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Author:
tomtoo (CA)
Hello. I'm in the middle or replacing a 30 year old fiberglass bath/shower unit with a newer Sterling unit, and replacing the valves and shower pieces also. I'm close to being finished except that I'm having a real difficult time threading in the shower arm so that there are no leaks during a pressure test, meaning put a cap on the shower arm and tub spout and turning on the water. I figure it will be behind the wall so there should be leaks no matter how tiny, makes sense to me anyway. The wall is still open so I can see any leaks. I've tried five times so far (and on my third shower arm because I keep scratching the finish when removing them to try again!); this last time I put around five wraps of Teflon tape and a bit of pipe thread sealant, and after a minute or two a couple little needle-sized bits of water appeared, very small but a bit is oozing through. I want to do this right so should I just keep trying, maybe try another wrap of tape and a bit more sealant? The arm is cranked about as far as I dare, I don't thing there's a way to get it another 360 degrees around without something bad happening.
Is it possible that the drop ear elbow is off spec a bit? It's a Sharkbite brand, with a pex connection going to the valve. I didn't have this much trouble with the tub spout nipple, which was copper pipe>brass elbow>brass nipple.
Thanks much for any insight or suggestions. I've looked through old posts here trying to avoid an already-answered question, honest!
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Author:
SwimRunPlumb (MI)
Something is wrong, or you are doing something wrong. You may have cracked the fitting with too many wraps of tape and overtightening. I don't think I've ever had that connection leak. Just doping it for a pressure test is sufficient, tape is unnecessary. I use dope only for the shower arm quite often.
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Author:
North Carolina Plumber (NC)
There was a guy here a couple months ago with the same problem, turns out he was wrapping the thread tape the wrong direction. I tighten and loosen the arm from the inside, that way there's no damage to the finish. An insulated handle of a pair of pliers or channel locks works well.
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Author:
packy (MA)
if you can get your hands on a 1/2 inch IPS pipe tap you can try chasing the threads in the elbow. sometimes just cleaning them up with a tap will allow the nipple/shower arm to turn in further.
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Author:
hj (AZ)
He would need a fairly rare "bottoming tap" to use it in an elbow.
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Author:
tomtoo (CA)
Success! I tried one more time this morning, with only a couple wraps of tape and a more generous amount of Rectorseal, and it is holding after twenty minutes or so. I was about "this close" to replacing the elbow (PEX and the open wall would have made that not too painful) thinking I damaged it or something. I understand that either tape or dope alone should have been enough, but just muddling through this as an amateur so figured if it works it works. There's a few slight teeth marks from my channellocks from removing it the last time but nothing very noticeable; tried the handle trick but maybe they aren't "big boy" enough, it rotated around inside the pipe so didn't help much with leverage or maybe I just don't know technique.
Thanks much for the help and advice, it's just great you all take the time to share your expertise like this.
Edited 1 times.
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