Leaky tap to PVC fitting- Pipe sealer needed

[stubuzz]

I have just changed the tap for the shower. It screws into a PVC female fitting that is inside the wall. Now, there is a slight drip and I need a recommendation for any locally available pipe sealants. A search on Lazada shows Permatex.

 

Is there anything anything else to try before breaking the wall open?

 

https://shopee.co.th/PERMATEX-น้ำยาทาเกลียวท่อ-PIPE-JOINT-COMPOUND-ขนาด-51H(118ml)-และ-51D(473ml)-i.34596850.1476877274

 

[scubascuba3]

i use that plumber tape when i have a slight leak, have you tried that? about 15 baht in Mister DIY

[stubuzz]

11 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

i use that plumber tape when i have a slight leak, have you tried that? about 15 baht in Mister DIY

It made no difference. There is a leak with or without it.

[Crossy]

49 minutes ago, stubuzz said:

It made no difference. There is a leak with or without it.

 

Thai solution, more tape!

 

Did the female get damaged removing the old fitting??

 

If not, more tape, a LOT more than you think is needed and then some!

 

If the insert in the wall is brass moulded into the PVC then Amerkem Type 51 is very effective, but it's not cheap and don't use it on PVC threads.

 

[stubuzz]

53 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Did the female get damaged removing the old fitting??

On closer inspection there is a small split in the end of the all pvc female fitting. So, I will dry it off and try some epoxy before I break the wall open.

[Crossy]

2 minutes ago, stubuzz said:

On closer inspection there is a small split in the end of the all pvc female fitting. So, I will dry it off and try some epoxy before I break the wall open.

 

After applying your epoxy and before it sets, wind in the male with loads of tape. That way you stand a chance of getting it out next time without busting out the wall.

[stubuzz]

13 minutes ago, Crossy said:

After applying your epoxy and before it sets, wind in the male with loads of tape. That way you stand a chance of getting it out next time without busting out the wall.

Great Idea. Thanks.

[billd766]

2 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

i use that plumber tape when i have a slight leak, have you tried that? about 15 baht in Mister DIY

I think the proper name is PTFE tape. What the Thai name is I have no idea but there rolls of it just inside the door of the shop. 

 

I bought 2 rolls in the big village this morning for 20 baht each. 

[itsari]

54 minutes ago, stubuzz said:

On closer inspection there is a small split in the end of the all pvc female fitting. So, I will dry it off and try some epoxy before I break the wall open.

I am afraid that from your explanation you need to open up the wall and replace the fitting in the wall . 

Have a good day

[lopburi3]

5 minutes ago, billd766 said:

I think the proper name is PTFE tape. What the Thai name is I have no idea but there rolls of it just inside the door of the shop. 

 

I bought 2 rolls in the big village this morning for 20 baht each. 

More often just called Teflon Tape.  But as said cracked pipe is the leak so that also needs repair.  

[HighPriority]

5 minutes ago, itsari said:

I am afraid that from your explanation you need to open up the wall and replace the fitting in the wall . 

Have a good day

You may well be right, but I’d give Crossys suggestion a go first.

Edited November 21, 2021 by HighPriority

[itsari]

3 minutes ago, HighPriority said:

You may well be right, but I’d give Crossys suggestion a go first.

Pipe threads are tapered , so the more you screw the tap   the more the damaged female thread will expand .

Even a slight leak will cause much damage behind the wall . If you are in a condo then you can create damage to the condo below yours .

[lopburi3]

1 minute ago, itsari said:

Pipe threads are tapered , so the more you screw the tap   the more the damaged female thread will expand .

Even a slight leak will cause much damage behind the wall . If you are in a condo then you can create damage to the condo below yours .

It is often much less of a project that it appears if you have a good worker fix - cutting cement wall and fix should not be much of an issue and if same tile not available a design type can be used if required.  Make sure replacement is brass insert threads type.  

