Small leak in compression fitting

pex has their own fittings, cpvx is a no brainer and solder WILL work on copper.

I've done some more tests on brass ferrules clamping down on copper pipes, and from my tests I now can see that sometimes just 1/2 a turn is not enough, in fact its not enough to prevent the pipe from popping out of the compression fitting later on, so now I would recommend to anyone to give it a full 1-turn to make sure that the copper pipe is actually "squeezed" and that ferrule will not be slipping later on.
Of course, this might result in "over-tightening" and associated leaks, but I think it better to have a bit of a leak than risk having a "GUSHER" later on.

I think compression fittings should be taken off the market and soldering of copper pipe taught in high school.

Then, everyone would maked soldered connections and there wouldn't be any more problems with compression fittings leaking.

The problem is that new home owners will avoid learning to solder and will opt for compression fittings instead. Then, once they do learn to solder, they have dozens of compression fittings in their house to deal with. Better they learn to solder right from the start. The earlier they learn to solder, the better, and the fewer compression fittings they have to deal with.

Nestor_Kelebay said:

I think compression fittings should be taken off the market and soldering of copper pipe taught in high school.

Then, everyone would maked soldered connections and there wouldn't be any more problems with compression fittings leaking.

The problem is that new home owners will avoid learning to solder and will opt for compression fittings instead. Then, once they do learn to solder, they have dozens of compression fittings in their house to deal with. Better they learn to solder right from the start. The earlier they learn to solder, the better, and the fewer compression fittings they have to deal with.

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I have used both solder and compression fittings for years.
Solder, in the main is preferable, but there comes the time, that last joint, where solder will not work.
Think a pipe with water in it, water that boils and the steam blows through the solder joint, or a sealed system, where you cannot vent the expanded air and it blows the joint.
In these instances, a compression joint is called for.
Wind thin insulation tape round the olive, before making the connection, it works a treat. At a push, wind the wifes cotton round the pipe between the olive and the body, this will make a seal.

Lemme just say this:

I've been soldering for over 20 years and I try to avoid compression fittings simply because I don't have confidence in them. And, in my 21 unit apartment block there isn't a single compression fitting (unless you count the 3/8 supply tubes to my bathroom sinks and toilets that come off the Brasscraft compression stops I've soldered in). In that building I've soldering both domestic water supply lines for potable water as well as the copper and brass connections in a hot water heating system, so it covers the whole gambit.

So I've been able to avoid using compression fittings in favour of soldered connections, and if I can do that in a building containing 21 bathrooms and 21 kitchens and 21 heating system zone valves, a person shouldn't have to use a compression fitting in a typical 3 bedroom house.

I think newbie homeowners should make the effort and learn how to solder and then they'll have 100% confidence in their connections. I don't have 100% confidence in any compression fitting, or at least I wouldn't feel comfortable relying on them, and I would never use a compression fitting inside a wall where you don't have quick and easy access to it.

Just my opinion.

Think a pipe with water in it, water that boils and the steam blows through the solder joint, or a sealed system, where you cannot vent the expanded air and it blows the joint.

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Water in pipes is a fact of life, and there's not much that can be done about that. But I can't think of a single example where that "last joint" can't be vented. Normally on water supply piping that last joint is a valve of some sort to control the water flow, and that valve should be open when soldering anyhow. Also, if the soldering is on a closed system like a hot water heating system, good design would require air vents in the system anyhow.

Sorry, but I can't think of any situation where you couldn't vent the piping, but I'd imagine there might be some situations like that, rare as giraffes in Manhattan they may be.

Great dialogue on this topic, I have learned alot. Thanks everyone.
I needed to remove the old ring and purchased a Compression Fitting removal tool from Lowes. It was made by Superior but there are a number of types on the market. Worked GREAT..., However, since the tool slides the old ring off the end of the copper pipe, it actually compressed the pipe from the spot where the old ring was located all the way to the end (1/2) inch. What that left me with was a smaller diameter pipe on which to place my new ring and there was a larger gap between the ring and the pipe than if placed on a new section of the copper pipe. I now have a very slow drop leak on one of the two pipes under my sink. I think I am going to try the teflon tape next and then maybe the SharkBite fitting. I am working with a short pipe protruding from the wall and don't want to cut it off YET.....Soldering is an option, but I have only done it a few times and I am concerned that I may apply too much heat and weaken any soldered joints that may be immediately behind the plaster wall.

if your compression fitting is outside the wall and not leaking your good to go. If you do change it you will find that joint in the wall and you will still set it up for the braided line

Well, I removed the valve, wrapped the compression ring in teflon being sure to thoroughly cover the side that fits back into the valve. I reassembled everything and the leak is GONE..... Problem solved, for now....

I agree with the various comments that soldered connections are better, cheaper and easier. I loath compression fittings. After reading some of the posts here, I hate them even more.

However, I have an instance where I can't think of an alternative. I'm replacing the shower assembly in my main bathroom. The new tap set comes with female threads to the spout and showerhead.

I assembled a spout pipe using two short pipes joined by an elbow and attached male threaded adapters at each end. I screwed one end into the tap set then attached the entire assembly to the supply pipes.

The pipe to the shower head creates a problem however. It can't turn so I need something that can be joined after being threaded into the tap assembly.

I'm leery about using a torch and solder both because of the amount of heat required for an adapter that is already screwed into the bronze fixture and the impact that heat may have on the various non-metal parts in the assembly.

To me, it seemed like a reasonable place for a compression fitting.

The various other posts here suggest that I will need to be very careful to make sure the assembly and the pipe to the shower header can't move if I am to avoid a leak inside the wall after I close it up.

Normally this would be handled by anchoring the assembly to a brace running between the wall studs. Unfortunately, the assembly actually fits into a notch in one of the wall studs, so I'm down to a plan B to secure it as best I can against the drywall.

Anyway, I found the discussion here very useful. Thanks!

garydale said:

To me, it seemed like a reasonable place for a compression fitting.

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Actually using compression fittings inside the walls is prohibited by every plumbing code that I know of so it is not a good solution.

Option 1 is to sweat the connection using a repair coupling which does not have a stop in the center of the coupling allowing it to slide completely on to one pipe allowing connections to be made on butted joints.

Option 2 is to use a SharkBite slip coupling which is a push in connector requiring no pipe sweating skills. http://411plumb.com/sharkbite-push-on-tubing-connectors

It's cheaper to learn how to do it right. If you intend to make many plumbing repairs in your home you should learn how to sweat pipe.