# Tub Spout Leaks into back of wall



## cdoug55 (Jan 26, 2009)

HI, new here and I know others have had similar problems, but I just wanted to present my issue and see what you all thought.  

Anyways I purchased a new shower/tub fixtures for my bathroom.  When I removed the old tub spout (it was the universal type sold at home depot) the copper stub sticking out of the wall was just 1/2" copper pipe and utilized one of those plastic adapters that come with the universal spouts in order to hook it up.  The new fixture I purchased had only the tub spout with the 1/2" female threaded end to attach to.  So I sweated a cooper coppling and male adapter onto the end of the cooper stub (I believe I got the overall length of the stub correct because when I thread the spout on it fits tight to the wall).  So anyways I tried teflon tape and even pipe compound, but the spout must be filling with water and when the diverter is engaged the back pressure must be forcing water through the back of the wall.  I tried to silicon the hole in the wall, but Im sure the water is just finding some small hole and I have a light trickle of water inside the wall.  

I noticed many people talking about using an o-ring when installing these things.  My spout did not come with an o-ring, but do you think this might help?  If so what would I do, buy a 1/2" o-ring, slip it over the copper stub onto the threads and then screw the spout on?  Would this essentially create a seal when the threads of the male end are screwed into the female end?

Thanks in advance for the help. This has been killing me for days.  Also, on a related note has anyone had experience with Shark Bite fittings and are they safe to use in a wall that would be closed up?  I used them to attach the pipes to the new shower/tub rough-in.  I was a bit hesitant to sweat joint inside the wall.


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## glennjanie (Jan 26, 2009)

Welcome CDoug:
The only water seal in your spoout is the threads it screws onto. Are you sure your fitting doesn't leak?
I don't blame you for not wanting to sweat copper in the wall; it is really dangerous.
The Shark Bite fittings have been tested and approved; I think they will hold.
Glenn


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## cdoug55 (Jan 27, 2009)

When you say fitting, you are asking about the coupling and male threaded fitting I sweated together correct?  I do not believe these leak.  At first they did have a small leak so I took them off and started from scratch and I think I did a pretty good job of soldering, especially considering it was only my third time soldering pipes hahaha.  Should I cap off the male end and test it just to make sure there are no other leaks?

I thought an o-ring might be necessary because I was reading some other similar posts concerning issues like this and everyone was speaking about o-rings.  Are they used on a different type of setup?


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## Blue Jay (Jan 27, 2009)

The o-rings would be used on a different type of spout, capping the end with the spout off would tell you if the solder joint is leaking if it is not then it would be the connection to the spout that is the problem. Good luck


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## cdoug55 (Jan 27, 2009)

Thanks for the replys guys.  I had a chance to take the spout off and look inside and I think I have identified the problem.  The threaded male fitting i sweated onto the stub has a bumpout (almost like a section for putting a wrench onto) which i think gets in the way when trying to screw the spout on.  The spout has this curve right before the female end and so I think when I screw it on I am only getting two or three threads on and not the whole fitting.  

Can I purchase a copper male fitting that is like just a straight piece of copper pipe with the male threads on the end?


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