Sorting out that DRIP at home - from the horse's mouth
 

A few months back an outside copper pipe developed a leak longitudinal
split on a 90° bend. This pipe is probably 40 years old, installed
when house was originally built.

Since plumbers charge more than doctors (probably not in the league of
lawyers however who charge like wounded bulls), I had a go at fixing
this myself. I don't have a brazing torch, pipe cutter or grease-monkey
wrenches, so I tried the band-aid approach.

The bottom line is
- Self fusing rubber tape worked well, but several layers and it
appears that allowing a thin layer of water between successive layers
improves the seal.
- Cloth reinforced epoxy worked OK as an interim fix

The small residual leak I can live with (OK - this would not be
satisfactory for an inside leak, so I empty my catch bucket into the
eagerly watching plants once a week).

The complete gen follows :

Stikka Tape
Self Fusing Rubber Tape (Ampol Pty Ltd)
- Creates an effective Moisture and water proof seal, and is UV
resistant
- Moisture barrier seal that does not arc with electricity and water.

Recommended stretch of 100-150% (breaking strain is 400%)
Overlap at least 50%
Overlap 2-3 times at the end
Rubber fusing is effective within minutes
Max temperature (continuous) 85°C

Cold water, mains pressure, outside coper pipe, crack on 90° bend
Leak after epox coat reinforced with cloth tape - approx 30L /4hr
(defn. LR0) (sprayed in fine jet)

After several weeks carefully removed epoxy, first crack lengthened and
widened and second crack opened on a second 90° bend within 3 cm
(don't think the removal caused this). Leak rate looked far higher,
hard to estimate but 1L/2min would not surprise me (equiv. 120L /4hr =
4 x LR0).

Double wrap of Stikka Tape, from one side, across both joints then
back.
Still leaked, steady dripping.
The same day put another layer on after thoroughly drying rubber
outside.
Leak rate was down to 20L /24hr (3L/4hr to compare = 0.1 x LR0).

A week later wrapped a fourth layer, did not dry surface water,
trapping a thin layer of water seemed to create a hydrostatic
(capillary) seal as the leak rate is greatly reduced by just one layer
(one drip every 15s or so). My 20L bucket only half fills in about a
week, thats ~ 10L/160h (0.25L/4hr = 1/120 LR0).

Sorting out that DRIP at home - from the horse's mouth
 

wrote in message
oups.com...
"A few months back an outside copper pipe developed a leak longitudinal
split on a 90° bend. This pipe is probably 40 years old, installed
when house was originally built."

This must relate somehow to water cooled computer components, right?

Sorting out that DRIP at home - from the horse's mouth
 

wrote in message

The bottom line is
- Self fusing rubber tape worked well, but several layers and it
appears that allowing a thin layer of water between successive layers
improves the seal.
- Cloth reinforced epoxy worked OK as an interim fix

The small residual leak I can live with (OK - this would not be
satisfactory for an inside leak, so I empty my catch bucket into the
eagerly watching plants once a week).


The real bottom line is that it will get worse, at a very inopportune time.
Sometimes you just have to fix it the right way.

Sorting out that DRIP at home - from the horse's mouth
 

Since plumbers charge more than doctors (probably not in the league of
lawyers however who charge like wounded bulls), I had a go at fixing
this myself. I don't have a brazing torch, pipe cutter or grease-monkey
wrenches, so I tried the band-aid approach.

You could buy a pipe cutter and some compression fittings for a couple
dollars and repair this correctly and permanently in about 10 minutes;
probably less money than you have in the rigs so far. You could ask a
handy neighbor to give you advice; not that you need much. The
do-it-yourself stores can help too.

Sorting out that DRIP at home - from the horse's mouth
 

Sorting out that DRIP at home - from the horse's mouth
 

wrote in message
oups.com...
A few months back an outside copper pipe developed a leak longitudinal
split on a 90° bend. This pipe is probably 40 years old, installed
when house was originally built.

