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Is white PTFE tape allowed on gas fittings these days?

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Ex gas fitter here. I haven't worked on gas for at least a decade so I'm not up to speed on any changes there may have been since I last worked in the industry.

However, I have recently gone to a family members house who has had a new kitchen fitted. I couldn't help but notice that the gas cooker bayonet fitting she's just had refitted has white tape on it rather than yellow gas rated tape I used to use.

Before I tell her to make a complaint, can any of you gas safe guys tell me if the regs have changed and are you now allowed to use white tape on gas fittings?

I've attached a photo of the fitting so you can see what I saw.

Thanks for any replies.

IMG_20190413_172806065~2.jpg
 
scott_d said:
Gas ptfe can be white
Why are you removing a cooker in a new kitchen? Smells fishy
Click to expand...

Scott d. I haven't removed any cooker. In fact, right now there is no cooker. The previous cooker was taken out and scrapped by the same gas safe registered fitter who refitted this bayonet. He had to do this because the existing pipework needed to be moved to allow the electrician to run some trunking.

The new cooker is being delivered next week and she has paid £85 to have it fitted by a gsr fitter via John Lewis.

I can assure you that there will be no illegal gas work taking place in this property. I just want to know if this ptfe is safe, or if she's had a cowboy take a short cut. Because when I worked in the industry it was a definite no no to use white tape on gas fittings.
 
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I've seen a similar thing with Loctite 55 in the early days. It looked like someone had put hawkwhite and hemp on barrel pipework. The supervisor confirmed it was Loctite 55 and not hemp.
 
Darren Jackson said:
As previously stated gas PTFE is white nowadays but a lot thicker than ordinary PTFE. It is in a yellow dispenser though so as to not get confused and stated for gas use or at least what I use is from my local merchants is anyway.
Click to expand...

Ok that's good to know. However, I still have some concerns. On closer inspection this tape does look like thin water only rated tape that has been wrapped around the thread multiple times.

I mean it's probably safe enough. I've seen the paperwork and it's passed the tightness test. But when I was in the industry the thicker yellow gas tape was only ever wrapped one and a half times around the thread. This thread has been wrapped multiple times, which would indicate to me that it's not gas rated PTFE.
 
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its ptfe and ptfe is approved gas tape is recommened but aslong as it seals and you do the tests i wouldnt have a problem with it

hell we used to use string
 
Application said:
If it's a permanent move to an electric cooker then I'm sure it's best to have it capped off, but isn't a self sealing bayonet ok? At least in the short term?
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That’s not what it’s meant for. It’s for short term removal and refitting eg cleaning behind the cooker.
A decent Gas safe registered person would leave it like that.
 
scott_d said:
That’s not what it’s meant for. It’s for short term removal and refitting eg cleaning behind the cooker.
A decent Gas safe registered person would leave it like that.
Click to expand...

Define short term? And if a gas cooker has been removed and a new one is to be installed the following week, is there an actual regulation that says that a self sealing bayonet isn't ok for this purpose? Im not arguing. I just want ammunition, because I'm not happy either.
 
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If the white ptfe is suitable for gas, why does screwfix state that is isn't? I don't use ptfe on gas anyway but I was always under the impression that only the yellow gas tape was suitable for gas, after reading this thread I'm now not sure.
 
scott_d said:
That’s not what it’s meant for. It’s for short term removal and refitting eg cleaning behind the cooker.
A decent Gas safe registered person would leave it like that.
Click to expand...


See that left like that all the time here , also when I was on site never use to see gas tape ptfe .
Saying that no one was gas registered yet we all fitted boilers lol
 
Application said:
If it's a permanent move to an electric cooker then I'm sure it's best to have it capped off, but isn't a self sealing bayonet ok? At least in the short term?
Click to expand...

Not really I've seen loads of them leak. If I find that I'm meant to cap it off, pretty sure it's in the book as well.

They get dirt on the bearing and it's stop them fully sealing. Even tiny leaks will cause smells in confined places. The other more concerning issue what if it totally fails while away on holiday. If your a plumber working for a landlord then it would be capped off when the tenant moves out. It's designed to allow cleaning not so people can fit their own cookers.

As for PTFE the colour has always been white and the difference is thickness. It's designed to seal the thread so one wrap is enough for gas. I've seen a few where people have wrapped it that much and ended up splitting the back plate.
 
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richard978 said:
Not really I've seen loads of them leak. If I find that I'm meant to cap it off, pretty sure it's in the book as well.

They get dirt on the bearing and it's stop them fully sealing. Even tiny leaks will cause smells in confined places. The other more concerning issue what if it totally fails while away on holiday.
Click to expand...

All valid points, but if the system has been tested via tightness test and the bayonet has been tested with leak detection fluid and no issues have been found, then shouldn't that suffice? At least in the short term if a new gas cooker is going to be installed the following week. Are there any specific regulations that state otherwise?
 
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What about micropoint adapter plates( look like a single white pattress), that are permanently attached inside and cannot be wound out to plug off. That’s the same principal as it’s big brother.... sprung sealed shut. I certainly wouldn’t get excited about a bayonet fitting left in the wall.
 
Application said:
Ex gas fitter here. I haven't worked on gas for at least a decade so I'm not up to speed on any changes there may have been since I last worked in the industry.

However, I have recently gone to a family members house who has had a new kitchen fitted. I couldn't help but notice that the gas cooker bayonet fitting she's just had refitted has white tape on it rather than yellow gas rated tape I used to use.

Before I tell her to make a complaint, can any of you gas safe guys tell me if the regs have changed and are you now allowed to use white tape on gas fittings?

I've attached a photo of the fitting so you can see what I saw.

Thanks for any replies.

View attachment 38158
Click to expand...
 
You sound more like an ex onion picker trying to show off and pick up a gas fitter whos fitted a cooker bayonet, yellow tape and one and half wraps when "i was in the game " gettaway really??.. cant believe people even gave this numpty the time of day.
 
ben whitley said:
You sound more like an ex onion picker trying to show off and pick up a gas fitter whos fitted a cooker bayonet, yellow tape and one and half wraps when "i was in the game " gettaway really??.. cant believe people even gave this numpty the time of day.
Click to expand...
Play nicely fella
 
ben whitley said:
You sound more like an ex onion picker trying to show off and pick up a gas fitter whos fitted a cooker bayonet, yellow tape and one and half wraps when "i was in the game " gettaway really??.. cant believe people even gave this numpty the time of day.
Click to expand...
Why's he a numpty and why shouldn't we give him the time of day? He may very well be a concerned ex gas fitter whos came accross something that doesnt look right to him, and gas ptfe tape is supposed to be 1 wrap with a 50% overlap so not exactly sure what your getting at there either.
 
We have got an ex gas engineer concerned about white ptfe tape showing as its not YELLOW on a cooker bayonet, you know I was watching tv other day and i see a soldier with a bayonet attached to a rifle but im ex army and i used to use a potato have regs changed should i report him..?
 
ben whitley said:
We have got an ex gas engineer concerned about white ptfe tape showing as its not YELLOW on a cooker bayonet, you know I was watching tv other day and i see a soldier with a bayonet attached to a rifle but im ex army and i used to use a potato have regs changed should i report him..?
Click to expand...
I’m not sure I really get your point. The point still remains that being an active forum means if you can’t be nice don’t say anything.
 
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