PVC gate valve problems

[YodaHart]

I bought a PVC gate valve from pvcfittings.com and finally had a chance to try it out. I found that it's leaking from the top. Not where the nut is but the round piece that's around the nut. It only leaks with the valve open. I tried tightening and loosening the nut a little and the leak just gets worse. Is there anything I can do to fix it?

 

[bluwinghawk]

can you post a pic sounds like a bad packing you maybe able to replace with an O-ring

 

[YodaHart]

Sure. Here's a pic. If you zoom in you can see where it's leaking.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Dry the body well and then wrap a kleenex around the stem, nut and upper body of the valve and watch it. Then you will see for sure where the water is leaking from. Have you tried to take it apart and see if there is anything inside you can fix, like a cut O-ring or a twisted gasket or a cracked bit of plastic?

 

[YodaHart]

I was hoping I wouldn't have to take it all apart. It isn't easily accessible and is connected to my return pump. I'd have to shut my whole sump off just to tear it apart. I have another one plumbed in. I might try that one first. Hopefully I didn't get 2 leaky valves in the same order...

 

[bluwinghawk]

yes If you can Isolate the valve you should be able to take handle off and remove the packing nut to take stem out but that's will let water out reason to Isolate valve this way you can check and change packing/o-ring you may even be able to leave stem In and just take off nut while In close position
but most likely you will have to remove stem to get to o-ring hope
this helps bbl

 

[YodaHart]

I tried my other gate valve and it leaked the same way. So I unscrewed the stem and remove everything. There is an o-ring in there that obliviously wasn't doing much. I tried putting some plumber's silicone around the o-ring and putting everything back together but it still leaked. I even opened up the valve all the way and tightened just to make sure the stem wasn't preventing me from tightening all the way. I'm going to try to replace the o-ring with a new one. If that doesn't work I'll have 2 useless gate valves and will have to run my reactors a different way...

 

[YodaHart]

After putting the valve back together I noticed it started leaking even with the valve closed. I was getting a little worried so I took it apart again. This time I used some thread sealant on the thread of the stem. Probably isn't what you're supposed to do but it isn't leaking anymore even with the valve open. I'll check again in the morning but so far so good!