# Leaking outdoor faucet (help identifying type)



## shardy (May 1, 2011)

My wife and I moved into a new house a few months ago (Northern Virginia area) and I went to turn on the outdoor spigots yesterday and found they were leaking. They seem to be frost-free antisyphon type sillcocks, however, they have a strange plastic collar on the outside that one slides up during the winter to ensure adequate drainage (I presume). 

Over the course of (perhaps multiple) winters, the o-rings that seal this collar have deteriorated and in fact crumbled out (as can be seen in the photo below).

My first question is: 1) What type of spigot is this? I have never seen one with this type of drainage mechanism before.

2) Is repairing it just a matter of replacing the O-ring? 

Perhaps not legible on the photo is the brand of the sillcock -- Legend (best I can tell, it's a Moen subsidiary???)

Any advice would be appreciated, thanks to all in advance for your time.


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## Lightfoot (Jan 16, 2011)

is it the spigot leaking or the anti-syphon device? I've never seen one with that plastic ring on it.
It looks like the anti-syphon just screws up on the spigot. But honestly, i've not seen one exactly like it.


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## Thurman (Feb 9, 2009)

That looks to be very similar to the BPD units used around her since 1986 and required by City code. The real problem is that the City comes around after the plumbers install these and "crimp" these into place. They actually have a tool which produces a sort of dimple into the threads of the faucet which prevents the BPD from being removed. IF the BPD goes bad--the entire faucet has to be replaced. Not sure what the O-ring thingy would be for though.


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## mwilmoth (May 28, 2011)

*same problem here*

I live in Bristow, VA. I have the same spigot as shardy and the same problem - the o ring is gone. I have been unable to find a replacement at Home Depot or Loews.

Anyone know where a replace o ring can be found?

Thanks!


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## sam0205 (Apr 22, 2012)

Any luck finding the o-ring?

Thanks


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## sam0205 (Apr 22, 2012)

Here is my workaround.
1. Cut the red ring of the toilet flapper
2. Replace the black cap with the red ring
3. Put the clamp on top of the red ring.

Hope this help.


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## dan_va (Apr 8, 2014)

I realize this thread is very old. But, I had the same problem (also from Northern VA) and worked through the problem enough to find a "very close" O-ring that fits the vacuum breaker. 

An O-ring with an inside diameter of 1-1/4 inches and outside diameter of 1-3/8 inches (1/16 inch width) fits in the groove nicely. I used some silicone grease to allow the plastic sleeve to slide over the O-ring and the result is just a small drip. It looks like the original O-ring is not perfectly round and that might be the reason for the small drip.

I looked for the O-ring at Lowes, Home Depot, AutoZone, etc. But, I had to buy it online. Hopefully this helps someone else who stumbles on this thread.


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## syntap (Apr 20, 2015)

This is another (yes, from NoVA  ) post in case anyone runs across the thread. I had the same problem with this type of faucet, where there is now a groove where an o-ring used to be. I mistook it for what looked like a thread for the sleeve to screw in a couple of turns to secure it, but I now see after reading the above notes that it used to be where an o-ring was.

I'm trying a non-destructive method until I can find the correct o-ring, and so far it is working well enough to not look very hard for the ring. I cut a three-inch section of a spare 1 3/8" diameter bicycle inner tube and worked it over most of the open pipe gap. The plastic ring then slides overtop the tubing that is covering where the o-ring used to be. I then used a utility knife to cut away the excess at the end of the spigot.

This is a relatively risk-free thing to try, a utility knife will be your "undo button" for the whole attempt if it doesn't work. If you don't have an inner tube lying around it is possible a bike shop would fish one out of a trash can for you. Those come in handy for projects like this where you need a gap covered.

This contraption is a backflow preventer / vacuum breaker, which is there to help prevent lawn chemicals, weed killer, etc that may be attached to the spigot from getting siphoned into the house in some cases. Mine wouldn't unscrew off the spigot easily after being there over twenty years, so I opted to try to patch it rather then replace it.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

How's the knuckle head that installed that siding?
They used a siding block for an outlet instead of a recessed split block for a sill cock.
Looks like poop.


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## tennyson24 (May 10, 2016)

I had the same issue, this solved it for me 026 Buna O-Ring, 70A Durometer, Black, 1-1/4" ID, 1-3/8" OD, 1/16" Width (Pack of 25) from Amazon


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## cetpc (Aug 26, 2016)

I had the same vacuum breaker on my townhouse in McLean bought in 1986. I got the O-ring needed at McLean Hardware, Chain Bridge Road. I believe that it was in box 55. In the past the box has had tape on it with the words "Vacuum breaker" on it.


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## yobuck (May 7, 2018)

I have two of these on my outside hose bibs and had a heck of a time figuring it out what I was looking at. They are Watts LF NF8 Lead Free Hose Connections Vacuum Breaker. 

Contacted Watts and they provided the following information.

The fix could be as simple as replacing the o-ring. You will need a #025 o-ring, dimensions are 1.18/1.31/.062

Or purchase their repair kit 0886014.


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## Northern VA (Apr 9, 2021)

my black ring thing broke off after 20 years, so it is just an exposed hole. you would think someone would have come up with a fix by now. I have tape over the hole right now, but water still spits out everywhere when i use it. any ides would be helpful


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## Jeffrey0066 (May 20, 2021)

The black ring is sun faded but not broken yet. I have to find a new o-ring. Because the unit has been permanently installed I would remove it with a dremel cut off wheel if I had to replace it.


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