Drain faucet is leaking - Can I just unscrew it and get a new one?

[Skenn81]

On the filter setup there is this faucet that is connected to a hose which I use to drain the pool when it gets too high after big rain storms..



It's has started leaking from the knob, it's getting worse and needs to be replaced. I don't want to bust anything on the PVC so not sure what to do. Does anyone know how this sort of thing works, is that just a screw in where the faucet meets the pvc or is it sealed on there with glue? Wondering if anyone else has anything set up like this and would know how I can go about replacing it.

 

[Jimrahbe]

81,

It is just a standard hose bib and it just screws into the PVC..

Whatever happens when you take the pump lid off, is going to happen when you take the faucet off.. In other words, if you filter drains down when you take the pump lid off, it will do the same when you remove the faucet.

You can just fix the one you have, but it is a pretty cheap fix to just replace the whole thing.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Oly]

Those gate valve faucets have a packing seal under the crown nut. You may be able to slow the leak by tightening the crown nut. You can also remove the top handle and crown and replace the packing material. Relacing the faucet is also an option and consider upgrading to a ball valve.

 

[Skenn81]

For fixing the one I have, you are all saying unscrew this part here and I have something I can replace or fix under it?



I'll also try tightening it. When you say a ball valve, that would be a whole different kind of fixture? I can get a similar screw in type then at Home Depot?

For removing the whole thing if I cant fix it, it will just unscrew from the PVC? It's not glued in or anything?

 

[Mike1162]

Tighten the nut under the handle as you're turning the handle open & closed. You want to feel some drag on the handle but not so much that it's difficult to open & close.

If it still leaks then you loosen the screw holding on the handle then undo the nut & turn the handle to remove faucet internals. There should be two washers that you need to replace.

There shouldn't be any glue holding the faucet into the PVC.

 

[Jimrahbe]

81,

In between the faucet and the PVC will be either pipe dope or Teflon tape.. No glue..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Skenn81]

Welp, that didn't work and went as badly as it could have gone..



I put a little pressure on the top nut and the whole thing snapped right off. Now I can't get any grip on the part that is still in the PVC to unscrew it. It didn't feel like I put enough pressure on it to have this happen, it just burst right off.

So anyone have any advice on how to get that part unscrewed or am I indeed screwed now?

 

[Jimrahbe]

81,

They sell a lawn sprinkler tool that can remove the broken faucet part..

Looks like this...

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Mike1162]

Try taking off the PVC piece that the faucet was screwed into.

 

[ccbill]

Assuming it is not glued there are a couple of ways to get it out. One is to wedge something inside it the turn it ccw. The tool Jimrahbe showed you should work. I would try that first. I prefer a tool like that rather than trying to make something out of the toolbox work.

If that doesn't work. Find a saw blade small enough to fit inside and saw through most of the fitting in three or four places you should be able to peel the pieces out using pliers or vice grips. I have had to do this before and it works. You risk damaging the threads of the big pipe.

Search for nipple extractor or "pvc easy out"

 

[Skenn81]

Well that extractor tool worked!



Then I went ahead and replaced the cheap plastic one with a brass ball valve quarter turn fixture..



Used plumbers tape, hand tightened it only, tested it out, and had no leaks.

Still cant get over how easily the old one snapped right off. Just a little pressure on the top and it broke. No idea how old it was, the Florida sun took it's toll and it finally gave up. This one feels much more heavy duty.

 

[wireform]

It was brittle from age but it broke in the weakest place, in the thread. Good job well done.

 

[JamesW]

Still cant get over how easily the old one snapped right off. Just a little pressure on the top and it broke.

Good thing that you replaced it as it might have snapped off just from the pressure and it would make quite a mess running for hours until you discovered it.

 

[Skenn81]

Good thing that you replaced it as it might have snapped off just from the pressure and it would make quite a mess running for hours until you discovered it.

That happened with the inline chlorinator at some point after we moved in. Never used or touched it once I started the TFP methods. One day I walked outside in the morning and saw water shooting out from around the corner of the house. Thinking about how I did not have a sprinkler head over there, and also how it wasn't a day the sprinklers were set to run, I walked over and saw the side of the chlorinator had blown out from just sitting in the sun for too many years. I see how this could have gone the same way. If I was able to snap it with zero effort it could have easily just blown out one day due to the pressure!

 

[Oly]

I did not assume that old valve could have been plastic.
All's well that ends well.