Broken soldered joint on air compressor?

[BlueRaa]

Hi guys,

Firstly let me apologise if I get any terminology wrong as I am a total novice with air compressors

I was attaching a uni adaptor to my new compressor when the 'tap' fitting I was attaching it to rotated next to the main body of the compressor and what looked like a bit of golden solder fell off. When powering up the compressor and turning it off I can hear a very quiet leak from that area.

My question is, can I tighten it to stop this leak or do I need to get it re-soldered? Or, as it's brand new, send it back for a replacement /refund?

Pic attached is the joint

Thanks guys

 

[gordon stephenson]

It looks like a threaded joint, If so flatten the tank of any pressure, screw out the fitting, clean with wire brush etc, and reseal using PTFE tape or similar and refit, I don't think it will have been soldered,just some form of sealant,

 

[Mr shiney]

its just thread seal. i use it rather than ptfe.

 

[BlueRaa]

Took your advice and you are right, it is a sort of crusty sealant. Will reattach with PTFE. Thank you so much!

 

[gordon stephenson]

A thread sealer that stays flexible is preferable to a hard setting one,you can get liquid PTFE.I have a tub of gas seal for threads that is just like a stiff putty.

 

[wristpin]

While back I piped out my business workshop and warehouse for compressed air using galvanised water pipe and all the joints were sealed with Loctite Hydraulic seal - not a single air leak then or until I sold up some years later. Not expensive and easy to use.

 

[ASL3312]

My compressor fittings were covered on that stuff too. Took it apart and scraped all the threads with a seal pick.

I resealed all the joints on my compressor with loctite 572. It's a white, slow curing sealant for coarse metal threads. This was over a week ago and it hasn't gone completely off yet (not sure if its meant to?!) Having said that, the compressor is holding pressure for longer now (dropping approx 1bar overnight whereas it was dropping approx 4bar before).

 

[Mr shiney]

I use Loctite 542 which is allegedly the correct stuff for air fittings. My compressor and storage tank leak nothing at all over weeks as long as I remember to turn the shut off valve off from the storage tank. The main pipework is 8mm push fit nylon and that leaks ever so slightly which is probably from the regulators and hoses that get left plugged in.