Plumbing help-leaking house

Please help finding my connectors.

In this pic, can be seen green discoloration. My plumber says, this is a warning for a leak at the connections. Maybe a pinleak on the pipe? The active leak has already been fixed.


A few years ago, I had to replace 2 Tees. I used the Sharkbite push on connectors. They are still holding strong. Howerver, I have not found PB compatable connectors. Also, last time I had to cobble them together as detailed below. A Tee ate each center, to CPVC pipe, to a transition to PB pipes on each arm, 4 fittings per Tee. Each pipe type requires different insides, denoted by the collar's color. This would be $45 per tee. Ummm.... no.



I am considering moving to the PEX crimping system. this requires an expensive crimping tool, but saves over the course of multiple repairs. I found the BP to PEX pipe connectors. The ridges are different for the pipe type. See picture below. I hope to find BP compatable Tee fixtures. So far no go.
Crimp tool kit shown here. I have several size pipes to deal with.

Transition shown here.

Is there a better solution I have not seen?

Oh, as a separate question, if the product: Rectorseal brand. slow dry/soft set pipe thread sealant is used for a potential reversable fix, what would be the type of sealant for a permament fix?
Here is the product.

Explaination: I want to cap off the pipe where the well hydrant is. It leaks horribly. Maybe in a few years, I'll want to put in a replacement hydrant.

After the plumber left, I found an additional pinhole leak at a Tee... maybe 1 1/2" or 2" so a permanent glue will be needed there.

Joylynn, what  is this acronym please? " PB compatable"
I take it the plumber is not worth having around if he is making holes?

What is the overall project?

The plumber was fine. The new leak foundis nearly 3 feet away, part of the tee broke off. It would be real hard to hit this spot on accident. And he's a friend of a friend owning a real business. So I  think this is unrelated.

BP= polybutylene.

The large plastic tee is white, probably CPVC?

Overall project is to find all the leaks. Repair. Then over time, replace all the connectors in the house. Most info on BP that I've read say it's the connections that fail.

I think my well is a problem too. More on that later, in a new thread.

Ooops. CPVC desribed here.

Ugh, I feel for you. Butyl water pipe is the worst. It's an endless game of whack-a-mole until you replace it entirely, which is expensive. Best of luck.

Yup, the missing peice of the newly found leak has been gone for a while.

What diameter are those pipes?
I use copper and rural poly pipes here.

It looks like you are wanting to use a sharkbite tee. From your drawing there should be no need to make that center tee a sharkbite fitting. Pre assemble the tee part with pvc and use transitional PB to pvc shark bite couplers. Pre assembly keeps you out from under the water or in a puddle time shorter and it's nicer working at a bench.

BP=polybutylene
4 types of PVC including CPVC described here.
PEX explained here.

John wrote: What diameter are those pipes?
I use copper and rural poly pipes here.

The diameters are mostly 1/2 inch and 3/4 inch inside diameter. Mostly the PB pipes, with sections of a white plastic pipe. PVC or CPVC. Here locally, copper pipes are against code. The city water corrodes them. I do not know about my well water, I just am not taking that chance.

Robert wrote: It looks like you are wanting to use a sharkbite tee. From your drawing there should be no need to make that center tee a sharkbite fitting. Pre assemble the tee part with pvc and use transitional PB to pvc shark bite couplers. Pre assembly keeps you out from under the water or in a puddle time shorter and it's nicer working at a bench.

I am not set on Sharkbite as a brand. The readily found items just happen to be from them.

First, PB tees have a history of failure. Hence, my current struggles. Different glues work for the PVC and PB pipes. As PB pipe will not make a glue bond to the CPVC pipes/tees, my preference would be a brass tee that will work with PB. I have yet to find a source. The ridges, or barbs are different for each type of pipe. I am only aware of the PEX systems as a way to attach to a brass connector. It appears to my inexperienced self that the crimp method here, would be easier than the clamp cinch for confidence. I have not found a tee that has the PB compatible ridges. Thanks, Robert for pointing out the obvious (that I missed) of using CPVC tees to the transition brass to the PB.

Video how to use the PEX crimp tools.

So my proposed plan is to make my CPVC tees, attached to a Brass Crimp Polybutylene Adapter. Then take my preassembled tees and put them in place.

An important question, what kind of glue do I need to assemble the CPVC tees? In case I am unclear, the PCVC tee, glued to a short CPVC pipe, crimped to the brass adapters. Or replace the CPVC with PEX?

Unless anyone has another workable option? Suggestions welcome.