Small drip from where valve meets pvc

[pcm2a]

Ignore the water over to the right, it had been raining. I have a valve and where it meets the pvc there is about 1 drop a minute. It has been like this for years, no better an no worse. I decided that some good 'ol epoxy would surely fix it, so I shut everything off and epoxied it. Didn't fix anything. Anyone have any easy tips on how I could plug the leak? If it requires cutting and replacing then I'd just stick with one drop a minute.

 

[sktn77a]

Two possible solutions (i'm sure there are more). First is to heat the joint with a heat gun and see if you can pull it apart and then re-glue (you may need to cut the PVC pipe first). Second is to clean around the joint and see if you can find the location of the leak on the circumference. Then cut a coupling in half and glue it to the PVC pipe hard up against the valve in that location (slather plenty of cement on both).

Good luck!

 

[pcm2a]

I'll see if I can find the exact spot

 

[pcm2a]

You were sure right. I had to use a flashlight at dusk and I was able to pinpoint that the leak is coming from the top and not the bottom. Since I've already made a huge mess of the bottom with the epoxy, is there any disadvantage to just epoxying the top as well? My other idea is just a small strip of rubber pushed against it with a c-clamp. As a test I held a rag at the top for a while and there was no drip.

 

[djdonte]

Unfortunately that is a failed PVC solvent joint. No epoxy will stop the leak, and a rubber clamp wont seal it. I've has success with suction leaks but you will never patch a pressure leak. That looks like a jandy valve, and if so you can cut the pipe and go one size up with a reducer and glue to the outside edge of the valve. Use a union if you need to. Next time sand the ends lightly, file off any burrs from your cut, and use two good coats of solvent and two light coats of glue on both edges. Take the guts out of the valve to glue and make sure to wipe and residual from the inside before putting the valve back together. Hold the joint together for 20-30 seconds as it will push back out when things get "liquidy."

 

[pcm2a]

It is the suction side. Also it's the suction when in spa mode, so in normal pool mode nothing is even moving through the pipe. I can even drain the spa into the pool and have that pipe be empty. It's been dripping for years, not any better or any worse.