Why won't this connection SEAL?

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MJH78

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Ok perhaps I'm an idiot here, but I'm a novice and...picture a standard shut off faucet for a washing machine. You attach the washer hose to the end of this faucet. Say I remove this hose and want to attach a 3/4 inch brass tee instead. I've got the Tee and it threads on nice and smooth, lots of pipe dope, very tight..but after 3 or 4 minutes it starts this slow drip. Is this connection not possible? Do I need an intermediate piece here? The Tee is because im connecting the washer hose to one split and tapping out a water line for an ice maker on the other. Everthing is nice and tight and working perfectly except where I have this Tee attached to the faucet. Thanks.
 

Jadnashua

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The threads on a hose bib are straight and the seal is made by tightening it up against a washer to make the seal (the bottom of the hose fitting with the washer tightens on the end of the bib fitting); the threads just give you a means to tighten it up, they don't seal anything.

It's likely the T you installed was tapered pipe thread (rather than straight threads like on a bolt). These are designed to wedge themselves together with the small gap sealed by either pipe dope or teflon tape.

If you want to hook up more than one hose, you need a y or t designed to screw onto that hose type connection.

What are you planning to install?
 

MJH78

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well I got the Tee because I couldn't find a Y. coming off that Tee on one end I have basically an allthread (threaded on both sides) that converts it from female back to male and then I put the washer hose right back on that. Leak proof (and yes this "allthread" did appear to be tapered some). On the other end of the Tee I've got the same all thread, then a reducer to 1/2", then a shut off valve with a tap on the side and my line to the ice maker. Leak proof. my only problem is where the Tee connects to the washing maching faucet. I know this probably isn't the ideal way to do this, but its all good to go except that one connection so id like to stick with it and just fix that one connection. There must be an adapter where one end has a rubber washer into it and goes onto the faucet and the other end is tapered and I can screw the Tee onto that.. this is going to look freaking stupid when I get done with it, but if it works it works.
 

Kordts

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Please don't do this. It is such a hack way of doing things. Can't you install a dual outlet angle supply stop under your kitchen sink? A better way is to solder a tee in the cold riser under your sink and put a 1/4" outlet supply stop on that.
 

Shacko

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Hose Bib Hook-Up

What you are going to end up with is your wash machine valve threads stripped off and nothing will work (THE THREADS WILL NOT WORK TOGETHER), the only way to get that to work is to get a hose thread x iron pipe adapter. :(
 

hj

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problem

Your real problem is that the hose thread and the tee have DIFFERENT threads. In fact, the tee should not even go onto the valve unless you are forcing it, because the hose thread is slightly larger than the tee's pipe thread. You will NEVER get them to work together without damaging one or the other irreparably.
 

MJH78

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Thanks. didn't have any problems as far as connecting the two. Everything seemed to thread on very smoothly. I suppose the washer hose to pipe thread worked out ok because there was a rubber washer in there. I guess I will fix the Tee to faucet connection with an adapter and call it a day. I realize it's not ideal and might look funny, but I'm not sure it really matters as long as everything is connected and sealed properly.
 

MACPLUMB

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Why this connection will not seal !

Well the way professional plumbers would do that is remove the washer bib
and install the correct tee, that fits the pipe coming out of the wall
install the washer bib and a 1/2" x 1/4" stop that your ice maker line to
 

MJH78

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I just started all over and got a 1/2" tee connecting to the pipe from the wall, 1/2" close nipples on each side of the tee, the boiler faucet on one nipple and the valve for the water line on the other nipple. thanks.
 

hj

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valve

With a little searching, and if you are in the right area, you might have found a hose faucet with a 1/8" opening on the side for your IM connection. They are available in this area, because they are used for evaporative cooler connections.
 
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