Water well pump leak, time for an expert

[cougar14]

Hope there's a plumber out there who can help me out before I lose it and go beserk and cut my wrists.

Replacing water well pump. Unit pretty standard, 1 hp, 1" top discharge, 1" and 1 1/4" pipe for the foot valve.

Can't get ANY of the connections at the pump to stop leaking when running. Tried PVC pipe, iron pipe, PVC tape, both regular and the grey "heavy duty", and finally tried Rectorseal on just the iron nipples. They all leak. I tightened the PVC by hand then a turn or two with a wrench. The metal nipples I put some serious torque on them. They all leak.

Either I'm not doing something right or I'm not using the right stuff. Hope someone understands better and can give me some direction.

As always, thanks in advance.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

The first thing that comes to my mind is, The threaded area they screw into is an adapter of some kind. That threaded area may not be sealed.

I am in the minority, but I don't like Teflon tape, I always use Teflon pipe dope! It is white good for water or gas lines and can be easily undone in 20 years. That's all I got from 1600 miles away.

Ivan

 

[9mmPatriot]

Pipe threads mixed with standard threads is my guess.

 

[cougar14]

Pipe threads mixed with standard threads is my guess.

It's all pipe. I'm favoring me tightening too much distorting the PVC, but not sure yet.

 

[Greyman50]

Use PVC glue fittings with a PVC union on Each line. Cheaper and easier to put together.

 

[quikdraw67]

The first thing that comes to my mind is, The threaded area they screw into is an adapter of some kind. That threaded area may not be sealed.

I am in the minority, but I don't like Teflon tape, I always use Teflon pipe dope! It is white good for water or gas lines and can be easily undone in 20 years. That's all I got from 1600 miles away.

Ivan

+1 on the Teflon pipe dope. I like Hercules Real-Tuff

All your connections are leaking? That's a mystery. If you use dope and tighten the fittings snug you shouldn't have any leaks.

Try the Teflon paste pipe dope and see if that works.

 

[cougar14]

+1 on the Teflon pipe dope. I like Hercules Real-Tuff

All your connections are leaking? That's a mystery. If you use dope and tighten the fittings snug you shouldn't have any leaks.

Try the Teflon paste pipe dope and see if that works.

I got a recommendation for Hercules Megaloc. I'll compare it to Real-Tuff.

It's not a mystery if I'm doing the wrong thing on all the fittings, just bad application. I'll get it or it'll get me.

 

[bamabiker]

Can you show some pictures?

 

[Mike0251]

How are you ascertaining that the connection at the pump is leaking when it most likely submerged in the well? I assume your talking about connection 1 in this diagram?

 

[quikdraw67]

How are you ascertaining that the connection at the pump is leaking when it most likely submerged in the well? I assume your talking about connection 1 in this diagram?

He's got a jet pump, not a submersible.

Submersible well pumps don't have 2 pipes in the well or use a foot valve.

 

[Greyman50]

Guessing he talking about the above ground set up with the expansion tank. Intake line with foot valve down to water level, right Elbow from intake line to suction inlet of pump. Outlet line of pump with a T to expansion tank/accumulator and pressure line to house. Had this set up when on farm years ago and same set up for lawn irrigation system at last home.

 

[steelslaver]

I spend a lot time working with pressure vessels and pressure test equipment. On a exchange test head with a worn threaded fitting I could get it to hold more pressure using teflon tape than anything else, but the teflon paste was second best. Some exchangers and piping system test at well over over 4000psi

Are you 100% positive that the pumps fittings are pipe. It isn't that hard to get 60# or so of water pressure to seal. A dap of about any dope on the threads, hand tight, then a pair of medium sized water pump pliers (that is how they get their name) should actually be enough. A 18" pipe wrench on the 1 1/4 at most.

They do make a straight thread fittings that take a adapter that has a flange with a rubber gasket that presses up against the shoulder on female fitting. You can also start pipe treads into hose threads although the hose threads are generally heavier

Where did you get the replacement pump?

 

[Mike0251]

He's got a jet pump, not a submersible.

