weeping rad tail

[helptavner]

help please.

noticed a weeping rad tail in our house,think its been like this some time as was going minor rusty. tried some ind glue that didnt work as it just moved the water around/

do i a leave it and not worry
do i b try to tighten it up
or do i slacken it off (which scares me the most) wrap ptfr tape around it and tighten back up

what do you think please, creates about a tear drop full about every half hour

Untitled

• helptavner
• 7 Jan 2012
• 1

 

[swbjackson]

Isolate the radiator, drain it, remove the tail, re apply ptfe, refit and refill rad. If you leave it the rad will eventually be fubared.

 

[helptavner]

dont feel confident to start doing this ^^

pictutre attached now

 

[swbjackson]

Now I can see the picture it appears to be the top of the compression fitting. If it is it may tweak up but there's a good chance you could make it worse so it could well be a drain down job.

 

[helptavner]

didnt know it was a compression fitting thanks

just nipped it up twice gently and felt night.

so far so good.

will report back in 20 mins

thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[helptavner]

half hour not a drop hope its sorted it thanks ^^^^^^

 

[helptavner]

thought id sorted this but after an hour of playing about with this - due to the bottom fitting weeping (which im guessing this was caused) as i tightend the top one - all of the bloody things were weeping - tightened them, up nice and tight (but not scary) and all seems to be ok

if i have any future weeps from this - can i slacken one back and put some ptfe on the olive?????
dont want to cause a major leak by backing the nut back???

help please.

think this has leaked for some time.

 

[swbjackson]

To put ptfe or any other sealant around the olive you'll need to unscrew the nut completely. Not something you want to be doing with a system full of water.

 

[NEALDEAN]

Drain down and remove all the carp compression fittings. Do it properly and use soldered fittings.

Do it once by doing it properly !!!!!!

 

[Charnwood]

Looking closely at the joint on that tee that goes the rad valve (why someone reduced it to 10mm to go to the rad valve is anyone's guess - unless they had some 10mm Conet rad valves lying around gathering dust) it does not look like a 'clean' joint, i.e. looks like there's something piled up under the paint. Looks like someone's already attempted a repair, possibly.

 

[helptavner]

To put ptfe or any other sealant around the olive you'll need to unscrew the nut completely. Not something you want to be doing with a system full of water.

would that much water really come out?!

 

[Burnerman]

If you back the nuts off but leave the pipes in place, you'll probably get a few drips.....but pull the pipes out and you'll get a deluge
Just backing the nuts off and wrapping tape round won't do what you want - where the olive pushes into the fitting is where the problem lies.
If nipping things up doesn't suffice, then its drain down time.
John

 

[helptavner]

previously i wrapped ptfe tape around an olive by backing the nut off, and sorted a previous job?!

 

[chris1337]

i dont think its just an olive , as charnwood says its a 10mm valve and 10 mm pipe into a 15 comp tee.

there must be a reducing set in the tee , its usually 2 parts crushed together with the pipe inside

you also have one of theses sets in the bottom of your tee so try not to disturb this joint when working on the other too much (2 sets of spanner/grips needed)

if you cant seal by adding ptfe or jointing compound you will need either:

new reducing set , short piece of 10mm pipe and new 10mm olive for rad valve side to replace or...

15mm rad valve , short piece of 15mm pipe and 15 mm olive for comp tee

ofc best way is always soldering , but i dont think it really matters here and im not sure your up for that

Chris

 

[helptavner]

it looks like a 10mm t compression fitting - all pipe work is 10mm

you dont think i can just slacken it a bit and wrap ptfe around it and nip it back up?!