Leaking pipes

Uptowngirl · Jul 8, 2019

Help! I leak tested everything and didn’t have a problem (well I did but from the bulkhead not sealing correctly). Now that the tank is filled up with water I have a leak coming from where I glued my bulkhead to my pvc. Now I’m reading that there is a special cement that I was supposed to use, pvc/abs cement. I just used plain ole pvc cement. Now I can’t get them apart though to re-do it. Can I just put the new cement along the outside? Or do I have to saw off my pvc and start everything over? Ahhh!

Uptowngirl · Jul 8, 2019

This is where I’m talking about, bulkhead to pvc connection

Hemmdog · Jul 8, 2019

@Sod Buster

ca1ore · Jul 8, 2019

Naaah, the regular PVC cement is just fine. Usually solvent welded joints don't leak ….. but sometime they do. As long as you can dry the area, gooping some solvent over the joint will probably do the trick. The leak may also may be where the pipe solvent welds into the bulkhead stem.

clm65 · Jul 8, 2019

I agree that regular PVC should be fine. It is unusual for a glued PVC joint to leak if enough glue was used, as there is very little pressure there. Are you sure that the leak isn't coming from the bulkhead fitting, and just appears to be from the glued joint below it?

Uptowngirl · Jul 8, 2019

I had to try three times to get the bulkhead to seal properly, and that was holding water without a leak for at least 5 days. Now that the water is filled to my main standpipe I am seeing the leak. I have already dried the area, put pvc cement around the outside of it, waited two hours, and retested twice today and that isn’t seeming to fix it. Am I just not putting enough on maybe?

ca1ore · Jul 8, 2019

It can be tricky to figure out exactly where the water is coming from. If you can get in there with a flashlight and see exactly where. You do have the bulkhead gasket under the flange, right? Check to make sure the O ring in the union is seated properly.

clm65 · Jul 8, 2019

Uptowngirl said:
I had to try three times to get the bulkhead to seal properly, and that was holding water without a leak for at least 5 days. Now that the water is filled to my main standpipe I am seeing the leak. I have already dried the area, put pvc cement around the outside of it, waited two hours, and retested twice today and that isn’t seeming to fix it. Am I just not putting enough on maybe?

How high was the water during the 5 day holding period? If you can lower the water level to just below the top of the main standpipe and the leak continues, the leak is most likely at the bulkhead fitting.

Uptowngirl · Jul 8, 2019

The water is lowered below main standpipe now and not leaking, I have it completely dried and I keep checking for leaks by blotting with a paper towel every 5 minutes or so. So I don’t think it’s the bulkhead. I’m checking the unions now. When cutting the pvc to attach the bulkhead and the union the piece had to be very small, now I’m worried it was too small so it’s not holding well

clm65 · Jul 8, 2019

Ideally you would have enough pipe to fully engage both the bulkhead and union. If it was really short, it could be the cause of your problem, although I would think you could get by with much less than full engagement. As ca1ore suggested, the leak could be at the bulkhead/pipe joint instead of the pipe/union joint, so getting the glue to coat the "uphill" joint may be difficult. Hate to say it, but at this point, you may want to consider re-doing this line and ensuring you have adequate engagement and adequate glue at all joints. Better safe than sorry.

Uptowngirl · Jul 8, 2019

Just tightened my unions. The one coming from the bulkhead was able to be tightened a decent amount. I put a lot of normal pvc cement on the leaky area as well. Will test again in two hours once it’s cured. This is my last effort before bringing out the pvc cutters and taking the whole section out and restarting

Hermie · Jul 8, 2019

I'm no "expert" but PVC cement is just to bond PVC together, it's not meant to be a "glue" so to speak. So if the joint is not clean and you are applying PVC cement over it but not pushing the PVC into the gap, it is not a guaranteed fix. Sorry I guess I am just expressing skepticism that it's the best approach... to just use PVC cement like a "plug"

Sod Buster · Jul 8, 2019

I'm glad the threaded joint tightened. Pvc cement actually melts the vinyl to make a seal, but only guarantee is w/out air, that is why you twist the pipes at least 180 degrees. If you tightened the bulkhead, & that is where the leak was, great. If it is the glued joint, the booger you slobbered on the outside will fail eventually. Let's do a "flex shot, or flex tape" commercial. They might pay some $ for a true story on my tv.

Jay Z · Jul 8, 2019

I always use this stuff when ever I run into a small leak. They have it at ace.

Steps I use are dry area. Apply 1 coat, wait 15 minutes, apply second coat, wait 15 minutes. Turn pump back on.

I have never had this fail yet.

Sod Buster · Jul 8, 2019

If she smeared pvc glue over the wound already, I don't know what the reaction would be? Good thing to have in the cabinet for sure though. A new bulkhead and four 45's if it was mine though.

Jay Z · Jul 8, 2019

Sod Buster said:
If she smeared pvc glue over the wound already, I don't know what the reaction would be? Good thing to have in the cabinet for sure though. A new bulkhead and four 45's if it was mine though.

Pvc cement should just bust off. It never seems to hold when you try leaks with it.

Tried it before when I couldn’t find my magical repair epoxy. Just flake it off with a razor, then epoxied it.