Leaking water pipe

[YSA]

Hi everyone!

 

The water pipe that comes in from the water tank is leaking where the ‘tap’ bit is (the valve?) - not a lot but it’s been fairly consistent since I moved onto the boat about month ago.

 

Should the valve be open or closed? Is this an indication of anything?

 

 

[Chewbacka]

If this tank pipe is the supply pipe for your pump then if you turn it off you won’t have any water.  
Is the leak from the body of the valve or the pipe connection?  A leak is not good, but it’s not clear which part is the problem 

[YSA]

It’s leaking from where the valve is connected to the pipe I think, I’ve taken a photo and highlighted where the drip is 

[Tracy D'arth]

Its a gate valve, not the best as a water shut off valve.  A tap type with a washer inside is the recommended type.

It is leaking from the gland around the spindle which has a seal packing under the first "nut" next to the handwheel. It may well stop leaking if you gently tighten the nut a little. If you over tighten, the handwheel will become too stiff to turn.

[Jen-in-Wellies]

1 hour ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Its a gate valve, not the best as a water shut off valve.  A tap type with a washer inside is the recommended type.

It is leaking from the gland around the spindle which has a seal packing under the first "nut" next to the handwheel. It may well stop leaking if you gently tighten the nut a little. If you over tighten, the handwheel will become too stiff to turn.

Similar to the stern gland. A rotating seal that is holding back water.

[blackrose]

If tightening the nut doesn't help why not just drain the tank and replace it with a better isolator?

 

Have a couple of towels available for residual water in the pipe.

[pete.i]

Bottom line is that it is a leak and it shouldn't be leaking. A leak in a house is bad enough but a leak on a boat means that that water can get into all sorts of places that you cannot see. It can do all sorts of damage that you cannot see. It needs fixing and you need to see if it has caused any problems especially in the bilges.

[MrFish]

You would definitely be better off replacing it with a lever operated ball valve. They are less prone to leaks and quicker to operate that a gate valve. I would only recommend gate valves on large bore systems (2" or above). However you will need to find the nearest union joint in order to remove it. Hopefully the plumber that installed the system had enough fore sight to install a union nearby. Being tight to the wall may make things trickier.

[YSA]

5 hours ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Its a gate valve, not the best as a water shut off valve.  A tap type with a washer inside is the recommended type.

It is leaking from the gland around the spindle which has a seal packing under the first "nut" next to the handwheel. It may well stop leaking if you gently tighten the nut a little. If you over tighten, the handwheel will become too stiff to turn.

 

I've tried to find the nut, but there's nothing that seems to be able to be tightened! Which bit do you mean exactly?

1 hour ago, MrFish said:

You would definitely be better off replacing it with a lever operated ball valve. They are less prone to leaks and quicker to operate that a gate valve. I would only recommend gate valves on large bore systems (2" or above). However you will need to find the nearest union joint in order to remove it. Hopefully the plumber that installed the system had enough fore sight to install a union nearby. Being tight to the wall may make things trickier.

 

Not sure that's something I would be confident enough to do, can I get a normal plumber to do it, or would it have to be a marine plumber? (is that a thing?!)

Thanks for the replies everyone, I've put a towel underneath it for now to collect the drips, and it's behind the stove so hopefully that has helped in terms of drying things out! I'll find someone to change the valve.

[Alan de Enfield]

14 minutes ago, YSA said:

I've tried to find the nut, but there's nothing that seems to be able to be tightened! Which bit do you mean exactly?

 

The bit you have put the red 'ring' around should have 'flats' on it so it can be tightened up with a spanner.

[Tony Brooks]

12 minutes ago, YSA said:

 

I've tried to find the nut, but there's nothing that seems to be able to be tightened! Which bit do you mean exactly?

 

Not sure that's something I would be confident enough to do, can I get a normal plumber to do it, or would it have to be a marine plumber? (is that a thing?!)

Thanks for the replies everyone, I've put a towel underneath it for now to collect the drips, and it's behind the stove so hopefully that has helped in terms of drying things out! I'll find someone to change the valve.

 

1.The nut, it is the bit that you have circled but  in doing so the circle has obscured certain details. I suspect that your valve is sealed by an O ring, rather than a gland packing so can't be tightened.

 

2. Anyone familiar with plumbing should be able to do it. I suspect that unless the unions have become corroded it is not a difficult job, Undo the compression fitting where the copper pipe goes into the elbow at the bottom, undo the union where the copper pipe enters the top of the valve, unscrew the elbow and straight union and fit them in the new valve with some form of thread sealant.  Even of the new vale is slightly longer or shorter than the existing one it looks as if the bottom copper pipe is long enough to flex to allow for it. If not the top pipe may need cutting to suit the dimensions. Don't know where you are but any boatyard should have someone to do the job.

[YSA]

2 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

1.The nut, it is the bit that you have circled but  in doing so the circle has obscured certain details. I suspect that your valve is sealed by an O ring, rather than a gland packing so can't be tightened.

 

2. Anyone familiar with plumbing should be able to do it. I suspect that unless the unions have become corroded it is not a difficult job, Undo the compression fitting where the copper pipe goes into the elbow at the bottom, undo the union where the copper pipe enters the top of the valve, unscrew the elbow and straight union and fit them in the new valve with some form of thread sealant.  Even of the new vale is slightly longer or shorter than the existing one it looks as if the bottom copper pipe is long enough to flex to allow for it. If not the top pipe may need cutting to suit the dimensions. Don't know where you are but any boatyard should have someone to do the job.

