I hate plumbing tonite

DeerMadness · Dec 7, 2018

So I disconnected the Kenmore water softener , removed washer and dryer and all furniture from basement on Monday. This was done so we could get new carpet installation.
When I tried to hook the inlet and outlet water pipes to the softener manifold it kept blowing open.
My friend came over and we had to push hard enough to compress the O-Rings and TADA it is fixed and no leaks. I'm strong enough but I need one more arm.
Plumbing is a good trade but a messy one.

elkassassin · Dec 7, 2018

It Was Clean Water Wasn't it?

I know so many people in so many places
They make allot of money but they got sad faces

It Ain't Easy being Me!

BIGJOHNT · Dec 7, 2018

Be careful with those plastic manifolds on those Kenmore/GE water softeners . If you have two much pressure pushing up or down from the connecting pipes. It ovals the manifolds and even the biggest O ring won't stop it from leaking.

elkassassin · Dec 7, 2018

>Be careful with those plastic manifolds
>on those Kenmore/GE water softeners
>. If you have two
>much pressure pushing up or
>down from the connecting pipes.
>It ovals the manifolds and
>even the biggest O ring
>won't stop it from leaking.
>

You Ever Broke one of them Plastic Bastards BIGJOHN?

I know so many people in so many places
They make allot of money but they got sad faces

It Ain't Easy being Me!

1911 · Dec 7, 2018

Bess? urologist said his O ring was out of shape. But it had nothing to do with high pressure.

BIGJOHNT · Dec 7, 2018

I have had to replace quite a few of them. I have broken those plastic clips. They suck ! I put in Nugen water softeners. The grandson of the old R&M group Pure tell.

eelgrass · Dec 7, 2018

It should be a violation of the Building Code to have running water in any building meant for human habitation.

elkassassin · Dec 7, 2018

>I have had to replace quite
>a few of them. I
>have broken those plastic clips.
>They suck ! I put
>in Nugen water softeners. The
>grandson of the old R&M
>group Pure tell.

JS at NUGEN is A Dang Good Friend of Mine!

I know so many people in so many places
They make allot of money but they got sad faces

It Ain't Easy being Me!

DeerMadness · Dec 7, 2018

I broke a keeper ring. I had to pay 27.00 for a new one by mail. Almost wanted to jury rig with baling wire but I'm sure it wouldn't have worked.

DeerMadness · Dec 7, 2018

I held my hand under the manifold while my my friend pushed down from the elbow above then he used his other hand to snap the ring on. It took 7 or 8 tries and the ring flew off like a bullet. I was pissed but still had to laugh.

DeerMadness · Dec 7, 2018

Clean water yes, but this house is 70s and the galvanized pipes are closing up. I'm sure will have to go to pex soon. It is my biggest fear I will get a leak and all the basement remodeling from paneling to drywall will have a flood.

elkassassin · Dec 8, 2018

>Bess? urologist said his O ring
>was out of shape.
>But it had nothing to
>do with high pressure.
>

Easy 1911!

They Said it was the Mass that counted!

I know so many people in so many places
They make allot of money but they got sad faces

It Ain't Easy being Me!

OutdoorWriter · Dec 8, 2018

Hey, I have a question for all your REAL plumbers.

About to replace my leaking outside gate valve with a ball valve. The first connection that has to be undone is a 3/4" galvanized union. Do they use a washer inside for sealing purposes other than the usual thread tape/dope? If so, will it likely be reusable or garbage since it's many years old? If garbage, are they available separately or do I have to but a complete new union?

TONY MANDILE

How To Hunt Coues Deer

Longun · Dec 8, 2018

J B weld is my hero...

brutus54 · Dec 8, 2018

>J B weld is my hero...
>

Mine too I patched some holes in a condenser for air conditioning on a Nissan Sentra It held for years. I sold it and I bet it is still holding.

elkassassin · Dec 8, 2018

>Hey, I have a question for
>all your REAL plumbers.
>
>About to replace my leaking outside
>gate valve with a ball
>valve. The first connection that
>has to be undone is
>a 3/4" galvanized union. Do
>they use a washer inside
>for sealing purposes other than
>the usual thread tape/dope? If
>so, will it likely be
>reusable or garbage since it's
>many years old? If garbage,
>are they available separately or
>do I have to but
>a complete new union?
>
>
>TONY MANDILE
>

>How To Hunt Coues Deer

Regular Galvanized Unions don't have washers/Gaskets!

I'd recommend you get a New Union!

So the Valve is Outside?

What's the Weather Conditions in your Area?

If It Gets Cold/Below Freezing where You Live & The Valve is Not Protected from Frost a Ball Valve may not be the Best Choice even though it is a Better Valve!

Ball Valves Trap a Small amount of Water in the Valve Body,if it's not Protected From Frost/Cold Conditions the Water trapped in the Valve Body will Freeze & Split the Valve!

If the Valve is Protected from Cold Conditions the Ball Valve is the Way to go!

I Run 3" Ball Valves on My Risers on My Irrigation System!

They Ain't Cheap!

I Live where it's Cold!

They are in the Vertical Position and I Drain the Valve Bodies of that little Bit of water by opening them Wide Open and then Slightly Closing them & it Drains that little bit of water out of the Valve Body!

I know so many people in so many places
They make allot of money but they got sad faces

It Ain't Easy being Me!

