blue water

[PLUMBER RICK]

blue water coming out of the 1/2'' copper when i went to remove a compression hose bibb.

the neighbors house had a 1/2'' compression bibb leaking right next to the stucco wall. i used my puller to remove the nut and ferrul. as i was working the puller, the water was still coming out, all of a sudden there was a bright blue tint to the water.

i finished and asked the owner about there toilets. turns out the upstairs toilet had a fluidmaster 400a that was set too low and not 1'' above the (critical level), overflow.

i guess the 1000 flushes siphoned back into the potable water.

now i have a cheap way to get cool aide:confused:

go to the neighbors house and shut off the main:eek: turn on the bibb and fill r up:D

amazing:rolleyes:

rick.

[Service Guy]

Thats a new one I haven't heard before. I hope you put a new fill-valve in.

[DuckButter]

Great case for the debate on using lead solder for those who don't really think backflow is real.

[NHMaster3015]

Backflow preventer.?

[drtyhands]

Great case for the debate on using lead solder for those who don't really think backflow is real.Absolutely,
So,now...Everyone with a copper water system installed before the implement of 95/5 need to be informed they need to get their home repiped imediately.

[Aaron91]

I thought they had a back siphon or even back flow feature built into them?

Maybe it went bad/broke?!

[plumberscrack]

Absolutely,
So,now...Everyone with a copper water system installed before the implement of 95/5 need to be informed they need to get their home repiped imediately.

Whoo! Hoo! I'm going to be rich cashing in all that copper at the scrap yard :cool:

This happens everyday in millions of homes. Rick only noticed it because of the blue dye.

The homeowner might want to hold off doing that load of white laundry :eek:

[PLUMBER RICK]

I thought they had a back siphon or even back flow feature built into them?

Maybe it went bad/broke?!

the 400 ballcock has an anti-siphon built into it.

the ballcock was installed too low. the critical level needs to be at least 1'' above the overflow pipe. the water level was high as the ballcock was not shutting off and the level was higher than it should have been.

so because of this, i picked up on the toilet issue.

this happens all the time with water heaters. there is an anti siphon hole in the top of the dip tube to prevent the heater from siphoning the whole tank.

rick.

[TOPDAWG]

Rick, was this on a condo or apartment that shares a main water line?

[PLUMBER RICK]

Rick, was this on a condo or apartment that shares a main water line?

this job was on a private 2 story home.

not too sure i would have found the culpret in a condo or apartment building.

there were only 2 toilets in the house and the upper one had the blue 1000 flushes in it. still appeared to be 999 flushes left in that muck:D

rick.

[DuckButter]

Absolutely,
So,now...Everyone with a copper water system installed before the implement of 95/5 need to be informed they need to get their home repiped imediately.


Great case for the debate on using lead solder for those who don't really think backflow is real.

If I had a nickel for every DIY I see looking around online that's told "lead solder or 50/50 will be easier to use if you aren't familiar with soldering", I'd be retired.

[TOPDAWG]

Your right Rick! I miss read your original post and thought you were working on a neighbors house of the one that had the tidy bowl blue problem. I was having a mind melt at the time

[AFM]

Rick

We have had this problem in Melbourne for many years and have had every explaination under the sun from electrolysis to the actual copper piping reacting to the water in the pipe.
I don`t use copper for hot or cold water renewal anymore I use a product called Rehau and this and other PVC product are being used here.

Regards
Tony

[ToUtahNow]

Rick

We have had this problem in Melbourne for many years and have had every explaination under the sun from electrolysis to the actual copper piping reacting to the water in the pipe.
I don`t use copper for hot or cold water renewal anymore I use a product called Rehau and this and other PVC product are being used here.

Regards
Tony

Tony,

I believe you are talking about the copper leaching out of copper pipe while Rick is talking about a water closet ballcock which siphoned blue chemical tank water into the potable water because the C/L of the ballcock was too low.

Mark