Dripping Flare Fitting
#1
01-10-23, 04:36 PM
Dripping Flare Fitting
Greetings ! I am replacing the shutoff valve in a house with a ball valve. There is a 3/4" copper pipe with a female flare end on the end of the pipe.
After reassembling the pipe and new valve, the flare fitting is dripping. I tweeked it a pinch tighter but that did not help.
I need help fixing this !
After reassembling the pipe and new valve, the flare fitting is dripping. I tweeked it a pinch tighter but that did not help.
I need help fixing this !
#4
01-10-23, 10:12 PM
Member
Inevitably it's just going to take more torque. There is a slight shape difference between the new and old valves and the flare just needs more torque on the threaded fitting to cause the copper to form a proper seal.
Get a couple of big wrenches and just keep torqueing that fitting a few degrees until the weep stops.
Get a couple of big wrenches and just keep torqueing that fitting a few degrees until the weep stops.
#5
01-11-23, 04:51 AM
Group Moderator
Wow, a 3/4" flared joint is unusual. Look for scratches or gouges on the cone of the fitting and inside the flair of the copper. Those two faces must joint with near perfect metal to metal contact.
#6
01-11-23, 09:29 AM
So it looks like there is a crack on the flare rim on the pipe. Not much of the pipe sticks out of the block where the pipe comes through.
I will post a pick if I can figure out how.
I will post a pick if I can figure out how.
#7
01-11-23, 11:28 AM
Group Moderator
It's too late now for your pipe but in the future make sure that the replacement valve has the same flare angle of the pipe.
If you have a flaring tool and will be replacing the pipe don't forget to anneal the end of the pipe if using rigid type copper pipe. Without annealing it is likely the flare will crack. If using soft copper you don't need to anneal as long as that area of pipe hasn't been work hardened too much.
If you have a flaring tool and will be replacing the pipe don't forget to anneal the end of the pipe if using rigid type copper pipe. Without annealing it is likely the flare will crack. If using soft copper you don't need to anneal as long as that area of pipe hasn't been work hardened too much.
#8
01-29-23, 07:33 AM
is it a proper repair to cut off the old cracked flare end and use a sleeve to solder an extended copper pipe with a fresh flared end to fix my leak ?
#9
01-29-23, 08:15 AM
Member
Flared fittings are used with soft copper so have to assume this is what you have.
I believe soft copper can be soldered but suspect the reason it is not done is because the pipe diameters are not consistent like hard copper pipe and therefore the odds of getting a quality joint are low, that is why the mechanical joint of a flare fitting is used.
You could replace a section of the soft pipe back to another joint or possibly even insert a section of pipe with a flared coupling.
3/4" copper is big, nothing I have even seen, hope you got yourself a good flaring tool!
I believe soft copper can be soldered but suspect the reason it is not done is because the pipe diameters are not consistent like hard copper pipe and therefore the odds of getting a quality joint are low, that is why the mechanical joint of a flare fitting is used.
You could replace a section of the soft pipe back to another joint or possibly even insert a section of pipe with a flared coupling.
3/4" copper is big, nothing I have even seen, hope you got yourself a good flaring tool!
#10
01-29-23, 08:58 AM
Group Moderator
Yes you can.
Type K (soft copper tubing) can be used with sweat, flared and compression fittings.
Type K (soft copper tubing) can be used with sweat, flared and compression fittings.