OutdoorWriter · Dec 8, 2018

Mine's only a 3/4" threaded valve. Cost was about $9.

I'm in Phoenix and the valve is above ground but south facing where it gets the sun. So with our very mild winter temps, I doubt freezing will come into play. In fact, I can't recall the last time it got down to 35 or less.

Reason I asked about the gasket is because I recently had to do a leak repair on a connection coming up from the line at the other end where the line connects to the meter with a union. That union has a gasket inside the outer sleeve, and the city water guy provided a new one for me when he came to shut off the water for the pipe leak at repair at the elbow.

So it sounds like I should just use the usual Teflon tape/pipe dope on the union, right?

TONY MANDILE

How To Hunt Coues Deer

elkassassin · Dec 8, 2018

Well Tony!

There's a few possibilities on types of Unions!

Yes,Union Connections on Water Meters have gaskets!

If Your Union is in decent Shape you might or might not be able to re-use it without issues!

Yes,Pipe Thread Compound & Teflon!

You Know By Know Plumbers don't use Dope!

Sounds like your Weather isn't an issue so the Ball Valve will be Superior to the Old Gate Valve!

I'd Compare New Valve Length to Old Valve Length,They Vary a little & If there's No Give in the Piping you'll want to keep everything the same Length or as close as you can!

You wanna trade some weather for My 15 Degrees this morning?

I know so many people in so many places
They make allot of money but they got sad faces

It Ain't Easy being Me!

elkassassin · Dec 8, 2018

Hey Tony!

One more thing to watch for!

Ball Valves are made in a couple different variations!

Full Port!

And!

Reduced Port!

I Take it you using this on a Sprinkling system?

I'd make sure it is a FULL PORT valve!

I Always use FULL PORT Ball Valves!

I know so many people in so many places
They make allot of money but they got sad faces

It Ain't Easy being Me!

BIGJOHNT · Dec 8, 2018

Some unions like water meter unions use washers. But regular unions do not. When working on galvanized fittings you need to be careful and hold back up . Or you will twist it and you will be replacing the whole line. Which is maybe what you should be doing. I grew up as a teenager repiping old galvanized houses. There aren't to many of them left . Run can put pipe dope in the union half?s to help. Use Teflon tape and pipe dope on the threads.

OutdoorWriter · Dec 9, 2018

Everything went great yesterday, although I did have a bit of a problem locating the same brass compression fitting that connected the 3/4" copper stub from the house to the new galvanized union. Neither Lowe's or HD had one. Finally found one at a tiny plumbing supply store near my house.

I replaced the whole top down to the main incoming line since the 3'-long, 3/4" galvanized that connects from the faucet tee to the line didn't look too healthy. It's been there since 1959, so I wasn't too surprised. And now at 77 yrs. old, I doubt I'll be doing any more replacements.

And taadaaa, not a single leak the first time through.

TONY MANDILE

How To Hunt Coues Deer

elkassassin · Dec 9, 2018

>Everything went great yesterday, although I
>did have a bit of
>a problem locating the same
>brass compression fitting that connected
>the 3/4" copper stub from
>the house to the new
>galvanized union. Neither Lowe's or
>HD had one. Finally found
>one at a tiny plumbing
>supply store near my house.
>
>
>I replaced the whole top down
>to the main incoming line
>since the 3'-long, 3/4" galvanized
>that connects from the faucet
>tee to the line didn't
>look too healthy. It's been
>there since 1959, so I
>wasn't too surprised. And now
>at 77 yrs. old, I
>doubt I'll be doing any
>more replacements.
>
>And taadaaa, not a single leak
>the first time through.
>
>TONY MANDILE
>

>How To Hunt Coues Deer

Glad You got it without having to have BIGJOHN make a Service Call!

I know so many people in so many places
They make allot of money but they got sad faces

It Ain't Easy being Me!

OutdoorWriter · Dec 9, 2018

Bessy,

I'm glad too! It took me more time shopping for that damn fitting than it did to do the actual repair minus the digging.

Thanks for all the input.

TONY MANDILE

How To Hunt Coues Deer

elkassassin · Dec 9, 2018

>Bessy,
>
>I'm glad too! It took me
>more time shopping for that
>damn fitting than it did
>to do the actual repair
>minus the digging.
>
>Thanks for all the input.
>
>TONY MANDILE
>

>How To Hunt Coues Deer

You're Welcome!

I know so many people in so many places
They make allot of money but they got sad faces

It Ain't Easy being Me!

BIGJOHNT · Dec 9, 2018

My wife is down in Sedona right now. We go down to Phoenix often. I would have loved to stop by and helped.I would have even waived the overtime and travel time charge. ? She grew up in Glendale. I went to UTI in the 80?s and lived in the south part of town.

OutdoorWriter · Dec 10, 2018

BigJohn,

I actually live in Glendale near 67th Ave. and Camelback. Weather today is spectacular -- a nice calm, balmy 75 degs. on my back patio.

As I told Bessy, it was a pretty simple RXR once we dug down to the main line and had all the parts in hand. We basically put it altogether in my workshop where we could use the vise. Outside, all we had to do was screw the down pipe into the main line and fasten the union to the wall stub.

And thanks for your input, as well.

TONY MANDILE

How To Hunt Coues Deer