Another productive day on plumbing. Teflon tape is good. I tried some pipe compound on some leaks, not great and messy. The Teflon just works, but you have to consider which way the pipe will thread and put it on clockwise looking at the open pipe.
Checked things out this morning, need a couple 5″ long 1/2″ nipples to go through the wall with 1/2″ female couplers to fit the outside cold to hot faucets. Also need a really short nipple to replace the main cold valve as the new one has a female thread. Went to town and picked them up at Garrett’s. I went with grey plastic for the throughs, but black iron couplers are way cheaper for the couplers and will do the job with phosphoric paint outside.
Getting home I found the 7/8″ spade drill that fits the through pipes, checked the old pictures for electric lines, not too clear, went through easy and checked with a screwdriver, cleared the insulation and punched a starter hole, then finished the holes from the inside. The pipes fit through nice. Replaced the bad main cold valve with the new one with pipe compound, nope, re did it with Teflon, tight.
Had a heck of a time lining up the outside valves upright using the pipe wrench balanced on the electric toggle latch as I tightened the inside 1/2″ to pex connectors, got it. I added the inside pex lines to the cold out and hot return.
Thought on that: If I can make the hot out and in lines open able inside with the pump removal, the rest of the entire D cabinet, plumping and all can be removable for cleaning to meet the health codes. Mind the stove needs to be disconnected.
Ultimately, replacing all the leaks with Teflon fixed it inside. I had to go back to town for outside hoses and standard 3/4″ hose fittings, also picked up the right size LP gas adapter to fit the 1/2″ to flex gas line.
I fit it all together, tied the outside heater plumbing together less the heater, fixed all leaks. Attached the heater with stove and all gas lines, turned on the heater and opened the hand sink on hot. WE HAVE HOT WATER INSIDE! On turning it off the pump kept running, leak outside, dang, the heater is still leaking at the hot out. We are so close. Here is a shot of outside system.
Another of the inside with the pump on, not leaking. Mind it’s spaghetti but a few clamps to fasten it to the frames will clean it up.
I still need to add the city supply to the red inside valve. We have a water system, so close to tight. I brought in the heater and pump for freeze protection though it shouldn’t be a problem. The plumbing is very near done.
Another pic of the outer system with the gas line:
8shotoflove8 