 

I'm pretty sure there isn't anything that can be tightened! I'm in London at the moment and my closest marina is springfield, so I'll give them a call. Thanks!

[David Mack]

56 minutes ago, YSA said:

I'm pretty sure there isn't anything that can be tightened!

There are flats just inside the right hand edge of your red circle. Get a spanner on those and slightly tighten the nut (clockwise looking from the end with the blue valve handle).

It may be that you can't tighten it if the thread has seized or the adjustment is fully taken up, in which case a new valve is the best course of action.

[sans allumette]

2 hours ago, YSA said:

I've put a towel underneath it for now to collect the drips

 

May I recommend you pop round to your local supermarket and pick up some disposable nappies? You will be surprised just how much water they suck up, and you are then not faced with having to wash and dry your towel(s). I looked at the prices in Tesco (as an example) and you can get 40 for £3.

 

Hope it all goes well for you. I hate leaks with a vengeance!

[Alan de Enfield]

3 minutes ago, sans allumette said:

I hate leaks with a vengeance!

 

And you're so close to the Welsh border !

 

 

🤣

 

 

 

Edited November 29, 2022 by Alan de Enfield

[blackrose]

2 hours ago, YSA said:

 

I'm pretty sure there isn't anything that can be tightened! I'm in London at the moment and my closest marina is springfield, so I'll give them a call. Thanks!

 

It's not a difficult job for anyone who's done a bit of plumbing. Just remember to run the tank down to empty before the job is attempted. Also, if you have to pay someone then don't just leave them to it - watch what they do so you understand it and next time you can handle a similar job yourself.

[Ex Brummie]

57 minutes ago, blackrose said:

 

It's not a difficult job for anyone who's done a bit of plumbing. Just remember to run the tank down to empty before the job is attempted. Also, if you have to pay someone then don't just leave them to it - watch what they do so you understand it and next time you can handle a similar job yourself.

Make sure you ask if it is ok for you to sit on someone's shoulder whilst they work. It never really bothered me as I had sufficient confidence in my ability, but in such a small awkward space it might not be practical especially if there is some hammering, bending and cutting involved which may look savage to the untrained eye.

[mrsmelly]

1 hour ago, sans allumette said:

 

May I recommend you pop round to your local supermarket and pick up some disposable nappies? You will be surprised just how much water they suck up, and you are then not faced with having to wash and dry your towel(s). I looked at the prices in Tesco (as an example) and you can get 40 for £3.

 

Hope it all goes well for you. I hate leaks with a vengeance!

They certainkly do soak up lots of water, however be aware that they need chucking away at regular intervals. If you leave em when full of water they break up and make a hell of a mess, dont ask me how I know this. 

[IanD]

14 minutes ago, Ex Brummie said:

Make sure you ask if it is ok for you to sit on someone's shoulder whilst they work. It never really bothered me as I had sufficient confidence in my ability, but in such a small awkward space it might not be practical especially if there is some hammering, bending and cutting involved which may look savage to the untrained eye.

 

Exactly the same presumably applies to hip replacement surgery... 😉

[Bee]

7 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

They certainkly do soak up lots of water, however be aware that they need chucking away at regular intervals. If you leave em when full of water they break up and make a hell of a mess, dont ask me how I know this. 

I have used them in my diesel tank to get rid of water. They made a horrible job a REALLY horrible job when they broke up.

[YSA]

2 hours ago, sans allumette said:

 

May I recommend you pop round to your local supermarket and pick up some disposable nappies? You will be surprised just how much water they suck up, and you are then not faced with having to wash and dry your towel(s). I looked at the prices in Tesco (as an example) and you can get 40 for £3.

 

Hope it all goes well for you. I hate leaks with a vengeance!

 

thanks for the suggestion, it's a tiny leak so dont need anything other than towels!

ok so the plot thickens - the valve was screwed quite tight so I loosened it a bit and now my water pump is going crazy. I filled up with water on Saturday and definitely haven't run out so it's not that. Any suggestions?

[PaulD]

You will need to explain what going crazy means eg pump running and no water coming out of the taps or pump running with taps closed, or ??. Which direction did you turn the valve to loosen it - clockwise or anticlockwise ? Did you try to undo what you did? 

[jonesthenuke]

39 minutes ago, YSA said:

 

thanks for the suggestion, it's a tiny leak so dont need anything other than towels!

ok so the plot thickens - the valve was screwed quite tight so I loosened it a bit and now my water pump is going crazy. I filled up with water on Saturday and definitely haven't run out so it's not that. Any suggestions?

Do you mean the valve was fully opened and you have  moved it from that position? If so you have have the pump sucking air in through the gland on the valve. If you shut the pump down does the leak from the valve look worse? If so, try fully opting the valve and see if the leak reduces.

 

If its taking baldly, shut off the pump and fully close the valve and just open it when you want to use water (a nuisance but it limits water damage until you can get the valve repaired/replaced).

 

In any case I would get a spanner and tighten the gland nut (shown circled in your original post).

 

 

 

 

[YSA]

yes, that's not very clear! thanks for asking for clarification. water is running but the pump is making very loud and unusual sounds, and is going for much longer than it usually would. I turned the valve anticlockwise to loosen it and yes, did try to put it back to where it was before, I turned the pump back on and it was still making strange noises. 

[Tony Brooks]

Oh dear, I have had the gate fall off when fully closed, if yours has done that it would badly restrict flow into the pump. that leads to low flow and noise. The low flow will mean it runs for longer. Not sure how to advise you to proceed apart from change the valve, but to do that you really need to drain the tank.