ptfe tape or no ptfe tape?

[Rob876]

What's best on compression fittings - ptfe tape? A compound? Just the olive?

 

[Pickwickpick]

I just use the olive, if fitted properly you shouldn't need anything else imo. Then there's the numptys that put ptfe on the thread of compression fittings which bugs me!

 

[Harvest Fields]

Search PTFE in the search area top right.

 

[Aire]

I always use a few wraps of ptfe round the olive

 

[Best]

I always use paste. It acts as a fine sealant and also lubricates, so will help when you compress the joint.
Ptfe wrapped over olive a few turns will help seal well, but the tape gets cut and I would then be wary that water can still passs the olive

 

[offgridman]

Didn't used to bother with PTFE until we started getting some olives made of crap material (the first of the Chinese I think), so started then.
Always use if having to remake a joint using old olive, although since getting a bona fide olive splitter I tend to fit new olives if I can.
Equally mystified why someone would put tape on the threads of a comp joint.

 

[Aire]

Didn't used to bother with PTFE until we started getting some olives made of crap material (the first of the Chinese I think), so started then.
Always use if having to remake a joint using old olive, although since getting a bona fide olive splitter I tend to fit new olives if I can.
Equally mystified why someone would put tape on the threads of a comp joint.

Those who put tape round the threads don't understand how the fitting seals.

 

[Welder]

Didn't used to bother with PTFE until we started getting some olives made of crap material (the first of the Chinese I think), so started then.
Always use if having to remake a joint using old olive, although since getting a bona fide olive splitter I tend to fit new olives if I can.
Equally mystified why someone would put tape on the threads of a comp joint.

OGM, just remember it's not the Chinese at fault. They make perfect kit - WHEN asked to do so and WHEN allowed (through price) to do so. It's carp because BUYERS do not wish to pay for quality.
It's no different to our job. When a customer pays for a good job they get a good job. When they pay peanuts they get rubbish!

 

[Best]

Those who put tape round the threads don't understand how the fitting seals.

Probably expert bathroom installers.

Some folk know that ptfe tape is called “thread sealing tape”, so they use it on threads, - all threads.

 

[John.g]

Didn't used to bother with PTFE until we started getting some olives made of crap material (the first of the Chinese I think), so started then.
Always use if having to remake a joint using old olive, although since getting a bona fide olive splitter I tend to fit new olives if I can.
Equally mystified why someone would put tape on the threads of a comp joint.

Some say that a turn or two of tape on the threads acts as a lubricant and makes it easier to tighten the nut.

 

[offgridman]

OGM, just remember it's not the Chinese at fault. They make perfect kit - WHEN asked to do so and WHEN allowed (through price) to do so. It's carp because BUYERS do not wish to pay for quality.
It's no different to our job. When a customer pays for a good job they get a good job. When they pay peanuts they get rubbish!

Agreed. If stuff is supplied on basis of price only, that is what happens. What got me was the dodgy olives came from my normal supplier who is usually quality aware.
Not worth fitting cheap stuff. Just been out to sort an expensive Mira shower with its filter blocked by shards of chrome plating from the shiny but cheap compression fittings used on the pipework to it. Not my install, I hasten to add.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Some say that a turn or two of tape on the threads acts as a lubricant and makes it easier to tighten the nut.

And some people are idiots

 

[garygvl]

OGM, just remember it's not the Chinese at fault. They make perfect kit - WHEN asked to do so and WHEN allowed (through price) to do so. It's carp because BUYERS do not wish to pay for quality.
It's no different to our job. When a customer pays for a good job they get a good job. When they pay peanuts they get rubbish!

its definitely fish night

 

[Best]

Some say that a turn or two of tape on the threads acts as a lubricant and makes it easier to tighten the nut.

Only will make it tighter to turn I would think

 

[Aire]

Some say that a turn or two of tape on the threads acts as a lubricant and makes it easier to tighten the nut.

When did a nut become difficult to tighten?

 

[Harvest Fields]

The same time it was standard practice to put PTFE on them.

 

[Best]

its definitely fish night

That is the cod of being on a forum, just takes one sole to do an answer to a thread and it become a red herring.

 

[Harvest Fields]

I’m going to makeral of you laugh with this one.

 

[Best]

I could go on and talk a lot of pollocks.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Stop skate in around the issue would you.

 

[rpm]

Struth

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Paste / compound

 

[snowhead]

When did a nut become difficult to tighten?

When you've got Fish Fingers..

 

[steadyon]

Oh do stop carping

 

[Welder]

And some people are idiots

Only if they're NOT plumbers ...

 

[Welder]

Oh do stop carping

Who's lighting a Roach ? #AhhThoseWereTheDays

 

[Matthew Score]

I always use Jet Blue compound on compression joints, something the old boys that trained me insisted on happening.

I do have to chuckle to myself when I see PTFE on the thread of a compression fitting

 

[Aire]

I do have to chuckle to myself when I see PTFE on the thread of a compression fitting

Or round the threads of a union type lock shield valve

 

[Matthew Score]

Or round the threads of a union type lock shield valve

I once asked a customer who had done his own wet plumbing in a kitchen and got me into do the gas, why on the thread of the elbows!

Answer!! It's called thread tape for a reason

 

[Aire]

I once asked a customer who had done his own wet plumbing in a kitchen and got me into do the gas, why on the thread of the elbows!

Answer!! It's called thread tape for a reason

D.i.yers know it all

 

[KingDoey]

Jet Blue everytime

 

[Jerry]

My 2 cents -

Brand new shiny compression fitting and pipe - just use the olive
Anything else - wrap or two of PTFE and a smear of thread sealant

 

[Martyn2]

I just use the olive, if fitted properly you shouldn't need anything else imo. Then there's the numptys that put ptfe on the thread of compression fittings which bugs me!

Exactly where would you use PTFE Tape? I notice they do different version for gas fittings.

 

[Pickwickpick]

Exactly where would you use PTFE Tape? I notice they do different version for gas fittings.

I never use it on new compression fittings, if I'm reusing an olive that's already in place (e.g. changing TRV/lockshield) I'll sometimes wrap few turns around the olive itself, although even that is more belt and braces tbh and don't always do it. Compression fittings work by the olive being squeezed real tight between the pipe and the body of the compression fittings, although the thread does is allow you to pull everything in nice and tight.

Re gas ptfe its the one in a yellow roll.

 

[Harvest Fields]

I never use it on new compression fittings, if I'm reusing an olive that's already in place (e.g. changing TRV/lockshield) I'll sometimes wrap few turns around the olive itself, although even that is more belt and braces tbh and don't always do it. Compression fittings work by the olive being squeezed real tight between the pipe and the body of the compression fittings, although the thread does is allow you to pull everything in nice and tight.

Re gas ptfe its the one in a yellow roll.

For me the whole fitting is changed. I have rarely used an old nut or olive.