Barbs leaking

[rj_whitten]

Greetings,

I bought a boat that had plumbing problems and decided to try to tackle it. Basically all the fittings where leaking when the pump was engaged. I assumed at first the old hoses where worn, or the broken plastic barbs caused it, therefore I removed them all. After refitting the system with new hoses, Teflon tape (on hose and screw side) hose clamps, and barbs it still leaked past the barbs and hose clamps. I assume the pressure from the pump is causing it to leak past the barbs and was thi gong about placing a liquid gasket around the barb (Also I don't know of any sealant safe for fresh water use). I used the manual pump on the old system and it didn't leak. But I haven't tested it on the new system as I have it lifted off the floor w/ the carpet due to the water leaking everywhere. Since I have slot of fiberglass resin left over I was wondering if that could be used to make a permanent bond between the hose and barb. I spent a lot of money refitting the system with new hoses and barbs so I would like to keep this setup for now. But in the future I am thinking of using a solid pipe.

To summarize my questions are

What liquid gasket (that hardens) can be used with freshwater to seal between the barb and vinyl hose?

Is there a way to re eave some of the pressure created by the pump without loosing water?

What kind of lightweight pipeing should be used to outfit plumbing in the future? (minus brittle PVC)

Why would they outfit a boat with vinyl hoses and a pump that puts to much pressure?

Thanks in advance,
Raphael

[cabo_sailor]

Raphael,

Something doesn't sound right here. If you have properly fitted hoses/hose barbs and they are clamped, they should not leak. Not at any kind of reasonable pressure. Aside from using some teflon tape where fittings are screwed together, I would not, under any circumstances, start applying sealing compounds to the hose/barb connection.

Have you been able to identify, exactly where the leaks are occurring? Do you detect leakage at the fittings? Which fittings? You say it is leaking past the barbs and the hose clamps. Is the hose the proper size for the barbs. Too large a hose, it goes on easy, but even with a good hose clamp, it might still leak.

There are now a series of quick connect plumbing fittings. You basically cut the plastic tubing to length and then simply insert it into the coupling. No muss, no fuss, and water tight. Home repair stores such as Home Depot, or Lowes carry them. Here is a link to a marine site:

Quick Connect Fittings - Manifolds - Valves - Sea Tech, Inc.

I use these on my own boat and have no leakage problems.

Good luck, I'm sure other members will also have something to contribute.

Rich

ps. Just what pump do you have pushing the water and how much leakage are we talking about.

[svHyLyte]

What boat? I have seen situations where metric and non-metric parts were mixed with leakage resulting. In re pressure, you can change from a 40PSI to 20PSI pressure switch without difficulty.

FWIW...

[gettinthere]

I was concerned your wife's name was Barb. Glad we dodged that.

Are you sure the hose is the right size for the barb? You might have a mismatch there. You should not need any tape or sealant on a hose to barb connection. Was it easy to slip the hose over the barb? it should be relatively difficult to fit. A bit of soap as lubricant on the hose barb along with some heat on the hose to expand it just a bit is often required.

[rj_whitten]

I asked at home depot which hose goes with the barbs I replaced. I had 1/2 barbs 1/2 in diameter hose. I was thinking that maybe it's the outer diameter that's causing the hose to flex as some of the smaller hose isn't reinforced hose. I am going to work on it again today so I will post my findings when I get on site.
Thanks for the replies.

[rj_whitten]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

What boat? I have seen situations where metric and non-metric parts were mixed with leakage resulting. In re pressure, you can change from a 40PSI to 20PSI pressure switch without difficulty.

FWIW...

Its a sailboat. All the parts are the same as I purchased new hose, barbs, and clamps myself.

Thanks,
Raphael

[capngeo]

Can you post a picture or two?

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by rj_whitten

Its a sailboat. All the parts are the same as I purchased new hose, barbs, and clamps myself.

Thanks,
Raphael

I asked because our yacht is French and the original fittings are metric. Replaceing hoses and fittings with US stock can be problematic at times. FWIW, as noted earlier, one should not need teflon tape or any sealant on a hose/hose barb connection. Your problem may be the barb fittings which, if brass from Home Deport/Lowes et al are commonly of Chinese manufacture and may not be dimentioned quite accurately. As previously noted, one must commonly heat hoses to expand them somewhat to fit them to the correct hose barbs. Once the hose cools and shrinks a bit the fitting is usually very tight and does not leak.

N'any case, good luck.

[gonesail]

i have never had a barb leak. maybe you have the wrong size hose barb? home depot is not a place to get boat parts. maybe you needed a 5/8" hose barb instead of 1/2" ..

[steve_hendry]

Never get hose barb fittings from Home Depot. Their marked size is not their actual size.

[peghall]

I suspect your problem isn't the quality of the fittings, I think you have more than one problem...hose that's either the wrong size (metric hose with non-metric fittings or vice versa), cheap hose that's so stretched at the ends it'll never fit tightly on a fitting again...or whether the stated sizes of the fittings are ID or OD.

Hose sizes are always the ID...and fittings SHOULD be OD--to fit the same size hose. But that's not always the case, so you have to be careful, 'cuz a 1/2" ID fitting can have a 5/8" OD...which either won't go onto the hose at all or require heating the hose to point of damaging it. So it's always a good idea to have a short piece of hose with you when you buy fittings. The hose should be just enough of a tight fit to require WARMING it to get it on the barb. Then double clamp, with screws 180 degrees apart.

And at this point, you'll prob'ly save yourself a lot of time, effort and frustration if you just replace all the hoses as well as the fittings and be done with it. 'Cuz anything you do to try to salvage what you have is likely to turn into a never ending job of stopping leaks.

[Tellie]

Good Lord man you didn't buy your hose clamps at Home Depot as well did you?

[Artif]

Seems strange that all your fittings are leaking.
How high is the water pressure, I've used hose and hose clips on 100+ psi lines without problems.
One trick you might want to try rather than using sealants, is heating the hose a little when your fitting it, either hot water or hot air gun on the end, to make it more pliable when doing up the clamps.
One other thing, use the correct size clamps, if they're too big they don't clamp properly.

missed the bit about tape on the hose side, definitely don't put tape there.

[barnakiel]

Same as poster #2, I do not use tape between the fitting and the hose.

b.

[rj_whitten]

I figured the problem out thanks for the help.

Although the hoses recommended by the home depot guy where the right I/D it wasn't reinforced with the thicker walls and string. It slid on a little to easy. I replaced it all (and wasted money on useless tubes) and it doesn't leak anymore. Is there any way to stop wasp from building nest in your through hull?