What is this plumbing fitting and can I turn it off?? Have leak.

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › What is this plumbing fitting and can I turn it off?? Have leak.

JayADee

2236 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 483

#302718 14-Dec-2022 13:22

Hi all. Discovered a leak under my kitchen sink. It looks like it is leaking from this white nut thing on the cold water fitting. It looks like a shut off handle above the white nut thing. I have a plumber booked for next week. Any idea what that skinny hose is attached to that the white nut? Can I shut the water off just above it so it isn’t leaking until the plumber can get here?

We do have a dish washer that we don’t use very often. Not sure if it has anything to do with that nut and hose though.

Any help appreciated.

1 | 2

9186 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4840

#3009942 14-Dec-2022 13:26

The blue ball valve will be for the dishwasher. The handle should turn through 90 degrees to shut the water off. You'll probably find it's just the white nut worked loose which is causing the leak - should be able to tighten by hand.

wellygary

8810 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 5287

#3009951 14-Dec-2022 13:47

RunningMan:

The blue ball valve will be for the dishwasher. The handle should turn through 90 degrees to shut the water off. You'll probably find it's just the white nut worked loose which is causing the leak - should be able to tighten by hand.

Yip, turn the blue tap so its "across" the water flow... This is the water feed for the Dishwasher ( its cold and the dishwasher heats it to make it hot )

If you White connection is not tight then tighten it up... this should stop the leaking,

If it doesn't stop dripping, unscrew the white connection and check that the rubber washer in the fitting is still OK

Once you have finished, reopen the blue tap and you should be all good to go....

blackjack17

1713 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 865

#3009952 14-Dec-2022 13:50

Looks like a dishwasher.

Yes you can turn off

(not a plumber)

Electric kiwi signup credit Sharesies credit

MikeAqua

8030 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3819

#3009953 14-Dec-2022 14:00

That looks like a valve controlling a line running to a dishwasher, or water filter. Should be no problem to turn off, except that whatever is connected to it won't have water. Then you could look to sort out the leak. If you unscrew that line water in the line will backflow, so you need bowl to catch it.

Some thread tape might sort out that little leak. Or it could be that the sealing washer inside the screw on fitting is damaged or out of position.

Mike

mentalinc

3384 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1023

Trusted

#3009957 14-Dec-2022 14:23

Also be careful as it looks like there is electricity there wrapped with some electrical tape only.
Water plus electricity never a good outcome.

But yes, turn tap 90 degrees. check washer ($3 at Mitre 10) and see how it goes, not sure worthy of a plumber visit.

Not a Plumber..

CPU: AMD 5900x | RAM: GSKILL Trident Z Neo RGB F4-3600C16D-32GTZNC-32-GB | MB: Asus X570-E | GFX: EVGA FTW3 Ultra RTX 3080Ti| Monitor: LG 27GL850-B 2560x1440

Quic: https://account.quic.nz/refer/473833 R473833EQKIBX

JayADee

2236 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 483

#3009960 14-Dec-2022 14:28

Thanks everybody!

I have turned the blue handle clockwise to turn the water off to the dishwasher.

The leak has stopped. We do have Teflon tape and could no doubt grab a new washer from Mitre10.

I figure odds are the rubber washer is stuffed (given the age of the dish washer and it’s fittings).

My spouse wants a new kitchen mixer anyway so I'll get the plumber to do both at the same time. Neither of us are keen on installing a new tap without the right tube wrench.

AliExpress

Shop now on AliExpress (affiliate link).

neb

11294 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 10018

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3009996 14-Dec-2022 16:50

MikeAqua:
That looks like a valve controlling a line running to a dishwasher, or water filter.

More likely a dishwasher given the 1/2" connection, water filters will be 1/4" / 6.35mm.

blackjack17

1713 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 865

#3010081 15-Dec-2022 07:53

JayADee:

Thanks everybody!

I have turned the blue handle clockwise to turn the water off to the dishwasher.