[itsari]

2 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

It is often much less of a project that it appears if you have a good worker fix - cutting cement wall and fix should not be much of an issue and if same tile not available a design type can be used if required.  Make sure replacement is brass insert threads type.  

Done the same job many times, not such a ordeal.

There is little choice anyway .

[sometimewoodworker]

33 minutes ago, itsari said:

Pipe threads are tapered , so the more you screw the tap   the more the damaged female thread will expand .

Even a slight leak will cause much damage behind the wall . If you are in a condo then you can create damage to the condo below yours .

There are both tapered and straight pipe threads in use in Thailand, so it’s not at all clear that the current fitting uses a tapered thread.
 

FWIW the straight version is in more common use so it’s just as likely that the fitting uses a straight thread.

[itsari]

2 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

There are both tapered and straight pipe threads in use in Thailand, so it’s not at all clear that the current fitting uses a tapered thread.
 

FWIW the straight version is in more common use so it’s just as likely that the fitting uses a straight thread.

You may well be correct that the thread is NPS 

how ever most plastic threads I have seen here are NPT

[sometimewoodworker]

39 minutes ago, itsari said:

You may well be correct that the thread is NPS 

how ever most plastic threads I have seen here are NPT

It was only recently that I discovered that NPT were in use here. However all fittings I have in stock that I have checked  are NPS bought from  a variety of places over the last few years. I have never paid attention to anything but the size, so I have no idea where to get NPT fittings.

[itsari]

5 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

It was only recently that I discovered that NPT were in use here. However all fittings I have in stock that I have checked  are NPS bought from  a variety of places over the last few years. I have never paid attention to anything but the size, so I have no idea where to get NPT fittings.

British Standard pipe threads are the usual pipe threads used here in Thailand . 

Thats the case in most countries in the world .

They never went for changing to a metric pipe thread as the cost would of been too much . 

 

[billd766]

2 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

More often just called Teflon Tape.  But as said cracked pipe is the leak so that also needs repair.  

From experience repairing cracked fittings in the wall is going to be a <deleted> to fix. Unless he is very lucky with the repair, and I hope that he is, it may need cutting back around the cracked pipe and either cutting the old connector off and fitting a new one sunk in the wall, or going deeper and using a cut down straight connector and having the fitting proud of the wall.

 

It is not a job I would fancy doing.

 

I have enough problems replacing the ballcock in a toilet that has bee in situ 17 years. I can't get the old style fitting and I have to use a new shorter version. I can't get down on the floor easily, and getting up is harder, so I am using a plumbers mate. This one is my 17 year old son who I am teaching for when he leaves home to work elsewhere and he may need the knowledge I have but can't physically do.

[sometimewoodworker]

1 hour ago, itsari said:

British Standard pipe threads are the usual pipe threads used here in Thailand . 

Thats the case in most countries in the world .

They never went for changing to a metric pipe thread as the cost would of been too much . 

 

I assumed that when you talked of NPT, NPS that your designation was correct and you knew what you were taking about.
 

However whichever thread form I have it is either NPS or BSPP not NPT or BSPT as in parallel threaded fittings not the tapered ones.

[MrJ2U]

Great stuff.  It'll even work underwater.  Good to have on hand for emergencies.

 

This will stop the leak until you get a more permanent solution.

 

You may end up tearing out and replacing part of the wall to get at the pipe.  Fortunately in Thailand it can be done fairly cheaply and probably done in a day with the right workers.

[wimpy]

High temp red silicone worked for me.

[stubuzz]

Update:

It would seem the the crack is only on the edge of the fitting and the problem is that the threads are worn.

I used a small amount of the epoxy recommended by @MrJ2U on the threads and screwed it in and left it for the recommended 30 minutes. Now it is leak free.

 

I am not sure if the body will ever be able to removed, so I will buy another identical valve so that the internals can be swapped if ever the ceramic disk is worn.

