PVC to copper coupler wont seal

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SD44

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Guys, I've replaced the "gator bite" coupler that connects my plastic line to the copper line going into my house about 3 times. It always drips on the copper side. Looking at the pic, I know you see some bends in the copper line, but the last two inches that go into the couple is straight, and I filed down the burrs on the end. The first time I used glue, but was told not to do that, so I didn't use any the last time. So what can I do to get a seal on that copper side?? Is there some kind of sealant tape or anything I could use?

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Cacher_Chick

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Chances are that the end of the copper tubing is not perfectly round.
I would sweat on a short piece of hard copper or a CPVC transition fitting.
 

Dlarrivee

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Wow...

No, glue, no tape, no sealant.

You need clean straight copper for this to work and you're not providing that...
 

SD44

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Wow...

No, glue, no tape, no sealant.

You need clean straight copper for this to work and you're not providing that...

I did provide all of that this last time. No glue, tape, sealant. I cleaned the pipe with an alcohol prep, let it dry good and wiped it down. And I still have a slow drip.
 

Cacher_Chick

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Using a sharkbite style fitting on soft copper is not a good choice.
Copper tubing comes in rolls, and the process of rolling and unrolling it results in a tube that is no longer perfectly round.

So true.
Soldering with no lead solder and a fitting takes care of the out of the round pipe.
Added by Terry
 
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Inspektor Ludwig

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Just like cacher said, soft copper, no matter how careful you are with it, will never be perfectly round. Even if it's just ever so slighty "egged" you won't get a proper seal on that sharkbite. Soldering would fill the gap or if you don't have the soldering tools you could use a brass compression fitting. Even if you manage to get the leak stopped with that fitting, it's just a matter of time before it starts to leak again due to expansion and contraction of the copper and the plastic.
 

hj

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The biggest problem with that piece of tubing appears to be that it is "pitted", and if so THAT is why it does not seal. I have used Sharkbites on soft copper many times without leaks.
 

ilya

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Herr Inspektor makes a good point. There is a copper-to-cpvc union that claims to handle that difference in expansion. I don't know if it is listed for direct burial.
 
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