small crack in fitting

I've got a pair of tees that connect to a mainline and feed three branches. One of the tees has a crack in it. The original installer didn't do a very good job making sure the four pipes joined the tees in alignment to avoid stress. Anyway I'm wondering if there is some magic compound designed for PVC that could be applied to the tee and crack area. If I have to replace all this mess it will be a major job. When you cut out the old tees all the pipes lose length. I could probably use those telescoping unions to reconnect but there must be a high solids compound that bonds to PVC which would make it a 60 second solution. I'm tempted to wire brush it and lay some JB Weld on it.

Do it right!

It's almost impossible to seal a leak from the outside! The only and best way is to cut it all out and replace it. If the pipes are too short, you can cut them back a distance, then add a piece or pieces with bells on one end.

You can make a bell end by theaing the end in hot water; with a hand heat gun or even the exaust of a vehicle. Heat up the pvc until it's plyable, then shove a tappered piece of schedule 80 pvc inside and leave it until it cools. Then remove the schedule 80 (it will be tight). . . Wallah, you have a belled end.

If things don't want to align, use a heat gun to heat them up.

I do it all the time!

Good Luck

Or buy a couple of $.75 couplings and cut it back and glue in new pieces.

telescoping fittings

A bought several of the kind that have a couple of orings on a sliding piece. It looks like it will do the job but are these good for underground? Will roots work their way passed the orings or will the orings just fail over time? I think I will only need one and the other three joints will be standard glued fittings.

You need to buy a sharpshooter.

I've never seen anyone so opposed to digging.


Dude...it's NOT that difficult. I'm in AZ and the ground is JUST as hard here.

Alectrician said:

You need to buy a sharpshooter.

I've never seen anyone so opposed to digging.


Dude...it's NOT that difficult. I'm in AZ and the ground is JUST as hard here.

Click to expand...

I doubt it since I'm against a mountain and it is like concrete. I've lived elsewhere in NM and never had any trouble digging. I bought the mother of all picks yesterday to continue the fun on this project at Harbor Freight.

Anyway only used one of the telescoping length adapters and glued the rest so I'm happy with the repair now. I did use a heat gun on one pipe to relax it a little. I think PVC is a typical thermo plastic and no harm is done as it returns to full strenghth.