odd leak in crawlspace plumbing

[RustyShackleford]

Noticed a small leak, which soon stopped, but paranoid about it suddenly becoming large (and ending up with mud all over my nice crawlspace vapor barrier). Here's a pic ...

As you can see, it's right by the well pressure tank. That corrosion seems very odd. Is it possible the plumber used a galvanized nipple there (instead of a brass one) ? If so, is it likely to fail catastrophically ? The installation is as old as the house (35 years), except for the brass tee you can see I added awhile back. The well pressure tank seems fine - definitely not short-cycling. The well water is extremely clean and non-corrosive, generally.

 

[zrock]

definitely looks like a galvanized nipple. Personally i would rip all that out and use PEX or what ever the latest and greatest is.. I change all mine out when working on it as its so much easier to work with

 

[GG Woody]

It looks like plain steel pipe to me? (pipe usually used for gas) But that is just from a picture. A magnet may give you some valuable insight.
It sure looks like it is leaking from there intermittently unless there is another leaky pipe directly above it.
It is unlikely in my experience that it seals itself up, however it is possible that it might.
I wonder if this only leaks when your system is at max pressure? I would expect to see more of a drip though if that was the case.

 

[RustyShackleford]

So definitely not brass, meaning wrong. Galvanized actually coulda been putting weird chemicals in the water, but hey, it's been 35 years and none of my babies born nekkid yet,

Any likelihood it's so corroded from the inside that it might just start gushing one day ?

 

[GG Woody]

I'm sure I could eat a galvanized nipple that size before seeing results of poisoning...
it is likely it is corroded from the inside, but probably not if it is good clean water running through.
I would be looking at replacing it for what it's worth, how much pressure in the system?
Is it magnetic?

 

[RustyShackleford]

I'm sure I could eat a galvanized nipple that size before seeing results of poisoning...
it is likely it is corroded from the inside, but probably not if it is good clean water running through.
I would be looking at replacing it for what it's worth, how much pressure in the system?[

Running 30-50 psi on the pressure switch,

Is it magnetic?

Haven't checked yet.

 

[gthomas785]

Ferrous pipe to brass is generally ok / would not see significant galvanic action. Directly fitting iron to copper is where you'd most typically see failure due to corrosion in a short amount of time. I'm guessing that connection has just had a microscopic leak from the beginning that is just starting to get noticeably bad.

That nipple does not look like galvanized to me.

There are no small or large leaks. If it's leaking, fix it. With threaded pipe that means taking it apart, replacing any questionable fittings and reassembling with the correct pipe dope / sealant.

 

[blades]

Going to have to replace it sooner than later , before it blows out totally. then you really have a mess.

 

[EbS-P]

definitely looks like a galvanized nipple. Personally i would rip all that out and use PEX or what ever the latest and greatest is.. I change all mine out when working on it as its so much easier to work with

PEX, rats, crawl space = gusher
I’d keep it all metal

Running 30-50 psi on the pressure switch,

Haven't checked yet.

Get a water sensor alarm. Don’t touch it if it not leaking unless you are ready to replace a lot more.

 

[GG Woody]

Some plumbing outfits (including the one I work with) have the Rigid Pro-Press and Mega-Press tools. It allows threaded fittings to be cut out and pressed on without disassembling the whole plumbing system. If you buy the parts (fairly expensive) from our wholesaler, our wholesaler will let or rent you the press tool.
I don't know if I love the press system, but it sure has saved a lot of labor at times, being able to cut into the middle of a system (even black steel gas, Mega-Press) and add something like a tee without having a threading machine on site and adding a union.
Disclaimer, I'm only kinda a plumber.

 

[RustyShackleford]

PEX, rats, crawl space = gusher
I’d keep it all metal

Crossed that bridge already, almost the entire crawlspace is PEX, except for the QEST (polybutylene) stubs going up into the walls. If I was really gonna get nervous about something, that'd be it, but what can I do ? No rats out here in the country, but definitely some squirrels.

Get a water sensor alarm. Don’t touch it if it not leaking unless you are ready to replace a lot more.

I have one, is how I learned of the leak in the first place.

 

[RustyShackleford]

it sure has saved a lot of labor at times, being able to cut into the middle of a system (even black steel gas, Mega-Press) and add something like a tee without having a threading machine on site and adding a union.

Fortunately, shortly afterwards the piping goes into a push-to-connect elbow that points upwards to piping hanging from the floor joists, so I can disconnect that and everything will be pretty easy.

 

[RustyShackleford]

Finally fixed this. As expected, that nipple was badly corroded, in fact the corrosion by-products had created nearly a 50% constriction ...

... the deformation is from removing it; I was afraid it might be seized and I'd have to go buy a new pressure tank. Speaking of which, the pressure in the tank was 24-25 psi, and I don't think it's been touched since the house was built 37 years ago; so I pumped it up to 27-28, for my 30-50 psi pressure switch.

The piece is definitely magnetic (so I guess that means it was galvanized or black pipe ?). Some plumber being lazy in 1988, but hey, I guess 37 years isn't that bad. If I had more corrosive city water, might've been a different story ...

 

[gthomas785]

Yep definitely iron pipe of some kind. Somehow the outside color still doesn't look quite right to be galvanized, but that's exactly the way galvanized plumbing fails.

We had a galvanized water pipe serving our house that we replaced in 2021. According to our neighborhood historian it was installed by German POWs near the end of WWII. By the time we cut it apart it was down to 1/4" ID.

 

[RustyShackleford]

Haha, my brother used to hang out with German POWs when he was a baby.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I’ve wondered if the expansion tank on my boiler is way under pressure. If it was originally pumped up in the early 80s, and every few years somebody checked it with a quick fingernail to the shader valve, it could be much lower than when it was originally set, lol.

 

[RustyShackleford]

I’ve wondered if the expansion tank on my boiler is way under pressure. If it was originally pumped up in the early 80s, and every few years somebody checked it with a quick fingernail to the shader valve, it could be much lower than when it was originally set, lol.

Might be worth looking into. Boiler sounds scary.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

There’s pressure in it, but you’re right, it’d only take a moment to check and inflate to whatever pressure it needs to be.

 

[gthomas785]

There’s pressure in it, but you’re right, it’d only take a moment to check and inflate to whatever pressure it needs to be.

If it's a diaphragm type, you need the system to be open (zero pressure) to check the air charge. If it's not a diaphragm type, it will have a water level gauge so you can see how much air is in it.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Ok. Good info. Guess the only way to have zero pressure is room temp water? Will wait until April, lol.