# Washing Machine Dripping at Hose Connector..HELP!



## ScottR

Did you replace the hoses when you got your new washer? If not, you should get new hot & cold hoses regardless of the problem, because these hoses fail with age. Make sure you get the braided style hoses. This is just an example; any home center or hardware store will sell similar hoses:

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=124640-131-574L

If the hoses are new, then is the leak coming from the area where it screws onto the machine, or from the back of the connector?

If it's coming from the screw connection, you may just need a new washer (costs a few cents at any hardware store). If it's coming from the back of the connector, then you should get a new hose.

Of course, make sure the connection is snug (hand tight) before buying anything.


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## kswoot

Thanks *ScottR. *The hoses are new. It seems to be dripping from the 
connector, but it is hard to tell. I'm going to turn the water back on to 
sheck it our. How do you get the washer out of the connector?


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## ScottR

You can pry it out with a small flat head screwdriver or pocketknife.. 

If the hoses are new, though, first just make sure that the washer is seated all the way, and that it's flat, even, and undamaged.


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## handy man88

ScottR said:


> You can pry it out with a small flat head screwdriver or pocketknife..
> 
> If the hoses are new, though, first just make sure that the washer is seated all the way, and that it's flat, even, and undamaged.


Using a pocket knife could actually cut the washer and render it useless.

What you may need to get is a pair of channel lock pliers, not only to remove the washer, if necessary, although unlikely, but you may also need to use the channel lock pliers to tighten the female connectors on the hoses onto the supply valves.

http://www.northerntool.com/images/product/images/15888_lg.jpg


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## ScottR

> Using a pocket knife could actually cut the washer and render it useless.


Indeed.. though if replacing it, it's not an issue.



> but you may also need to use the channel lock pliers to tighten the female connectors on the hoses onto the supply valves.


That's fine if the washing machine has metal threads. If the supply hookups are plastic, it's easy to over tighten and damage the threads.


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## kswoot

*I Think I fixed it!!*

After atleast 5x of taking off the hose and staring into it, then re-connecting it, screwing it tight with my hands, instead of a tool (ultra paranoid about stripping threads ) and it still leaking, I decided to give it one last shot before buying a new hose. 

Thanks to *Handy Man88 *for including a picture of the channel lock pliers.
I went to the toolbox, grabbed the pliers and tightened away! 
No more leak! :clap: I feel like such a stud! Not really. But seriously, I do feel a sense of accomplishment. Thanks to all you guys for your help.
BTW the connectors are plastic, so keep your fingers crossed that I didn't over tighten! I'm off to do laundry :wink:


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## Ultrarunner2017

That's all it takes sometimes. The washer creates a lot of vibration, and can easily work the connection loose if it wasn't properly tightened.
Glad to hear that you have the problem fixed.


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## ScottR

> I went to the toolbox, grabbed the pliers and tightened away!


Aw nerts, sorry I made you paranoid..

It just happens a lot that people get overzealous and think "just a little tighter and maybe the leak will stop.." and then they've got a bigger, more expensive problem. (Err, by "people" and "they", I mean it's happened to me :whistling2.

Anyway, glad you got it all cinched up!


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## handy man88

KE2KB said:


> That's all it takes sometimes. The washer creates a lot of vibration, and can easily work the connection loose if it wasn't properly tightened.
> Glad to hear that you have the problem fixed.


Which bears the question why a fitting that sees a lot of vibration would be plastic instead of metal.


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## kswoot

*I spoke too soon!*

Just came in from work and there is water all over the floor! :cursing:

I hooked up the hot water hose to the cold connector, no leak. 
So I thought, ok then it must be the CW hose itself that is bad. 
But, my curiosity led me to hook the CW hose to the hot connector and guess what, NO LEAK! What the heck? 
(Maybe it will be leaking later, so I'll check it in a few hours.)

I'm sure all this screwing and unscrewing I'm doing can't be good.
Should I give it over night to see if it leaks before switching them back?


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## wrangler

kswoot said:


> Just came in from work and there is water all over the floor! :cursing:
> 
> I hooked up the hot water hose to the cold connector, no leak.
> So I thought, ok then it must be the CW hose itself that is bad.
> But, my curiosity led me to hook the CW hose to the hot connector and guess what, NO LEAK! What the heck?
> (Maybe it will be leaking later, so I'll check it in a few hours.)
> 
> I'm sure all this screwing and unscrewing I'm doing can't be good.
> Should I give it over night to see if it leaks before switching them back?


