Ok...when it comes to plumbing I obviously do not have the knack...a section of the plastic tubing for my ice maker has split and started leaking. What my plan was to find out where the leak was, cut it out and join the 2 pieces of the hose back together. Wasn't sure how that would be done. Went to Lowes...talked to the guy in that department and he directed me to the 1/4" compression union. Said that is what I needed to mate the 2 pieces of tubing together.
Sounds easy enough right?? Well yesterday I cut the bad piece of tubing out, put one end through the nut and the little inner sleeve(forgot what this is called) and did the same to the other side and screwed both ends to the middle "union" I did NOT use the little inserts that look they they fir in the plastic tube. I then proceeded to tight the bejesus out of each side...and I mean crank. Everything seemed nice and tight until about 6 this morning when the tube on the fridge side decided to pop out from the nut and create an instant mini flood...thankfully my stepson was up and had enough insight to turn off the supply that feeds the ice maker...that could have been bad!
Talked to a coworker who has some plumbing experience and said I probably tightend too much and crushed the plastic down creating pressure which forced the hose out......said you only need to tighten it finger tight and then give it a turn or so with the wrench
Ok so I think I know what I am doing...go buy another union....I do the same procedure but this time I use the inserts (guy at Ace said I should with the plastic tubing) I hand tighten and then crank a little bit on the bolt as directed bu friend and Ace guy. Turn on water and I'm getting leaking out on end of the bolt(the one that has the water flow going to it) So I turn off water and tighten a bit more...still leaking good
When undid the bolts I can see that the little inner sleeve was a bit cockeyed on both tubes...they were both set back about an 1/8 of an inch from the end of each tube but they are locked down on the insert inside tube)
Ok what am I doing wrong?
I've tried both ways and the overtighten time did not leak at first but blew the end off of half of union...second time it leaked as soon as I put water on
Is there a trick I am missing?
Hopefully I didn't confuse or bore anyone with details...just trying to be thorough...I'm on my way to HD for another union....can someone with plumbing experience maybe help this non plumbing guy out??
Thanks
Goose
Sounds easy enough right?? Well yesterday I cut the bad piece of tubing out, put one end through the nut and the little inner sleeve(forgot what this is called) and did the same to the other side and screwed both ends to the middle "union" I did NOT use the little inserts that look they they fir in the plastic tube. I then proceeded to tight the bejesus out of each side...and I mean crank. Everything seemed nice and tight until about 6 this morning when the tube on the fridge side decided to pop out from the nut and create an instant mini flood...thankfully my stepson was up and had enough insight to turn off the supply that feeds the ice maker...that could have been bad!
Talked to a coworker who has some plumbing experience and said I probably tightend too much and crushed the plastic down creating pressure which forced the hose out......said you only need to tighten it finger tight and then give it a turn or so with the wrench
Ok so I think I know what I am doing...go buy another union....I do the same procedure but this time I use the inserts (guy at Ace said I should with the plastic tubing) I hand tighten and then crank a little bit on the bolt as directed bu friend and Ace guy. Turn on water and I'm getting leaking out on end of the bolt(the one that has the water flow going to it) So I turn off water and tighten a bit more...still leaking good
When undid the bolts I can see that the little inner sleeve was a bit cockeyed on both tubes...they were both set back about an 1/8 of an inch from the end of each tube but they are locked down on the insert inside tube)
Ok what am I doing wrong?
Is there a trick I am missing?
Hopefully I didn't confuse or bore anyone with details...just trying to be thorough...I'm on my way to HD for another union....can someone with plumbing experience maybe help this non plumbing guy out??
Thanks
Goose
