# LEAKING  COPPER UNION



## huffdawg (Dec 12, 2011)

ANY TRADE SECRETS TO STOP A LEAKING COPPER UNION. TRIED CEANING ,ALIGNMENTS GOOD, WHATS NEXT LOCTITE MAYBE?

HUFF


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## maple1 (Dec 12, 2011)

Didn't get a little solder dribble out at the sealing surface did you?

I have had unions that took way too much wrenching on than they should have to get a drip stopped. I think there are machining defects in the mating surface on some of them. Easy to say to try another one - that might be the only real way to get it to stop, but before that I maybe might try a little layer of silicone or loctite or something like that.


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## ewdudley (Dec 12, 2011)

Permatex Form-A-Gasket 765-1210 (NAPA Auto), or Permatex Pipe Joint Compound 80045 (hard to find), the black gooey stuff.  They seem like the same stuff to me, the pipe joint compound may be mixed a little thicker.

Smear thin layer on both faces (not the threads).  Can be disassembled easily.

(Check for solder as noted above.)


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## hemlock (Dec 12, 2011)

Don't take this the wrong way, but you didn't use tape on the hex threads did you?  I've seen others do this, and it causes leaks.


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## huffdawg (Dec 12, 2011)

Not taken the wrong way Hemlock . Never used tape though.   Thanx guys.  I used a little blue magic pipe thread compound on the seats and its holding now.

 :coolsmile: 

Huff


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## maple1 (Dec 12, 2011)

Hope it holds for you. Doesn't take much of a trace of solder in the wrong place there to mess the seal up, that's messed me up a couple times.

I get so excited when I get solder going where it's supposed to, I just keep it going too long.


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## Jersey Bill (Dec 13, 2011)

the faces of the unions are soft because they are supposed to deform slightly and seal against each other. 
If you checked other things, try bigger wrenches.


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