Back up a minute... You say that you came home and water was all over the floor. When you proceeded to switch the hoses, was one of them leaking? If from your post, we can assume that the CW hose WAS leaking, from where was it leaking? From where the rubber of the hose is clamped to the screw on fitting, or where the fitting itself connects to the washing machine? If the hose was not leaking prior to switching them, could it be that something else is seeping water? I assume the washing machine was not running when you left?


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## kswoot

wrangler said:


> Back up a minute... You say that you came home and water was all over the floor. When you proceeded to switch the hoses, was one of them leaking? If from your post, we can assume that the CW hose WAS leaking, from where was it leaking? From where the rubber of the hose is clamped to the screw on fitting, or where the fitting itself connects to the washing machine? If the hose was not leaking prior to switching them, could it be that something else is seeping water? I assume the washing machine was not running when you left?


 
No the machine has not been run since this all started. Yes, the CW hose was leaking. I couldn't tell if the water is dripping from the connector, or from the hose. If I shut the water off, and then turn it back on, I can hear a whoosh of air hiss for a second and then it starts to leak. There is no screw on the fitting. 

*BUT, I left the hoses in the switched status, with the water turned on all night, and there is no leaking. Doesn't make a bit of sense!*


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## handy man88

kswoot said:


> No the machine has not been run since this all started. Yes, the CW hose was leaking. I couldn't tell if the water is dripping from the connector, or from the hose. If I shut the water off, and then turn it back on, I can hear a whoosh of air hiss for a second and then it starts to leak. There is no screw on the fitting.
> 
> *BUT, I left the hoses in the switched status, with the water turned on all night, and there is no leaking. Doesn't make a bit of sense!*


If possible, you may want to take some pictures of your hoses and also of your valves on both the supply end and the washer end.

Hoses aren't that expensive, and if cheap ones were installed, then you should replace them. Also, I don't really see a benefit of having filters on the hose connectors.

Check also the condition of the male connectors on the valves to make sure they are not scored on the surfaces where the seals compress against.


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## Ultrarunner2017

handy man88 said:


> Which bears the question why a fitting that sees a lot of vibration would be plastic instead of metal.


If it's a Kenmore, then it's most definitely plastic. They've been using plastic for more than 30 years. The only reason I can see is that it cuts mfr cost.


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## kswoot

handy man88 said:


> Check also the condition of the male connectors on the valves to make sure they are not scored on the surfaces where the seals compress against.


 
This may be a loaded question, but what do the "male connectors" look like?


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## handy man88

kswoot said:


> This may be a loaded question, but what do the "male connectors" look like?


When you screw two valves together, the male connector goes into the female connector (no pun intended). :thumbup:

The male connector is the one with the external threads; the female connector is the one with the internal threads.

For example, your hoses have both female threads, and the valves that they connect to, the supply faucet in the wall, and the connection on the washer, are male.


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## kswoot

Wow, you've got to be kidding me! I'm SO glad I didn't ask a plumber or some guy at Home Depot that question! :icon_redface:

Anyway, the threads shouldn't be scored after just 3 mos. 
I'm going to switch the hoses back and see what happens. If it leaks again I'm going to give up and buy a new CW hose.

Either way, before the connectors have their torrid affair, should I put this
stuff called *Tplus2* on them? It says it "seals and lubricates threaded connections on metal and plastic pipe". Would this keep them from future
scoring?

thanks


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## handy man88

kswoot said:


> Wow, you've got to be kidding me! I'm SO glad I didn't ask a plumber or some guy at Home Depot that question! :icon_redface:
> 
> Anyway, the threads shouldn't be scored after just 3 mos.
> I'm going to switch the hoses back and see what happens. If it leaks again I'm going to give up and buy a new CW hose.
> 
> Either way, before the connectors have their torrid affair, should I put this
> stuff called *Tplus2* on them? It says it "seals and lubricates threaded connections on metal and plastic pipe". Would this keep them from future
> scoring?
> 
> thanks


"Lube" for the threading and the screwing (a little bit of pun intended) is supposed to be good, but some lubes are not meant for some type of plastic connectors. For example, some lubes can't be used for PVC connectors because it will eat away the plastic because they are harsh.

Also, this lube can make screwing so easy that you can easily strip the threads.

Instead of lube, you may want to consider some "protection" such as Teflon tape wrapped about 3 times around the male threads before screwing.

Hope you didn't faint.


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## kswoot

handy man88;176457
Hope you didn't faint.[/quote said:


> Not a chance! Thanks for your colorful tips! I still haven't switched the
> hoses back. I've decided to enjoy my evening and deal with it in the a.m.
> 
> Stay tuned......


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