Copper Faucet to PVC Leak

[Brian Kent]

I have an outdoor copper faucet with a female extension, attached to male threaded PVC. It was "fixed" by the previous owner, but the fix has not lasted. Now we have a drip per second.

How can I best repair this?

I currently do not have a torch but can get one if needed for the copper parts.

Thanks in advance.

Brian

[Dan Hintz]

Well, you're certainly not going to torch one to the other... if you can get the faucet off and the threads are still clean, give the threads a few good wraps of teflon tape and put the faucet back on.

[Brian Kent]

Hi Dan.

The torch question is if I need to remove the PVC, put some other kind of end piece on the copper, and then re-attach the pvc. I found this one and don't know if it is a better idea:

http://www.magicplastics.com/vnf_coppertopvc.htm

Part of my problem is that everything on each side is attached in a solid, non-spinny way son I can't just unscrew it.

[Dan Friedrichs]

I assume this is a supply line, not a drain line, right? And the PVC (or CPVC) is coming from the house, supplying water?

Is it possible to cut the copper, unscrew it from the PVC, wrap some teflon tape on the threads, screw the copper back in, and solder a coupling to patch the cut in the copper? Or cut the PVC and (after fixing) patch the PVC with a coupler?

[Brian Kent]

Dan, the copper is coming from the house. The pvc is a later addition to a line that fills the pool. So the water is going from the copper to the pvc.


Sorry. I just realized I didn't include the photo in the first post.

[Dan Friedrichs]

Wow, you have an interesting problem, there :) No where to really cut and fix it.

It kinda looks like there isn't any tape on the PVC threads. If the copper is structurally OK, would it be possible to cut the PVC somewhere in order to unscrew the connection and install some tape?

[Dan Hintz]

Yeah, I don't see any tape hanging off of the PVC threads... not a good install.

You have a couple of options:
1) Cut the PVC about 1/2" up from the concrete (farther if you have room, tough to tell in the pic) and replace every bit of PVC.
2) Reheat the copper, remove the threaded 1/2"x3/4" adapter, replace with the copper-to-PVC adapter you linked to earlier.

[Bryan Slimp]

It doesn't look like there is any PVC primer on the male to male coupler. Can you turn that section and wiggle a new one in with the appropriate amount tape on both sides?

If not, you will have to cut out the PVC. Leave as much PVC as you can coming out of the concrete. It will make any potential future repairs easier.

[Rod Sheridan]

Brian, that looks one of those dumb homeowner designs without a union.

If you install a union you'll be able to take it apart again for repair.

As others have said it also looks like there isn't any teflon tape in the threaded joint..........Rod.

[Brian Kent]

Here are some more pictures. Nothing wriggles at all, so I have to either reheat the copper or cut off the pvc to some place that has room to re-build. What do I want to end up with, a threaded (with teflon tape) connection with the copper and pvc, or one of these adapters that I don't know the name of?

[Dan Hintz]

The adapters are called "unions", as Rod mentioned.

'Twere it me, I would desolder the copper pipe right at the wall and cut the PVC as far away from the concrete floor as possible (without including any connectors in what's left). That mass of 3/4" x1/2" is not only unnecessary, it's reducing your supply. You'd need one copper 'T' (3/4"), the union (also in 3/4"), and some straight 3/4" copper. For PVC, a new ball valve, a 90 degree, a straight coupler, and some straight... all 3/4"

[Lee Schierer]

Dan, the copper is coming from the house. The pvc is a later addition to a line that fills the pool. So the water is going from the copper to the pvc.


Sorry. I just realized I didn't include the photo in the first post.

There appears to be a threaded connection right where the water line exits the concrete. With that being the case, here's what I would do. I would cut the copper just after the threaded connector where it exits the wall. Buy a brass threaded Tee, a couple of close brass nipples and two brass unions. Screw the union onto the threaded pipe exiting the block. Then install the Tee with a nipple sized to line up the side outlet of the tee with the PVC. Install the hose bib int to outlet of the tee. Connect the pvc to the side outlet of the tee with a couple of nipples and the second union. Use a teflon pipe dope on all the threaded connections except the one connecting to the piece of pvc (PVC and most liquid pipe dopes don't play well together). Use teflon tape for that connection only. You will have a more robust connection and be able to repair it in the future.

[Rick Potter]

Whichever way you fix it, Lee hit it right on the head. Pipe dope and plastic pipe don't mix. Be SURE to use teflon TAPE.

Rick Potter

[Brian Kent]

Did the cheap plastic repair. I replaced all of the PVC. I found the original problem. The previous homeowner had tried to screw PVC into a copper fitting with a different thread count. It just mashed up the pvc threads enough to work for about a year. Now it has the right thread count and may just last for awhile. I'm a little sloppy with the cement because I'm used to using this on underground fittings.:rolleyes:

[ray hampton]

The nerve of some people, making copper and pvc pipe with different size thread