leak in PVC pipe

[hhfarang]

A part of a PVC valve seems to have sprung a pinhole lead or small crack in my garden. I've never seen anything like this before as is not the ball valve itself leaking, but a tiny stream of water squirting 3 or 4 meters seems to be coming from a small hole in the PVC itself.

The valve was installed where one end of it is butted directly up against a cement wall so that there is no room to cut the pipe and replace the valve without breaking open the cement.

It's this type of ball valve, only the blue kind that you get here with no threading and a little bit longer pipe section on either end:

Ball Valve.png (46.5 KiB) Viewed 2597 times

As I said, the leak is not in the valve itself but seems to be in the part of the valve that is straight pipe at one end (also not where it connects to the other pipe) so it, unbelievably, seems to be a failure of the PVC material itself rather than a valve failure or a failure at a joint.

My question is: If I unplug the demand pump and empty the system to take the pressure off, can I fix this hole or small crack with PVC glue or super glue by just globbing it onto the leaking part? Or maybe find another piece of PVC a bit bigger in diameter (if I can find one that fits the curvature exactly) and glue it over the rupture like a patch?

Obviously, the quickest and easiest solution would be the PVC or super glue just dabbed on the hole, but I'm not sure this would hold when pressure is re-applied.

Any suggestions before I go off and try the wrong thing (again!)? Thanks!

[Nereus]

I have just been through a nightmare with an underground PVC pipe leaking, so I appreciate how frustrating it can be.
If you can isolate the water and get the thing dry I would suggest that 2 part epoxy resin may seal it. There is a type of resin that is like plasticine, in 2 parts that you mix together like kids plasticine. I will try and find the name of it. It is much better than "runny" types of glue as it will stay in place while it hardens. As the valve is stuffed anyway you have nothing to lose. It is probably just an air hole in the casting, as that bulb type of valve is usually ok.

edit: the one that I last used for such a leak was "Pattex". It is blue coloured and comes in a small plastic bottle like a pill bottle. Just cut of a piece from the roll and the hardener is already in the middle, just knead it well together. Any similar brand would probably be ok.

[hhfarang]

Thanks Nereus,

I've seen (and used) a two tube glue that I got at HomePro that comes with a little tray and stick to mix the two into a clear paste to activate it before applying it (also with the stick). I think that did say epoxy on the package. I'll give that a try.

[Nereus]

Thanks Nereus,

I've seen (and used) a two tube glue that I got at HomePro that comes with a little tray and stick to mix the two into a clear paste to activate it before applying it (also with the stick). I think that did say epoxy on the package. I'll give that a try.

Well, whatever. That stuff will run down away from just where it needs to be before it starts to cure, even the 5 minute type. What I am talking about will stay in place and is actually stronger that the original PVC. You can mold it to the shape of the pipe and it will stay there.

[Whaler]

hhfarang

Is there not enough flex in the pipe so you can fit a jubilee clip around ? Using one of these will allow you to clamp and glue a patch piece on

Slightly more drastic is to drill, tap and plug the leak with a small screw glued or PTFE tape on the threads

[chopsticks]

Some plastics (thermoplastics) can be slightly melted with a hot soldering iron or similar and it may reform as it cools to block the hole.May be worth trying.
You can't do this with thermoset plastics.

[hhfarang]

All sounds like ideas that may work. There is no flex though. The entire exposed section including the valve is only about 25 cm long before it T's into another pipe.

Nereus, If you see that type of resin anywhere or think of the name, please let me know as that sounds like the perfect solution.

[Nereus]

All sounds like ideas that may work. There is no flex though. The entire exposed section including the valve is only about 25 cm long before it T's into another pipe.

Nereus, If you see that type of resin anywhere or think of the name, please let me know as that sounds like the perfect solution.

After you have had your morning coffee, put your glasses on and have a read of what I wrote!

I think that they have it in horrible HomePro, but I did not get mine there. There are a couple of different bands available, the main thing to look for is that it is a "plasticine" type that is mixed by kneading it in your hand.

[hhfarang]

^ Ah, I missed the "edit" part before.

[charlesh]

We now know who to blame if HH suddenly floods.

[chelsea]

A part of a PVC valve seems to have sprung a pinhole lead or small crack in my garden. I've never seen anything like this before as is not the ball valve itself leaking, but a tiny stream of water squirting 3 or 4 meters seems to be coming from a small hole in the PVC itself.

The valve was installed where one end of it is butted directly up against a cement wall so that there is no room to cut the pipe and replace the valve without breaking open the cement.

It's this type of ball valve, only the blue kind that you get here with no threading and a little bit longer pipe section on either end:

Ball Valve.png

As I said, the leak is not in the valve itself but seems to be in the part of the valve that is straight pipe at one end (also not where it connects to the other pipe) so it, unbelievably, seems to be a failure of the PVC material itself rather than a valve failure or a failure at a joint.

My question is: If I unplug the demand pump and empty the system to take the pressure off, can I fix this hole or small crack with PVC glue or super glue by just globbing it onto the leaking part? Or maybe find another piece of PVC a bit bigger in diameter (if I can find one that fits the curvature exactly) and glue it over the rupture like a patch?

Obviously, the quickest and easiest solution would be the PVC or super glue just dabbed on the hole, but I'm not sure this would hold when pressure is re-applied.

Any suggestions before I go off and try the wrong thing (again!)? Thanks!

HH
Use this product or a product called Quick Steel, can be got from most decent hardware shops or auto spares shops. Both products dry like concrete and are water resistant
http://www.selleys.com.au/putty/epoxy/knead-it-aqua
I put a garden fork through the main pipe on my retic system in the last rental house I had. Used that to fix it and as far as I know is still going OK.

[Nereus]

^ Ah, I missed the "edit" part before.

Here you go, hhf.

In Horrible-Pro this morning and they have the "Pattex" product, called "Repair Express", at 155 Baht per pack.

They also have a Jap one called "Aqua Epoxy Putty". You do not have to be able to read Japanese as it has a picture on it of your leaking pipe. 129 Baht per pack.

Try and get it elsewhere, as I would not recommend my worse enemy go anywhere near Market Village at the moment!

[hhfarang]

^ I agree, I went out just to get a haircut this morning and the drive to the barbershop on Sa Song road took longer than the cut.

I was going to go to HomePro to look for that stuff but they had a traffic backup in the entrance lane all the way to the flyover at 11 a.m. so I bypassed it.

The missus, in her infinite wisdom got a Thai repair man to come over and he sawed through the valve directly beside the ball and then was able to tap and pry the rest of the valve part off the pipe coming out of the cement leaving the original few centimeters of pipe sticking out of the cement. He then replaced the valve and a couple of feet of pipe in each direction at the "T". She paid him 300 baht plus 128b for parts.

I guess I should leave this stuff up to her as if I don't get it done in the first day she takes things in hand herself.