leaky poultry waterer nipples

[Saltysteele]

I purchased some of the red plastic one-piece poultry nipples. when testing them out before installing, they are all leaking.

upon searching for this, i've found where people asked this same question, and people suggested using silicone, an o-ring, etc. Let me head you off at the pass. It's not leaking due to installation issues, it is leaking water out of the nipple itself. i put teflon tape on the threads, and it is sealed great, the nipples themselves are leaking.

is this normal? i'm wondering now if maybe the system needs to be under some amount of pressure to seat the mechanism better?

any advice?

Thanks!

 

[mons02035]

How many nipples do you have leaking? I ask because if it's just one maybe it's a bad nipple. I also assume you have tapped on them several times yourself. I have the nipples as well and I don't keep it under any kind of pressure, I even leave the lid a little loose so a vacuum does not form. I wish I could help more but if it is more than one nipple, maybe they are all the same lot and the whole lot is defective.

 

[Saltysteele]

thank you for replying

so far i've only started on the system for one of the coops/runs, and there are 3 nipples on it.

what i was saying about the pressure, is the only pressure in the system was just the water in the horizontal pipe they were installed in. if i actually had the system in place with a 5 gallon bucket feeding it, there would be some pressure pushing down on the nipples' mechanism. kind of like a ball over a hole. with just a bit of water, there is no pressure pushing the ball into the hole to stop it from leaking. know what i mean?

your waterer nipples don't leak at all? (i was hoping someone would say, "oh, they're supposed to do that, they'll stop in time")

 

[debid]

Nope, mine don't leak at all!

You do have your nipples installed pointing straight down, right?

 

[Saltysteele]

right

 

[jmagill]

Seeing pictures would help.

The problems could be. Not enough water pressure or too much.
Installed backwards

How big is the pipe and is it completely filled with water?

 

[blefky]

I use them exclusively and have only had them leak when a. they've been incorrectly installed, or b. they've been in use for a very long time. I would take at least one out and redo it with either silicone or water resistant glue and see if the problem still exists. Sometimes when they've been in use for a long time the seal around the nipple threads begins to leak, usually replacing the container stops this problem - if you're just starting with them this obviously isn't your problem. Also, be sure you're drilling the holes with the size bit recommended by the manufacturer. When working properly, I absolutely love them. Good luck.

 

[mons02035]

I understand what your saying about the pressure from the water keeping the ball down. But I let my bucket get pretty low and it still does not leak and when the water is very low to the nipples it probably has the same amount of pressure your pipes do.

 

[jmagill]

So we have not heard back from you. Have you figured out the problem?

 

[Saltysteele]

no, not yet, but thanks for checking in on me

i work 6p-6a 3 nights a week, and worked last night and am working tonight, so i haven't had a chance to mess with it any more.

i plan on farting around with it tomorrow, though, and will get back with you guys, then

when i was testing the system, though, i was looking all around the waterer nipple, to make sure it wasn't just leaking from the threads. pretty sure (99.9%) that the water was coming out of the hole it was supposed to come out of, just that it wasn't supposed to be coming out without the nipple being depressed

i am questioning, though, if maybe i damaged the innerds while installing them. i installed them in 3/4" schedule 40 PVC (round), using an 11/32" bit. it was difficult getting the threads started and i had to hold a bit of force against them to give the threads a chance to dig in. i was using a socket wrench, so maybe i damaged them while pushing on them to get them in. now that the threads are established, i will take one out and install another with some silicone (never hurts to be too sure

) and see if it leaks.