2009 - the year of the flood

[steve1-18]

I recently returned from a 2 week trip and had a small leak in the laundry studio. After several attempts, I discovered a pin hole in one of my 'Y' connectors. Not a week later, I had a second leak in another 'y.' I am posting the pictures and including a link. It seems that you want to avoid 'pot metal' Y's. I am in the process of replacing all of mine with brass. The pictures speak for themselves.

http://cid-1de761d09857c90b.skydrive.live.com/play.aspx/Plumbing Pics?ref=1

 

[scott55405]

Also for anyone that it would matter to, if you have y's that have the little shutoff valves and you want to use them, make sure they are all brass. I had my Frigidaire connected to some that had plastic shutoffs, so I could easily cut off the water when not in use. After the hot water melted the plastic "plug" inside, I made sure to replace them with all brass ones.

 

[toggleswitch2]

Yah one has to be careful not to use the garden hose ones (i.e. for cold water only) on a hot supply.

My "Ys" had a plactic conneciton piece and the whold metal Y was plulled out by the weight of the hoses. I was EXTREMELY lucky to be at home one morning when it popped. I somehow heard the gush of water-- practically before the water even hit the floor-- I shut it off right quick.

 

[foraloysius]

Oy vey! Potential disasters! Hopefully there was not too much damage!

 

[gansky1]

I've had the same thing happen - our water here is so bad, this even happens with cheap faucet spouts all the time. The white and other colored faucets don't last more than a couple of years unless you have softened water.

 

[runematic]

I've had quite a few of the pot metal y failures. We've used them in the shop for our hookups. They don't last, that's for sure.

 

[thomasortega]

Last night I discused this thread with one of our colleagues...
Something makes no sense...

Why do people still using Y connectors in America?

According to known design techniques, Y is much more fragile than T, because of the 90 degrees angles that can be much ticker without compromising the water flow or the size of the part.

I've been using T connectors since the first time i nedded one 30 years ago and NEVER had a leak.

By the way, I did something stupid but it still working without leaks. I used a standard PVC (not the CPVC, designed for high temperatures) T connector on the HOT WATER pipe (and my hot water is really hot, almost boiling). Something I learned with my former boss, if it's working ok, never touch or try to fix it.

My installation has 8 T connectors installed sequentially, the pressure is amazingly high (70 MCA, have no idea about how many PSI, but enough to fill a top loader in a few seconds and the limit a solenoid can resist is 80 MCA) and I NEVER had a leak or a damaged connector.

 

[jeffg]

Sometimes Y connectors are the only option (e.g. when there's not enough clearance to plumb a T connector). That's the situation we have, our inlets are recessed in the wall.

 

[blackstone]

Even better, use brass ball valves, with handles that turn 90 degrees. Individual valves for hot and cold are better than mixing valves.

 

[sudsmaster]

Pot metal is a mystery metal - kind of like the mystery meat of the metal world. It could be anything from zinc to aluminum, with varying proportions of generally cheap metals. The advantage of pot metal is that it generally has a low melting point and is therefore easy to die cast. So it is widely used for metal ornamentation and sadly also for some mechanical parts. The disadvantage of pot metal is that it is not very noble and generally tends to corrode fairly quickly - especially if connected to brass or copper. When it corrodes it can develop pin holes or complete structural failure.

Brass is more expensive but way better for just about any application. However I do recall some postings on plumbing forums that some brass plumbing fittings from China can also develop failures - pin holes again. Bad alloying the culprit. Too much zinc, maybe. But that was a few years back - perhaps they've all been cleared off the shelves since then.

 

[appnut]

Sorry things have gone to pot lol.

 

[angus]

Wasn't pot metal what was used on the old Norge timeline pumps? I seem to remember this - but i could be hallucinating. I do recall that Aunt Jennie's Norge went through several pumps throughout its life - not helped by her being a die hard Fab user.

 

[perc-o-prince]

Steve,

Do I recognize the packaging from the new brass one? Could it be Harbor Freight??

Just took a look, and, why, yes it is!!! Gotta love 'em!

Chuck

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94376