I'm not understanding how this fitting works.... I'm used to seeing a
compression fitting with a big nut over the (left) copper side of the
fitting... this fitting looks like the brass side is one solid piece, with
a dielectric plastic sleeve inside.... it has developed a small leak on the
right (stainless?) side where the stainless nut holds the flex line. Is
this one of those new push on fittings perhaps?

I tried tightening the brass/stainless junction holding a plier on the brass
nut and a pliers on the stainless nut and applied opposing force.. the nut
went maybe an 1/16 or an 1/8 turn and that was about it. Leak is still
there. I noticed that the left side (brass/dielectric) rotated about the
copper pipe a bit when I applied the pliers to the brass nut.

Pictures below:

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/112...rfitting00.jpg

Note the rust ring, and drop of water leaking at the bottom of the flex line
side:

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/112...rfitting00.jpg


-- Paul

Paul wrote:
I'm not understanding how this fitting works.... I'm used to seeing a
compression fitting with a big nut over the (left) copper side of the
fitting... this fitting looks like the brass side is one solid
piece, with a dielectric plastic sleeve inside.... it has developed
a small leak on the right (stainless?) side where the stainless nut
holds the flex line. Is this one of those new push on fittings
perhaps?
I tried tightening the brass/stainless junction holding a plier on
the brass nut and a pliers on the stainless nut and applied opposing
force.. the nut went maybe an 1/16 or an 1/8 turn and that was about
it. Leak is still there. I noticed that the left side
(brass/dielectric) rotated about the copper pipe a bit when I applied
the pliers to the brass nut.
Pictures below:

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/112...rfitting00.jpg

Note the rust ring, and drop of water leaking at the bottom of the
flex line side:

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/112...rfitting00.jpg

Well first of all, you don't use pliers on those connections, you use two
pipe wrenches. They are cheap enough and useful enough to warrant buying a
set.

If you installed this connection with pliers in the first place, your newly
acquired pipe wrenches should snug it up to stop the leak.

If not, and if the leak is with the flex connector on the right, just spend
the $10 and buy a new one; I'd just go with a copper/brass one instead of
stainless.

There comes a point with plumbing where one realizes that the time spent
doing the job right the first time is a far, far better deal than chasing
problems then, or down the road.

Jon

On Jan 4, 2:40*pm, "Paul" wrote:
I'm not understanding how this fitting works.... I'm used to seeing a
compression fitting with a big nut over the (left) copper side of the
fitting... *this fitting looks like the brass side is one solid piece, with
a dielectric plastic sleeve inside.... *it has developed a small leak on the
right (stainless?) side where the stainless nut holds the flex line. * Is
this one of those new push on fittings perhaps?

I tried tightening the brass/stainless junction holding a plier on the brass
nut and a pliers on the stainless nut and applied opposing force.. the nut
went maybe an 1/16 or an 1/8 turn and that was about it. *Leak is still
there. *I noticed that the left side (brass/dielectric) rotated about the
copper pipe a bit when I applied the pliers to the brass nut.

Pictures below:

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/112...rfitting00.jpg

Note the rust ring, and drop of water leaking at the bottom of the flex line
side:

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/112...rfitting00.jpg

-- Paul

Paul-

I believe the "stainless" to brass connection (the one that is
leaking), is a "face seal" washer style connection.

As per the other reply....pliers are not the correct tool.. Since both
fittings have "hex wrenching elements", large open end or adjustable
wrenches are the correct tools.

The brass fitting on the left looks to be a "shark bite" male pipe
adapter.

Face seal washer style connections need only be tightened
sufficiently tight to compression the face seal washer enough to not
leak. Over tightening can CAUSE a leak. The threads, in this
situation, do not provide the seal (no need for pipe dope or tape),
the threads are a means to apply compressive force to the washer.

My suggestion would be to replace the flex line (check the end ot the
brass male thread for imperfectins that might prevent a good washer
seal)

OR

disassemble the current flex connection, check condition of washer,
apply a bit of plumbers grease, reassemble & gently (but firmly)
tighten DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN.

cheers
Bob

ps let us know how it works out

There comes a point with plumbing where one realizes that the time spent
doing the job right the first time is a far, far better deal than chasing
problems then, or down the road.

Jon

I'll communicate this to the professional plumber that installed this about
6 months ago. g I wonder how many callbacks he gets on these fittings?

-- Paul

I took off the old flex line and the rubber washer inside the leaky fitting
was pretty well crushed. I guess the plumber overtightened it... Tried to
reseat it but it still leaked a little... so I just bought a new flex line,
snugged it up, no more leaks. The new flex line has what looks like a
teflon bushing between the nut and the flex line, whereas the old flex line
nut assembly seemed to be metal-on-metal where the water was dripping out.

-- Paul