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Leaking Push Connects

edited June 2016 in Usage

Hi guys,

I have put the dash together for my first run after a bit of a break, but have found that most of the push connects are leaking. Some are slow drips while others are more of a stream.

I have tried rotating them, removing and reinserting, ensuring they are fully seated and the blue ring pulled out. None of these actions have worked.

I have thought of heating the ends in boiling water before inserting & trimming the ends so there is "fresh" plastic for the connectors to bite onto.

Anyone else experienced this or have suggestions on how to resolve it??

Thanks in advance
Crozdog

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Comments

  • Generally the reason is incorrect tube to fitting size ..... i.e. metric used together with imperial. Doesn't work.

    The other reason is ..... It is not inserted sufficiently. Really push in to its max.

  • I've never liked push connects for that reason. Triclamps are more expensive, but infinitely better.

  • There is a seal in them. The ones I'm used to anyway.
    Looks a bit like an o-ring on the inside, just after the collet teeth.

  • cheers guys - am using the standard red & blue SD tubing supplied with the push connects. They have worked well to date, just not playing the game now

  • I haven't heard of it before mate, but i'd trim half an inch off each end, bevel and try that. You can put a witness mark on with a pen, by holding the tube next to the fitting where it should be pushed into and making a small line.

    The push connects will leak as you know if there is sideways pressure on them too.

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • Use a plastic tubing cutter, that way you get clean cuts that don't distort the tube ends. Also, do as punkin says, the part inside the push connect can get a little worn if the tubing outside is moved around a fair bit. The hot lines can get leaks too, the tube outside the connect expands from the heat. I don't understand what causes the leaks here but cutting 10mm off the end means the slightly larger hose gets a really snug fit when re-inserted.
    The push connects solve a lot of mucking around if you have a tubing cutter. Fixes can be done on the fly. Very convenient.

  • @punkin said: I haven't heard of it before mate, but i'd trim half an inch off each end, bevel and try that. You can put a witness mark on with a pen, by holding the tube next to the fitting where it should be pushed into and making a small line.

    The push connects will leak as you know if there is sideways pressure on them too.

    Think it might be a combination of use over time + side pressure - some of the tubing is a bit bent from being coiled up, so might need to give it a soak in boiling water.

    will definitely trim some off the ends

  • edited June 2016

    This happens to push-connections I use at work. I trim the ends or replace the tubing to fix it. It's seldom the fittings that cause the problem.

    One thing that can happen: if it's a push-connect to fpt connection, you can crack the plastic on the female-threaded side by tightening too tight. The male-threaded connection is tapered. It will split the female-threaded plastic side of the push-connect fitting if you crank down on it.

    I found this out on analog pressure gauges. When it starts to leak a little, your natural inclination is to tighten the fitting up to stop the leak. Wrong!

    Even worse, trying a few turns of teflon tape on the male-threaded side to stop the leak. That cracks the female plastic side of the push-connect even quicker.

    I'm more like I am now than I was before.

  • They are all bsp.

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • edited June 2016

    @Kapea said: When it starts to leak a little, your natural inclination is to tighten the fitting up to stop the leak. Wrong!

    Even worse, trying a few turns of teflon tape on the male-threaded side to stop the leak. That cracks the female plastic side of the push-connect even quicker.

    FML - do I know this

    "Hey, did you notice the coolant loop was leaking right here, throw over a wrench I'm just going to snug it ... F*CK"

    Broke a threaded true union ball valve and didn't have a spare - while the fermenters were full and we had mash cooling. Thank goodness for MacGuyver that day.

  • I have the standard push connects with supplied red/blue tube, the deflag connections do develop leaks fairly often. On inspection the plastic tube has distorted a bit and has a definite pushed in ring where it has been "gripped" in the push connects.

    I suspect the hot discharge water as well as the extreme temp changes we get, ie tonight we have -1c (winter) and over 40c summer, combined with a longer height with a bit of tension pulling on the hoses AND me not taking everything apart in between some runs causes the problem.

    A keg, 5 plates on top with a packed section and needing a ladder to reach the connections has taught me to test run all the water lines before heating is turned on.

    I snip the ends off and reinsert, then ready to roll until next time they leak.

    The product condenser hoses seem to last much longer, I think I've only trimmed them once, shorter lengths, no strain or pulling at the connections too much.

    My garden hoses also always leak and crack and get replaced quite often as well, not the higher priced ones as often, but they all finish up cracking and don't hold round but develop flat spots hanging over fences etc. Running over them with the lawn mower doesn't help either no matter how good they are !

    fadge

  • I ended up cutting the ends off & reinserting, as like @fadge says, the ends were a bit distorted where they had been gripped

  • really hot water will deform the ends...

  • Might try a little petroleum jelly, o rings dry out over time

  • edited June 2016

    Glycerin is a good water-soluble, food grade lube. It is basically slippery sugar water (or more correctly a sugar alcohol)

    I'm more like I am now than I was before.

  • the more often you fit things, the looser the fit

  • When I used to use push connects and frequently connected/reconnected - it helped to trim the end every couple of times.

    Or just stop taking it apart.

    Also, hanging hose tends to leak in the larger bore tubing, especially if it's pulling on the fittings.

  • @kimbodious said: the more often you fit things, the looser the fit.

    :)>- So no more KY?

  • One of my push connects recently started leaking a bit too. I cut the hose and put the freshly cut end into really hot water for a few minutes and then pushed it back in and let it 'settle'. Let it cool down to ambient temp again and you should be fine. Warming the hose a little gave it a really tight, snug fit. Worked like a charm.

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