"Dave Liquorice" wrote in message
ll.co.uk...
On Sat, 28 Jan 2012 18:52:56 +0000, Roger Mills wrote:

22mm fittings can often seem as if they are fully tight when they're
not, because of the friction in the threads.

I support that idea, 22mm can be quite stiff unlubricated. I find
that unlubricated finger tight, then half a turn with a spanner is a
good starting point, if it "squeals" then it's probably sealed. Even
so another quarter to half turn still might be required.

I do tend to put a smear of boss green over the olive and in the
threads not as a sealent just as a lubricant.

Arfa is one of the more experienced DIYers in here, as indicated by
the things he has tried and precautionary purchase of 15mm couplers.
This does point to something up with the valve itself, are the 22mm
olive brass or soft copper? Perhaps copper ones would make it seal?

--
Cheers
Dave.



Thanks Dave, and also to Roger for his suggestions. All appreciated. The
first-tried 22 mm to 15 mm adaptor olives, are, I think, brass. I have to
say that when I first looked at them, and decided that they were brass, I
thought "Hmmmmm", figuring that they were going to take a lot of pulling
down to get a good 'bite' on the pipe. The traditional olives that I tried
for the second method of getting a fix, seemed to be soft copper, which is
why I was particularly vexed when I didn't get a seal right off.

Looking back on it now I've had a chance to calm down, you could both well
be right, and I have been too cautious in the tightening, mistaking the
compression nuts tightening up from friction, for them being fully tight
because they had done their job. Most of my experience with compression
fittings, has for sure been on 15 mm, so I've maybe made myself a victim of
my own inexperience with 22 mm, added to a natural caution of
over-tightening.

Now it's all off where it can easily be worked on, I think that I am going
to try again with my second method using the traditional copper reducers and
olives, as well as lubrication and sealant, and stick an isolator valve
temporarily on the end of the pipe tail on the outlet side. I'll then
connect a hose from the outside tap, which has a lot of pressure, to the
tail on the inlet side, and jube clip it on. I can then switch the tap on
and close the isolator on the outlet side once there is water coming
through. Hopefully, that should pressurise it enough to see if I've got a
seal, before trying again at the 'real' installation.

Might be a day or two before I can try anything. My elder daughter has had
to go to hospital tonight, and they've kept her in, so I don't know quite
what time I'm going to have Sunday to 'play', and I am pretty busy next week
with the 'day job'. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks again for the
advice lads.

Arfa