Plumbing - compression fitting failure

[Mojooo]

I bought one of these from Wickes

http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Compression-Service...

I sued it to connect a copper pipe to a toilet cistern.

The joists I did on either end are fine but the joist itself is leaking

https://1drv.ms/i/s!AutS6uK5ubo1h5gwYTX6uMzFRtoIDA

You can see on the thin part the water is coming out - when I put the water pressure on it starts coming out quite fast and is definitely coming out upwards

I have seen online that for a similar product from another retailer it is suggested you can tighten the internal of the fitting with an allen key - although its not something that was obvious.

If I replace it was a standard bent tap connector (not isolation) - will they come in the same dimensions for a direct swap?

[227bhp]

Were you drinking as heavily at the time you did the joint as you were when you posted up?

[EireEng]

All of the 15mm fittings for taps / flex hoses etc have the same threads, so you can leave the nuts & olives on and just swap the fitting itself.

ETA: Just re-re-read; I've no idea if the distances between the fittings are the same or not

Edited by EireEng on Sunday 14th January 01:46

[Mojooo]

Been a hectic day and I was well annoyed when the joint failed as I had done lots of work to the cistern itself.

I think the angled valves are (logically) slightly bigger than a normal bend but will try again tomorrow. With compression I normally replace the olives - would it matter if its a new joint?

I may try a different brand tomorrow and hope its the same size. The only angle connector that was there before was quite old and nasty and the Wickes one was an exact fit so I hope all brands are the same..

[johnoz]

Is there fibre washer on the nut between the new valve and the ball valve?

Its not cross threaded ?

Is it tight enough?

As with a lot of plumbing fittings simple things never seen to just work! lol

[TooMany2cvs]

Mojooo said:

You can see on the thin part the water is coming out

Which end do you mean by the "thin part"? The wall side, the compression/olive fitting? Or the cistern end, the flat face and fibre washer end?

If it's the olive, did you put PTFE around it?

Oh, hold on - is that a tiny bead of water just below the fibre washer joint? (Well, to the side of, because it's rotated...) PTFE around that thread?

[Alucidnation]

Just replace the fitting.

[Pheo]

I put jointing compound on the threads of my compression fittings and the olives just to be sure now.

[B17NNS]

It's just a dud fitting. Take it back to Wickes and swap it for another one the same.

[Mojooo]

The fitting actually comes in 2 parts which is not obvious when you buy it - nor is it obvious you need to ensure it is tight

The bit that connects to the plastic cistern inlet - if you go down a bit there is a joint just before it bends - you can see a drop of water

I took the joint apart and tighten it up but it still leaks so I will use a new one.

A normal bend is shorter so cannot replace with a normal bend.

I am pissed now because I have lost the nut into the wall behind plasterboard so now have to take the olive off and put another one on.

I fking hate plumbing.

[Grandad Gaz]

Mojooo said:

The fitting actually comes in 2 parts which is not obvious when you buy it - nor is it obvious you need to ensure it is tight

The bit that connects to the plastic cistern inlet - if you go down a bit there is a joint just before it bends - you can see a drop of water

I took the joint apart and tighten it up but it still leaks so I will use a new one.

A normal bend is shorter so cannot replace with a normal bend.

I am pissed now because I have lost the nut into the wall behind plasterboard so now have to take the olive off and put another one on.

I fking hate plumbing.

Are you sure that fitting comes in two parts?

I've seen loads of them over the years and always in one piece.

I have a couple in my garage you could have if you are local.

[p1esk]

Pheo said:

I put jointing compound on the threads of my compression fittings and the olives just to be sure now.

With brass compression fittings I often find they squeal when being tightened. This is probably quite harmless but it doesn't sound right and I don't like it, so I usually put a smear of washing up liquid on the threads and the olive, and I think this may help them to bed in and seal more readily.

When dismantling some old joints I have sometimes found that PTFE tape has been wrapped round the olive, but I haven't yet applied this to any of my new joints, though it's always an option if I run into difficulty.

[Chris Type R]

Might a short flex hose (with builtin isolating valve) be a better solution ? (admittedly there's not much space to play with)

Edited by Chris Type R on Monday 15th January 09:38

[Fastpedeller]

I've had a couple in the past leak in exactly the same way. One problem is when the nut is tightened (in this case onto the toilet filler valve) if there is 'enough' friction the metal tube which goes into the elbow will tend to unscrew. I've never taken one fully apart (I should have just out of curiosity!) and they do have (as you've said) provision for an allen key, so it may be worth trying to tighten and achieve a good seal. As you've stated other elbow are different dimension (although same threads).......... Sometimes the odd mm can make all the difference in a tight space!

[no eye deer]

As had been mentioned, it's a faulty fitting.

You can tighten it as you've suggested with an allen key but TBH there's no point messing about with it, and it may not make much difference either so I'd just replace like for like.

I've had a few leak like this and I always keep several spares in the van now just in case. Saves the dreaded last minute dash to the merchants!

(Because as we all know the correct time to fit one of these is 4:45pm on a Friday afternoon