Tiny little pipe draining, Not sure what it is.

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

01-19-17, 06:33 AM

Denis Alfin

Member

Thread Starter

Join Date: Jan 2017

Posts: 1

Upvotes: 0

Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts

Tiny little pipe draining, Not sure what it is.

I have a little flexible copper pipe with a tiny little valve attached to the cold water input into my water softener (which then goes into the water heater, as my house softens hot water only, which from what I gather is normal?)
Anyways, the tiny little pipe has started draining water (into the basement drain hole) constantly. I am trying to figure out

A. What this little valve is even for and

B. Why it all of a sudden just started draining.

It looks like I could turn the little valve on it to turn it off, but I don't understand how it could have started without opening it in the first place? I have pictures below. The first one is up close of the valve/copper pipe coming off it, and the 2nd is a little further out showing it drain all the way to the floor.

Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet

Name: pipe.jpg
Views: 183
Size: 28.9 KB

Name: pipe - Copy.jpg
Views: 178
Size: 45.3 KB

Last edited by PJmax; 01-19-17 at 08:10 PM. Reason: added pics from link

Upvote

01-19-17, 07:50 AM

PJmax

Group Moderator

Join Date: Oct 2012

Location: Jersey

Posts: 62,480

Upvotes: 443

Received 3,480 Upvotes on 3,125 Posts

Welcome to the forums.

Usually the softener is on the main cold water line so that hot and cold are both softened.

I see the valve and the 1/4" copper pipe. Is that pipe just hanging down to the floor and not connected to anything at the bottom ?

It may be set up as some type of drain line. The sealing washer may have cracked inside the valve allowing it to leak now.

Upvote

01-19-17, 10:16 AM

Zorfdt

Forum Topic Moderator

Join Date: Sep 2005

Location: USA

Posts: 5,874

Upvotes: 248

Received 372 Upvotes on 332 Posts

I think that valve was installed for some other reason (humidifier, icemaker, etc) and later abandoned. Or possibly to drain the pipes for working on them like Pete said.

Those saddle valves are notorious for being poorly made and badly designed, so I'm not surprised that it started leaking/draining.

I would get a 1/4" threaded cap. Remove the copper tubing and cap off the valve.

Upvote

01-19-17, 01:07 PM

Marq1

Member

Join Date: Sep 2016

Location: USA MI

Posts: 9,453

Upvotes: 91

Received 1,137 Upvotes on 1,031 Posts

Is that a second saddle valve to the left side of the picture coming out of the water softener?

Upvote

01-19-17, 07:50 PM

Handyone

Member

Join Date: Aug 2000

Location: U.S.

Posts: 4,807

Upvotes: 0

Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts

Yes, that's a saddle valve to the left also. Maybe an icemaker line.

Denis
The 1/4" compression nut that the tube is inserted into can be removed from the valve.
Unscrew it, pull the tube out, and cap off the valve outlet.

Use a 1/4" compression cap with a 1/4" compression sleeve inside to seal off the outlet.

Cap: Sioux Chief 1/4 in. Lead-Free Brass Compression Cap-907-490201 - The Home Depot

Sleeve/Ferrule: Sioux Chief 1/4 in. Brass Compression Sleeves (3-Pack)-907-010203 - The Home Depot

Upvote

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Show Printable Version

Email this Page

Plumbing and Piping
Stubborn Clog

B

benw3 on Jan 18, 2017

My 1/2bath toilet began giving me trouble a couple weeks ago. I attributed it to my wife who is in her third trimester peeing about every ten minutes and flushing apparently large amounts of toilet paper each time. By the time I didn't have work and was able to investigate I discovered that the water that was going to the toilet at some point began backing up the drain line for the sink and spilling out of a T fitting which was serving as an air vent. At the time I figured that a soggy toilet paper blockage must have caused the water in the drain pipe to freeze because it was -2° outside and the pipe runs through a drafty crawlspace. For the passed few days it has been well above freezing but I wrapped the pipe in heat tape none the less to aid the thawing. I purchased a 25' 3/8" auger and ran it down the pipe to get a feel for state of the pipe the following day. I discovered the block was below the point where it would have froze. I cut some of the excess off the snake and put an old drill on my end. So far I have only successfully extracted small amounts of toilet paper with the auger. I don't feel like I'm getting anywhere. I should note that yesterday I tested the drain by filling the pipe with cold water from the toilet supply line. When I woke I could not see water in the pipe, I poured boiling water down the pipe in hopes that hot water would accelerate the deterioration of the TP blockage. I was able to tell by touch where the blockage was located in my basement based on the heat of the pipe. At what point should I give up and call someone? [url]http://low.es/1OYTGCO[/url]
Plumbing and Piping
Slip joint leak

H

Hong Zhang on Dec 22, 2016

The slip joint between the elbow of a garbage disposal and a trap started leaking recently. I thought it was an easy fix. I disconnected them, did not see anything wrong. I thought it might be the aging of the washer. I bought a new washer, reconnected them, and leak became worse. The leak came out from the top of the nut. I am wondering if any one could offer a tip on finding the culprit of the leak. Attached are two pictures: 1. The trap part. 2. The elbow part with a new washer. [ATTACH]74725[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]74726[/ATTACH]