit of pipe or something, or a spare fitting if you have one, otherwise you may crack the washer (it is easily done) . It is much easier to do them up on the table than behind a sink

p.s. a ballcock has the same kind of fitting as a tap. But if you have a plastic stem and a brass nut, it is very easy to damage the thread.