Plumbing help in kitchen needed - can't turn water back on!

[Taryn Hauritz]

Hi there,

I've recently done the plumbing in my newly renovated bathroom and thought I'd have a go at the renovated kitchen. All was going well until I managed to move a 15mm cold water pipe and cause the stopcock to drip! I managed to stop the drip but am nervous about continuing to experiment! If I mess up the stopcock I'm seriously messed up. I really didn't want to call a plumber in if possible as I'm trying to learn from my mistakes


.

So, my gas man had encouraged me to use quick fit plumbing fittings and I wanted to simply add a 15mm equal tee to the cold water line for my new dishwasher. I bought the Speedfit part and when I tried to fit it...things went downhill.

i carefully measured where to cut the pipe and tried to get both ends onto the pipe and then screw it back together...but without success.

I'm sure I've made a massive mess...and I now have no water because I can't put it back together!

Please see the attached photo and advise if you can.

Thanks a lot,

Taryn

(I thought about adding a few elbows which could work but would be completely bizarre and messy I'm sure).

 

[Taryn Hauritz]

So interesting....I'm a recent convert to the joys of plumbing and am trying to learn all I can. That makes sense with compression fittings as I wondered why most of them didn't have tape. Can you use too much tape? It seems that sometimes I have put too much and it doesn't screw in that much. If it doesn't leak I guess that's okay! Also, is it standard practice to tape the olive rather than the screw bit? Thanks!

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Good point regarding olives and out of spec. fittings. Becoming more common in recent years.

thats why i only use Kuterlite a tad more but least if it leaks its your own fault and not some cheap fitting

 

[gassafe]

View attachment 23962

Fixed!!! Thank you so much. Luckily toolstation was open til 8pm.

Much appreciated. Now I need to learn about earthing...

Good job getting the water on... Bad practice with the ptfe on that thread tho lol

 

[gassafe]

thats why i only use Kuterlite a tad more but least if it leaks its your own fault and not some cheap fitting

You and your fancy kuterlite... Someone will be along to tell you to get off that high horse again soon hehe

 

[Taryn Hauritz]

Just learnt about the tape...thanks. I thought I was being conscientious!! Will remove it tomorrow.

 

[joni os]

If you've got to tape a compression fitting, tape the olive, 2-3 turns, never the thread. Better use Jet Blue paste.

 

[KingDoey]

Get yourself some jointing compound for your compression fittings. PTFE is a waste of time

 

[rpm]

Get yourself some jointing compound for your compression fittings. PTFE is a waste of time

Why you say that?

 

[KingDoey]

Why you say that?

Just personal preference. Don't understand what putpose ptfe serves on a compression fitting?

 

[Harry Askham]

I tape every olive on my compression fittings. No point having a leak for the sake of it! It has saved me many many times in the past.

 

[rpm]

I tape every olive on my compression fittings. No point having a leak for the sake of it! It has saved me many many times in the past.

I`m with you here, taking into account mine are all old joints which I`ve undone I always add 2 wraps of PTFE around the olive for peace of mind, don`t wanna have to go back because of a slight weep, also find it less messy than a paste.

 

[rpm]

Just personal preference. Don't understand what putpose ptfe serves on a compression fitting?

Some fittings are nowhere near as good as they used to be and guess you`ve never taken an old joint apart and looked at the mating face`s then.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Some fittings are nowhere near as good as they used to be and guess you`ve never taken an old joint apart and looked at the mating face`s then.

too true they dont make them like the good old days

 

[Harry Askham]

When the fitting is in an awkward spot and you cant be bothered to struggle getting tape round the olive, you immediately regret it when you turn the water on lol! A TINY drip that doesn't ever stop..

 

[rpm]

When the fitting is in an awkward spot and you cant be bothered to struggle getting tape round the olive, you immediately regret it when you turn the water on lol! A TINY drip that doesn't ever stop..

With a little practise you can tear a 2" strip off the reel if it makes it easier to get it on the olive.

 

[Unregistered]

Some fittings are nowhere near as good as they used to be and guess you`ve never taken an old joint apart and looked at the mating face`s then.

Indeed I have. I always put a bit of jet on the mating faces. Like i say personal preference whatever works for the individual

 

[KingDoey]

Indeed I have. I always put a bit of jet on the mating faces. Like i say personal preference whatever works for the individual

 

[KingDoey]

Im on my phone logged out for some reason

 

[rpm]

Indeed I have. I always put a bit of jet on the mating faces. Like i say personal preference whatever works for the individual

It`s a personal thing as you say, I prefer the tape over using paste.

 

[village idiot]

What I ask myself is: 'Which of the two is good for my health?' PTFE is just that, a thread, whereas a paste of any sort will let traces filter into my system now & again. I know which one I will prefer!! The PTFE tape