Problems with leaky sink drain hose

[mcaswell]

While replacing my sanitation hose a few weeks ago, I inadvertently put a small slice in the vanity sink drain hose.

I bought the appropriate length of 1" hose, only to discover when installing it that the seacock end is 1", but the sink drain end is 1 1/8. The spiral corrugated hose that had been used before had flexible fittings attached to each end, but the hose I bought would not fit on the 1 1/8 barb of the sink drain.

So, next, I bought a 1" to 1 1/8" adapter and a short section of 1 1/8" hose to make the connection to the drain. I double clamped everything, but it leaks. I tightened down on all the clamps as much as I could, but it still leaks. I did notice that the 1" to 1 1/8" adapter fit into the hoses fairly loosely.

My next thought was to just use 1 1/8" hose for the whole run, but I can't seem to find a tailpiece for the seacock that will fit this size hose.

So, now I'm asking for help... what's the right way to fix this?

--Michael

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Tape and the original hose

I've forgotten the name of it, but hardware stores carry a tape that's guaranteed to seal any leak in any hose. I've used it and it works! It's stretchy....you stretch it tight as you take several wraps around the cut and an inch or two above and below it...voila. I've used it on garden hoses and even sealed a break in my genset exhaust hose with it that was still sealed three years later when I sold the boat.

 

[mcaswell]

Even below the waterline? But regardless, it's moot now, as I tossed the old hose.

--Michael

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Yup, even below the waterline.

Ah well...next time. On second thought...why not seal the leak around the adapters with it?

 

[som1335]

teflon tape, and it is to seal the threads or ribbes on a connection. If is works in your application out of the water, then it will work below waterline as well.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Even teflon tape can't seal a connection between...

a hose that's too large for the fitting.

 

[mcaswell]

Ah well...next time. On second thought...why not seal the leak around the adapters with it?

Hmmm... so, wrap this tape around the hoses and adapter, then clamp it?

I'm going to first try adding teflon tape to the adapter... maybe that will snug up the fit between it and the hoses. As it stands now, the adapter slid into the hoses very easily... it "fits", but it's not a tight fit (in contrast, the hose that attached to the sink drain's barbed fitting was nice and snug).

Another thing I'll try is better (more appropriately sized) hose clamps. The ones I had were specified as being for 1" - 2" diameter, but they seemed awfully big for that hose. In fact, when I looked through the assembled hoses and adapter (before attaching to the drain fitting), part of the adapter was flattened a bit... maybe that's a result of the hose clamps being bigger than ideal?

--Michael

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Hose clamps are a safe-guard, not a sealant

So smaller hose clamps won't solve your problem.

It would be SO much easier to help folks if y'all would just ask for advice BEFORE you do anything instead of waiting till what you did didn't work and THEN asking for help.

You've reminded me of one of my favorites:

LABOR RATE- $10 hour
If you watch $20 hour
If you help $30 hour
If your tried to fix it yourself before bring it to us: $100 hour.

I'd be a wealthy woman if I could charge everyone who tried to fix it first!

 

[PKFK]

No affiliation with these guys, but I can recommend Rescue Tape (www.rescuetape.com) to help seal hoses, etc. That sounds like what Peggie was thinking of.

I picked up some at the Annapolis boat show last fall - this stuff is very good.

I also hear you on the pain in the backside with hose diameters - I replaced a leaking marelon seacock this spring on my boat (from the galley sink) - should be simple, right ??

Well....noooo.....it's a boat, of course.
The diameter of the barb on the seacock is 3/4 ". The galley sink drain was set up for 5/8 hose. The builder had used 5/8 hose, and s...t....r...e..a..c..h..e..d it over the 3/4 seacock end....not good. Of course when I replaced the hose, I ended up searching home depot, chandlery, etc looking for a 5/8 to 3/4 hose adapter. Several stops later, I had the adapter and was back in business......but nothing ever seems to be straightforward on the boat !!

Good luck.....and be paranoid / cautious with whatever you connect below the waterline !

 

[mcaswell]

It would be SO much easier to help folks if y'all would just ask for advice BEFORE you do anything instead of waiting till what you did didn't work and THEN asking for help.

Sorry, I had no idea it was going to turn into such a nightmare. I am certainly not averse to asking for help, but when it comes to something as simple as replacing a short section of hose, I figured I had it covered. Even when I discovered that the fittings were 1" at one end, and 1 1/8" at the other end, I still wasn't concerned... just a little annoyed that I'd have to make another trip to the store.

No offense, but I don't think it was unreasonable to expect that using a short piece of 1 1/8" hose connected to the 1" with an adapter would work just fine. I mean, it's not like I rigged up a piece of garden hose with duct tape, rubber bands, and super glue, and then was baffled that it leaked. I bought the "right" parts (or so I thought, and so any reasonable person would think).

--Michael

 

[alexco38]

Heat one end and stretch it out

Ok give the guy a break. At time I wish I didn't start a project as it turned into multiple nightmares.

By the way, find yourself a wooden plug set for emergency use to plug leaking seacock. You should have them on board anyway. Now boil one end of the hose in water until it get really soft. Put some liquid soap on the wooden plug and pound it into the softened hose with a hammer. It'll stretch out enough for you to insert. 1/8 inch diameter difference is stretchable. The soap is lubricant. If that's not enough, keep the plug on and boil it again and again.

 

[Ron20324]

I've forgotten the name of it, but hardware stores carry a tape that's guaranteed to seal any leak in any hose. I've used it and it works! It's stretchy....you stretch it tight as you take several wraps around the cut and an inch or two above and below it...voila. I've used it on garden hoses and even sealed a break in my genset exhaust hose with it that was still sealed three years later when I sold the boat.

I have such a tape right here: Made by Nashua, it's called Stretch & Seal Silicone Sealing Tape. For a permanent, watertight seal. Can be used in wet conditions.

 

[sailingdog]

Rubbaweld, RescueTape, and a few others are brand names for this type of tape. It is a self-fusing silicone tape.

I've forgotten the name of it, but hardware stores carry a tape that's guaranteed to seal any leak in any hose. I've used it and it works! It's stretchy....you stretch it tight as you take several wraps around the cut and an inch or two above and below it...voila. I've used it on garden hoses and even sealed a break in my genset exhaust hose with it that was still sealed three years later when I sold the boat.