The leak has stopped. We do have Teflon tape and could no doubt grab a new washer from Mitre10.

I figure odds are the rubber washer is stuffed (given the age of the dish washer and it’s fittings).

My spouse wants a new kitchen mixer anyway so I'll get the plumber to do both at the same time. Neither of us are keen on installing a new tap without the right tube wrench.

https://www.bunnings.co.nz/fix-a-tap-mixer-tap-spanner-set-pack-3_p0262489?store=9510&gclid=CjwKCAiAheacBhB8EiwAItVO2_VqrSwMfT_itXc0Dh8Ymfco3shUfDYOCpYIiDHSrKx4peqFLysAhhoC4sAQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

although I have no idea about the legality of swapping out a mixer

Electric kiwi signup credit Sharesies credit

Bung

6733 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2926

Subscriber

#3010088 15-Dec-2022 08:32

The last mixer I replaced came with a plastic tube spanner for the securing nuts (which had screwdriver slots in the end).

Replacing any plumbing can start off as a simple task and then deteriorate. Maybe as the OP is not confident enough to tighten the dishwasher connection, a plumber is advisable. Even after a plumber has done the work check under the sink for leaks for awhile. Water kills kitchen cabinets.

timmmay

20858 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 5350

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3010099 15-Dec-2022 09:07

I replaced a mixer a few years ago. It was a bit of a PITA, but it came with the spanner type thingies I needed to do the job.

One thing I learned, is after turning the water mains off, turn on multiple taps, including the lowest tap in the house, which may be an outside tap. It's much easier without water everywhere. Nope, I'm not a plumber or even close.

neb

11294 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 10018

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3010244 15-Dec-2022 12:11

timmmay:
One thing I learned, is after turning the water mains off, turn on multiple taps, including the lowest tap in the house, which may be an outside tap. It's much easier without water everywhere. Nope, I'm not a plumber or even close.

And when the pipes are empty and need to be refilled, run the most downslope ones slowly to refill everything to avoid creating a water hammer that finds the weakest link in your plumbing.

Samsung

Shop now on Samsung phones, tablets, TVs and more (affiliate link).

allan

2073 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 899

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#3010309 15-Dec-2022 13:19

neb:
timmmay:

One thing I learned, is after turning the water mains off, turn on multiple taps, including the lowest tap in the house, which may be an outside tap. It's much easier without water everywhere. Nope, I'm not a plumber or even close.

And when the pipes are empty and need to be refilled, run the most downslope ones slowly to refill everything to avoid creating a water hammer that finds the weakest link in your plumbing.

Particularly if your house has any Dux Quest (Qest?) plumbing used in the 1970s/80s. Notorious for failing anyway, but even worse if sudden pressure applied. We've tried to get most of ours removed, but there are some spots that are just impossible to get to without a major demolition job.

johno1234

3352 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2843

#3010354 15-Dec-2022 14:25

Recent model F&P autowashers have solenoid water valves that really slam open and shut - which worries me about water hammer. I wonder if there's some sort of damper in there to soften it.

fe31nz

1294 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 423

#3010575 16-Dec-2022 01:17

mentalinc:

Also be careful as it looks like there is electricity there wrapped with some electrical tape only.
Water plus electricity never a good outcome.

Those green wires are the grounds for the metal of the plumbing. They are required by law - all plumbing metal must be grounded to prevent horrible electrical disasters if a live wire touches the plumbing. So they are just as safe to touch as the plumbing itself. And they must be maintained in good order - I do not like the look of that messy taped up bit at all! And having them just floating around like that does not seem a good idea either - they could get ripped out if something catches on them.

neb

11294 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 10018

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3010576 16-Dec-2022 01:22

fe31nz:
I do not like the look of that messy taped up bit at all!

Is it covering a join, or was it just where it was taped to something else at some point? If it's just an orphaned bit of tape the OP could remove it and then zip-tie it to a rigid part of pipe to stop it from getting caught on things placed or removed from under there.

1 | 2