Leaking water tank

[mcronaldmcd]

If this combination cylinder is no longer used then it should be drained and decommissioned. It will be @ risk of the water being contaminated and a legionella risk.

At this point it might be best to decommission it. What's the best way of shutting off water all together to it as the valve going into it is leaking?

 

[Madrab]

Ideally you would shut down the mains and cut the supply pipe back to as close to the mains pipework as possible, this avoids dead legs.

As a temp measure you could shut down the mains water remove the elbow and push a stop end cap onto it but it really needs cut back close to a working section/branch of the mains pipe.

 

[mcronaldmcd]

Do you think I could put a stop end cap here?

 

[mcronaldmcd]

Ideally you would shut down the mains and cut the supply pipe back to as close to the mains pipework as possible, this avoids dead legs.

As a temp measure you could shut down the mains water remove the elbow and push a stop end cap onto it but it really needs cut back close to a working section/branch of the mains pipe.

Or would I make more sense to try and put it lower? In this pic it's the pipe on the left

 

[Madrab]

If the mains feed to the cistern is heading up then if you can get a cutter onto the pipe here then that would be the ideal spot. Even better if you could solder you could take out the tee and fit an elbow.

 

[mcronaldmcd]

If the mains feed to the cistern is heading up then if you can get a cutter onto the pipe here then that would be the ideal spot. Even better if you could solder you could take out the tee and fit an elbow.

View attachment 377786

Thanks for the reply.

Does it matter if its a plastic or metal stop end? Please could you tell me whwt tools ill need for soldering?

 

[Madrab]

Thanks for the reply.

Does it matter if its a plastic or metal stop end? Please could you tell me whwt tools ill need for soldering?

Nope, a plastic push fit will be fine - just make sure it's cut clean and the pipe stub is clear of any old solder, paint or anything else. Push the stop end down fully until it stops, you should feel a reassuring thump as the pipe end hits the base of the fitting.

TBH, if you're not familiar with soldering then I wouldn't make my first attempt on mains water.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Please could you tell me whwt tools ill need for soldering?

Blow lamp, acid flux, solder ring stop end, and some heat proof means to protect the wall, from the heat of the blow lamp. Not a good idea to tackle that, as a first outing trying to solder.

 

[mcronaldmcd]

Nope, a plastic push fit will be fine - just make sure it's cut clean and the pipe stub is clear of any old solder, paint or anything else. Push the stop end down fully until it stops, you should feel a reassuring thump as the pipe end hits the base of the fitting.

TBH, if you're not familiar with soldering then I wouldn't make my first attempt on mains water.

My main water shutoff is now leaking. Any advice? In the pic it's leaking from where my finger is pointing. The screw St the top did fall out but I've put it back in and still leaking

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

My main water shutoff is now leaking. Any advice? In the pic it's leaking from where my finger is pointing. The screw St the top did fall out but I've put it back in and still leaking

Tighten it down a bit, but not so much you cannot turn the handle. If it still doesn't stop the leak, get some waxed string, and/or PTFE tape, turn it off, remove just the T top part of the handle, then the part where it leaked [1] - and wrap the string/PTFE, clockwise around the shaft. You are trying to pack it enough, that when you tighten [1], it seals around the shaft.

 

[Madrab]

The bit @ your finger is called the gland nut, below that is the gland on the spindle, they are both brass and they do wear. As suggested above, you can pack the gland that is a temporary fix.

All I would do is turn the tap fully down (off), loosen the nut and pull it all the way up to the T handle, get some PTFE tap and when coming ooff the roll fold it in half lengthways then wrap a number of turns of water PTFE tape - 5-10, Gas PTFE tape 3-4, around the spindle. Then push the nut back down forcing the PTFE tape into the gap, catch the nut on the threads. may be tight to get the threads to catch and then tighten the nut down down, just until it nips up then try the tap. The more the tap is used, the quicker the PTFE tape will wear out and it will start to weep again. Only way to really fix properly is to replace it.

 

[mcronaldmcd]

Thank you for the responses.

I've managed to stop the leak. How long is a reasonable amount of time to leave it like this before getting it fixed?
Also, how to you replace it if it's the mains water shutoff and I cant shut the water off using it?

With the water tank, I've managed to drain it and disconnect it, but the pipe taking water OUT of the tank is actually bringing water into the tank. It's very slow, but it is 'leaking' into the tank. Any ideas how to fix this?

 

[endecotp]

the pipe taking water OUT of the tank is actually bringing water into the tank.

Where does it go?

You said the tank is redundant - what’s the story?

 

[mcronaldmcd]

Where does it go?

You said the tank is redundant - what’s the story?

It takes the water from the tank to the hot water taps.

The tank is now only connected by this one pipe. I don't need the tank right now as I have an electric shower that doesn't rely on it. Tomorrow I will get a stop end for this pipe that is leaking and work on fixing the remaining issues.

 

[endecotp]

It takes the water from the tank to the hot water taps.

If that’s all that it does, then the drips you are getting should soon stop. Open the taps and maybe the pipe will empty sooner.

If that doesn’t happen, maybe there is more going on….