Since plumbers charge more than doctors (probably not in the league of
lawyers however who charge like wounded bulls), I had a go at fixing
this myself. I don't have a brazing torch, pipe cutter or grease-monkey
wrenches, so I tried the band-aid approach.

The bottom line is
- Self fusing rubber tape worked well, but several layers and it
appears that allowing a thin layer of water between successive layers
improves the seal.
- Cloth reinforced epoxy worked OK as an interim fix


snip

You are wasting your time...the pipe needs to be replaced.

If you drain the water out...it should not be too difficult to unsolder it
and solder-in a new one...

but whatever you'd pay a plumber would probably be worth it,


Although I'm pretty handy with most things...once in a while I pay a
professional...
and it's money well spent!

Sorting out that DRIP at home - from the horse's mouth
 

wrote in message
oups.com...
A few months back an outside copper pipe developed a leak longitudinal
split on a 90° bend. This pipe is probably 40 years old, installed
when house was originally built.

Since plumbers charge more than doctors (probably not in the league of
lawyers however who charge like wounded bulls), I had a go at fixing
this myself. I don't have a brazing torch, pipe cutter or grease-monkey
wrenches, so I tried the band-aid approach.

The bottom line is
- Self fusing rubber tape worked well, but several layers and it
appears that allowing a thin layer of water between successive layers
improves the seal.
- Cloth reinforced epoxy worked OK as an interim fix

The small residual leak I can live with (OK - this would not be
satisfactory for an inside leak, so I empty my catch bucket into the
eagerly watching plants once a week).

The complete gen follows :

Stikka Tape
Self Fusing Rubber Tape (Ampol Pty Ltd)
- Creates an effective Moisture and water proof seal, and is UV
resistant
- Moisture barrier seal that does not arc with electricity and water.

Recommended stretch of 100-150% (breaking strain is 400%)
Overlap at least 50%
Overlap 2-3 times at the end
Rubber fusing is effective within minutes
Max temperature (continuous) 85°C

Cold water, mains pressure, outside coper pipe, crack on 90° bend
Leak after epox coat reinforced with cloth tape - approx 30L /4hr
(defn. LR0) (sprayed in fine jet)

After several weeks carefully removed epoxy, first crack lengthened and
widened and second crack opened on a second 90° bend within 3 cm
(don't think the removal caused this). Leak rate looked far higher,
hard to estimate but 1L/2min would not surprise me (equiv. 120L /4hr =
4 x LR0).

Double wrap of Stikka Tape, from one side, across both joints then
back.
Still leaked, steady dripping.
The same day put another layer on after thoroughly drying rubber
outside.
Leak rate was down to 20L /24hr (3L/4hr to compare = 0.1 x LR0).

A week later wrapped a fourth layer, did not dry surface water,
trapping a thin layer of water seemed to create a hydrostatic
(capillary) seal as the leak rate is greatly reduced by just one layer
(one drip every 15s or so). My 20L bucket only half fills in about a
week, thats ~ 10L/160h (0.25L/4hr = 1/120 LR0).

Really??
two compression joints + 1 angle compression joint short length of copper
pipe wire wool to clean pipes cost approx £6 tools required 1 junior hacksaw
two spanners cost approx £6 no leaks permanent fix
Derek

Sorting out that DRIP at home - from the horse's mouth
 

test..........test............test

Sorting out that DRIP at home - from the horse's mouth
 

"Ex gratia" wrote in message
...
test..........test............test


Minger.
--
~ , ~ = ^.'''.^=
~ ^
http://tinyurl.com/9qe4o

Sorting out that DRIP at home - from the horse's mouth
 

Pipe will probably split when your on vacation or away, run up your
water and sewer bill or empty your well causing grief for the well
pump, wash out some outdoor plantings or leak back in your home someway
doing damage.

patching this although well intended is a bad idea.

get a knowledgable friend to help you repair it right