[billd766]

14 hours ago, billd766 said:

From experience repairing cracked fittings in the wall is going to be a <deleted> to fix. Unless he is very lucky with the repair, and I hope that he is, it may need cutting back around the cracked pipe and either cutting the old connector off and fitting a new one sunk in the wall, or going deeper and using a cut down straight connector and having the fitting proud of the wall.

 

It is not a job I would fancy doing.

 

I have enough problems replacing the ballcock in a toilet that has bee in situ 17 years. I can't get the old style fitting and I have to use a new shorter version. I can't get down on the floor easily, and getting up is harder, so I am using a plumbers mate. This one is my 17 year old son who I am teaching for when he leaves home to work elsewhere and he may need the knowledge I have but can't physically do.

We tried again this morning. The old and the new pipe fittings are the same so the vertical water filler works OK.

 

However where the filler pipe fits is my problem. The end fitting to the water filler on the toilet tank is 1/2 inch but on the other end where it comes through the wall does not seem to be any regular size.

 

1/2 inch is too small and 3/4 is too large. It fits into an adaptor of some sort and from what I can remember when they plumbed to house 17 odd years ago the house internal water piping is 1/2 inch so perhaps if we can remove that adapter a 1/2 inch blanking plug will fit it.

 

The hard problem for me and my lad is that they put the toilet an inch or so too close to the wall to allow replacement of the pipe.

 

What I can do is to replace the bum squirter tap and pipe with a 1 female and 2 male T piece and blank the existing water outlet off completely.

 

I have the T piece and the 2 taps so that bit will work, but is is getting the old bit off and blanking the wall outlet.

 

Here is a photo of the offending item and the space we have to work in.

 

 

[lopburi3]

21 minutes ago, billd766 said:

What I can do is to replace the bum squirter tap and pipe with a 1 female and 2 male T piece and blank the existing water outlet off completely.

Be sure to have flow control on the gun side if you have high water pressure in home.  

[billd766]

39 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Be sure to have flow control on the gun side if you have high water pressure in home.  

The T-piece has a tap and each of the outlets have their own tap.

 

At the moment it is a PITA because to work on the system I have to go out to the pump and shut the entire system down to do any plumbing work. This is the last part of the original plumbing system other than the pipes themselves.

[MrJ2U]

3 hours ago, stubuzz said:

Update:

It would seem the the crack is only on the edge of the fitting and the problem is that the threads are worn.

I used a small amount of the epoxy recommended by @MrJ2U on the threads and screwed it in and left it for the recommended 30 minutes. Now it is leak free.

 

I am not sure if the body will ever be able to removed, so I will buy another identical valve so that the internals can be swapped if ever the ceramic disk is worn.

That stuff is great.

 

You may never have to replace it.

[lopburi3]

53 minutes ago, billd766 said:

The T-piece has a tap and each of the outlets have their own tap.

 

At the moment it is a PITA because to work on the system I have to go out to the pump and shut the entire system down to do any plumbing work. This is the last part of the original plumbing system other than the pipes themselves.

Something like this is what you need - or you can make from various parts.

 

[MrJ2U]

4 hours ago, billd766 said:

The hard problem for me and my lad is that they put the toilet an inch or so too close to the wall to allow replacement of the pipe.

Oh boy.

 

Are you able to move it forward maybe with a 90 degree connection to fit in the hole?

 

Be nice to have that space behind. Not only for repairs but for easier cleaning.

 

Good luck!

Pitfalls of Thai building never cease to amaze me.

 

Thankfully labor is cheap.

Edited November 22, 2021 by MrJ2U

[billd766]

3 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

Something like this is what you need - or you can make from various parts.

 

I have something similar but 1 female and 2 male connectors. I also have 2 x M/F taps to fit on the T-piece. They will fit onto the existing bum gun connector. The biggest problem is to blank off the existing toilet feed as it is hiding in the +/- 2 inches between the wall and the toilet.

 

At this point other than taking the toilet water tank off I am stuck for ideas.