Me and my questions, what's this?

[Max]

Whatever it is, it started leaking a little yesterday. By "it" I mean the large octaganol shaped fitting on the pipe closest to the camera between the valve and the sediment filter. It's not leaking bad but enough to leave a small damp spot on the floor beneath it. The pipe it's on is the outlet pipe from the softener.

[Max]

The red line points to the joint that leaks.

[LazyPup]

That is a mechanical union.

It appears that it is intended to allow you to turn the gate valve off, then disconnect the union to permit taking the sediment filter out to service or replace it. Normally you could use two wrenches to tighten that union a bit BUT...from your illustration it appears that this particular union was not soldered correctly and their is solder in the machined union mating surfaces that is causing your leak and will prevent you from tightening the union. The solution would be to remove that union and install a new one correctly.

[Max]

Thanks LP, at least I know what to ask for when going into my local hardware store.

[Max]

Forgive me for asking a question I have already asked in another thread but would it be possible to remove the mechanical union and solder on a new one without draining the pipes to the right of the valve as you look at the first image? The pipe I would be soldering would be empty of water but perhaps the water-filled pipe beyond the valve would be enough to stop the joint getting hot enough. I just checked the plumbing and it doesn't look like too big a deal to drain the pipes if necessary.

[mrcaptainbob]

Max, you'll do fine. As LazyPup says, as long as there's now ater right at the area that you're soldering, there won't be a problem. First, shut the pump off. If the filter top has shutoff ability, shut it. Close the valve. Now you can open that union without losing house pressure and getting too much water all over. I'd remove that pipe from the cartridge assembly to do the resoldering. The other end is okay to leave where it's at. Make sure the copper's clean and SHINEY! Scrube the pipe ends with sandpaper, too. Don't touch the cleaned surfaces except with the flux paste. Assemble the pieces and warm the joint 'till the solder flows. After it cools down, reinstall in that cartridge assembly and reconnect the union and you're good t' go.

[LazyPup]

In order to change that union you are going to have to close both the inlet and outlet valves to the water softener, then remove the lower section of the sediment filter to drain the water out of the line.

You will need to then cut the copper line between the sediment filter and the union.

Unscrew the copper line out of the sediment filter plastic body.

Use a new male thread adapter, short nipple of copper and the male half of the union to remake the section.

Make sure the copper pipe has cooled sufficiently before screwing into the plastic body of the sediment adapter to prevent from heat damaging the threads.

Unsolder and remove the female section of the union from the valve.

Solder the female section of the new union on the valve.

Apply pipe dope to the threads of the male thread adapter and screw it into the sediment filter body snuggly.

Screw the two halves of the union together and tighten snugly. (DO NOT APPLY TEFLON OR DOPE TO THE UNION).

[Max]

Thanks guys, I'm looking forward to this. If all goes well I am going to put a filter on the inlet pipe as well.

[Max]

Can I ask why we don't put dope / teflon on the cast union but we do on the male adpater to filter body?


Another question, why is a short piece of pipe, threaded or not, called a nipple and not just a short piece of pipe?

[LazyPup]

Pipe dope or teflon tape is required to seal the threads on all threaded pipe fittings.

Unions are sealed by means of two mating machined surfaces. Applying dope or teflon tape would interferes with the machined surface.

Due to the physical dimensions of a pipe vise and a thread diestock handle the shortest lenght of pipe that can be practically cut in the field without damaging the threads on the opposite end of the pipe is 12" therefore we rely upon factory precut lenghts under 12"

Factory precut lengths called "pipe nipples" are available from a back to back thread, called a close nipple, then graduating by 1/2" length increments to 18"

[Max]

Thanks LazyPup, I feel my strength growing on a daily basis with all this new knowledge.

[Max]

I dunno if anyone is interested but here are a couple of pics of my work-in-progress. If my understanding is correct, all pipes should be horizontal or vertical, right? No room for "artsy" pipework. I should be OK for space since I can move the water softener a little further away.



While I am here, a question about elbows. You get normal elbows which you can sweat pipe to either end and then you get a street elbow which appears to have a smaller end that would fit into another fitting. Is that the reason for street elbows, to connect to something other than pipe? If not, what is their purpose?

Cheers, Max

[LazyPup]

A common elbow has a female fitting on eihter end which is intended to connect two peices of pipe at right angles. A street elbow has a male fitting on one end and a femal fitting on the other. Street elbows are often used to connect back to back elbows to make an offset in a tight spot. The may also be used when making a 45 or 90 deg. turn immediately after a valve. The male end of the street elbow can be inserted into the valve, then the pipe would connect to the female end.

Street elbows originally got the name from vitreous clay or cast iron sewer pipes. Sewer pipes have a female hub fitting on one end and a straight male fitting on the other end. The pipe was always laid in a manner that would put the female fitting on the upstream end of the joint to insure a good flow through the joint without a leak. Keep in mind that years ago when laying vitreous clay soil pipes they did not pack the flanges but just fit the pipes end to end then backfilled the dirt so it was inportant to keep the discharge end of one section inside the input end of the section on the downstream end.

[Max]

It looks like I may not have as much room as I first though which leads me to ask this question. Rather than having two pipes from the main line in to the new filter be at 90 degrees, is it OK to add another couple of 45's to make a Z shape instead? I thought this would be difficult to explain so I have put together a half-assed picture. Is the zig-zag OK or should I try and move my softener to leave enough room for 90 degree turns only?



Cheers, Max

[Max]

I have decided agains the zip-zag and I am going with a more square approach i.e.

--+
  |
+-+
|
+--

where each plsu sign is a 90 degree elbow. It's more work but I think it will look better.