Thank you I missed that lol. Lived here for 42 years, replaced my submersible once, holding tank 3 times, contactor 3 times too. I know the system well...no pun intended lol.

 

[cougar14]

I spend a lot time working with pressure vessels and pressure test equipment. On a exchange test head with a worn threaded fitting I could get it to hold more pressure using teflon tape than anything else, but the teflon paste was second best. Some exchangers and piping system test at well over over 4000psi

Are you 100% positive that the pumps fittings are pipe. It isn't that hard to get 60# or so of water pressure to seal. A dap of about any dope on the threads, hand tight, then a pair of medium sized water pump pliers (that is how they get their name) should actually be enough. A 18" pipe wrench on the 1 1/4 at most.

They do make a straight thread fittings that take a adapter that has a flange with a rubber gasket that presses up against the shoulder on female fitting. You can also start pipe treads into hose threads although the hose threads are generally heavier

Where did you get the replacement pump?

I've done this several times the past few years. Always used Wayne pumps, never had a problem. Ordered thru Amazon. Homeowner didn't want to pay the $400 for a Wayne, got a 1HP (Chinese something) for $200 instead. Manual calls for all PVC fittings and tape, basic layout very similar to Wayne, except the two fittings for the foot valve are too close together to use PVC on both of them (flange on PVC adapters would interfere with each other). Used PVC adapter on the 1 1/4" and a 1" iron nipple on the lower one. Both the PVC adapter and the nipple leak at the pump body. The top pump discharge PVC adapter also leaks at the pump body.

Took everything apart, looked at the pump body threads closely, don't see any obvious flaws, but my guess is the thread cutting tool at the foundry was worn or dull. Put it all back carefully, same result.

 

[mtgianni]

Examine the threads to verify that they are tapered. Clean them by hand with a wire or stiff bristled tooth brush for parts cleaning. Wrap the threads with no more than three turns of teflon tape. Squirt it with WD 40 and let it set for 10 seconds. The tape will shrink and turn translucent, then apply a light amount of a good pipe dope. Rectorseal #5, Gasoila, or a teflon paste. What you don't want is the tape unwinding and bunching to restrict it's entrance into the opening.

 

[WR Moore]

OK, first question: if using teflon tape, are you winding the tape in the correct direction? With the threads facing you, you should be wrapping the tape clockwise.

On the pipe thread/standard thread thing, it might be worth your while to pick up the correct size pipe tap and gently, gently clean the threads. If you suddenly meet resistance, you might have standard/non-tapered threads. At worst, you might have threads that the factory thoughtfully pre-buggered for you.

 

[handejector]

Took everything apart, looked at the pump body threads closely, don't see any obvious flaws, but my guess is the thread cutting tool at the foundry was worn or dull. Put it all back carefully, same result.

That was my first thought. If those threads are good, why won't they seal? My bet- they're bad.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

That was my first thought. If those threads are good, why won't they seal? My bet- they're bad.

When you buy half priced Chinese junk on-line, you get what you pay for. Now the question is will the vender make it right?

Ivan

 

[oldbrownhat]

Loctite makes a Form-a-Thread product, PC 3967. Probably not cheap (~$30.00) but might do the trick.

"LOCTITE® PC 3967 (known as STRIPPED THREAD REPAIR KIT) is a gray, 2-part dimethacrylate ester repair kit with a 1-part release agent which is used for repairing stripped threaded assemblies in a variety of metals and wood. Typical applications include threaded assemblies on oil pans, valve covers, distributor caps, transmission pans and housings."
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[chief38]

I am not a professional Plumber, however I've been doing my own home plumbing all my adult life. When I plumbed up my whole house water filtration system I had lots of trouble getting the Chinese made Unions to seal. Long story short and after unsuccessfully trying different Chinese Unions, I went to a real plumbing supply store and bought Unions made in Italy, put them on and they sealed up tight. NO MORE Chinese fittings or valves from H-D !! Now I only buy the important parts and fittings from a plumbing supply Co.

I have found that Blue Monster brand Pipe Dope and Teflon Tape are even better than Hercules brand. Their stuff is the best I've found!