Not much blogging over the past week. Mostly because I’m still dealing with slight water issues ðŸ™
After I hooked up the pH neutralizer, I found that it leaked. I had a 1 drip per 5 second leak where I connected the QEST gray connectors to the neutralizer. I tried tightening it. That didn’t work. I shut off the water in order to re-tape it and disaster. When I turned off the water, the transient increase in preasure blew a seal on the neutralizer. Not happy. How the heck do you return something w/ 150# of rock in it.
Called up the company, they told me that the seal on top was actually just an O-ring and that the top valve screwed down onto the O-ring. Apparently, the top valve was screwed on too tight and the slight increase in preasure caused it to unseat itself. No big deal, just screw it back down.
After that, I’ve been shutting off the well pump first, draining a bit of water from the lines and then cutting off the water. But I still had the leak. I tried more teflon tape. No luck. I tried even MORE teflon tape – still no luck. I even tried plumbers putty – that was even worse. Finally, I called the company and they said that you can’t connect the 1″ male threads on QEST connectors – they aren’t MPT (standard male pipe thread).
Went back to the store today, found a bushing that’ll take 1″ female pipe thread and drop it to 3/4″ pipe thread. Then I used 3/4″ MPT to copper compression fittings. A short piece of copper pipe, then the QEST connector to connect to PEX plastic pipe. The first one worked, but when I went to do the 2nd, I found that I had the wrong sized bushing! Some idiot (not me) put the wong bushing in the 1″->3/4″ spot. Another idiot (me) didn’t check first. went back, bought the right sized bushing and I’m in business. I’m sure there’s a better way, but it does work.
