Where to use PTFE tape
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 9 сен 2017
- I often get asked how much PTFE tape to use on compression fittings and other screwed fittings that do not require PTFE tape, this video will hopefully help people with limited experience where and when to use PTFE tape. Normally PTFE tape is only required on BSP/BSPT or NPT pipe and fittings, although it can sometimes be used to seal a leaking olive etc.
Хобби
Nice range of examples sir! Really valueable to learn when to use and when not! Now the audience can decide for themselves.
Thanks for the comment
So so helpful. I've learnt so much from your channel and look forward to learning more. I'm not in the trade, just a keen diy'er so your tips and demonstrations are invaluable. Thank you :-)
I'm glad the videos help ;-)
Thanks for the comment
Maria H exactly a bookful of knowledge and no jibble jabble
I hope everyone has a great Sunday ;-)
Ultimate Handyman hi nice video and info as usual just a quick question could you possibly use threadlock in place of the tape?
No, threadlock only locks the threads and does not seal them. Also it could be toxic if used on potable water!
You can get PTFE paste, but it is not as good as the tape IMHO
For example "Loctite 5776" seems to be safe for water lines.
I found this video very helpful. It cleared up some questions I wasn't sure about ptfe.
I'm glad the video helped
Thanks for the comment 👍
Great videos UH - concise and to the point. Really clear commentary. Thanks a lot.
Glad you liked it!
Thanks for the comment
Great video thanks for clearing up regarding the rubber seals and no ptfe needed.
Glad it helped 👍
You da man, thanks for all your vids, most instructive for us amateurs. Cheers
You are welcome
Thanks for the comment
Thank you. I've often wondered how to use this stuff properly.
You are welcome.
Thanks for the comment
I have found that hemp gives a better seal on most larger fittings. It's more difficult to work with but yields better results I reckon. Great video.
Yes, hemp is often used on larger diameter pipes.
Thanks for the comment
Great video, thanks. I tend to use Fernox LS-X. Helps with getting joints at the right angle when tight.
Thanks for the comment
Thanks for demonstrating the difference, I think in a previous vid you did say no need for ptfe tape on compression fittings and since then I haven't. Look forward to the next. Radiators can be a nightmare so I always go over the top with those as it's much easier than not. Regards. Mike
Thanks for the comment, Mike ;-)
Thanks.. 👍🏻
This is I was looking for
A very good summary of when and when not to use ptfe tape.
I have seen plumbers, if they are, putting tape on the threads of compression fittings. You can use jointing compound on the olives of compression fittings.
Thanks
Thanks for the comment
Very helpful thanks, lots of confusion with using jointing compound vs ptfe etc, clearly and logically explained, going to replace my seized up stopcock and replace the attic tanks inlet feed this week (gulp!) :-P
Glad it was helpful!
Good luck with the tank ;-)
Thank you for the video. I am never sure when to use PTFE tape and when to use paste and hemp. Some plumbers always prefer using paste preferably potable and others PTFE. I live in SW France and the water pressure in our village is very high so I use paste and hemp on the high pressure side (8 bar ) and both on the low pressure side ( 3 bar ). The paste method is messy the PTFE more user friendly.
It will be interesting to see the results of your PTFE pressure testing and the longevity of PTFE.
You are welcome. I'll do some testing when I get time (could be a few weeks).
PTFE normally lasts for decades, we have pipes installed on site that have been in for 10/20/30/40+ years using PTFE tape and they never leak due unless the pipe rots.
Thanks for the comment
Great video again my friend. I like the plaster on your hand lol. Keep up the good work.
Thanks, I borrowed the plaster from the kids.
Thanks for the comment
I had a hunch that`s where it came from. Thanks again.
A great video of the basics and when and where to use PTFE tape. However I find Henkel Loctite 55 pipe sealing cord to be a better tool for the job especially on outdoor taps where it helps keep and support the tap in the correct position in the wall fitting. This tape will work on some awkward screw threads to make a watertight seal where PTFE can sometimes fail.
Thanks, I have never tried either of those but I'll look out for some ;-)
Thanks for the comment
It is pretty ingenious stuff as you can use it on metal and plastic pipe, it will seal even some of the most leakiest connections and it tells you much to use on the back of the container which is far less than when using PTFE......apparently it is the stuff all plumbers are using these days, I wouldn't know but I will say it is bloody good stuff!
Started using locktite about 4 years ago and never looked back the Ptfe tape now compared to years ago is substandard IMHO👍
Thanks for the comment ;-)
I've been using Loctite 577 recently for my air fittings. It's handy when I need to get fittings orientated at a particular angle. I just find it so much easier and neater than using PTFE tape.
I've bought some of that, but not used it yet.
Thanks for the comment
Great video, thanks !!!!!
👍
thank you for showing your knowlegde
You are welcome
Thanks for the comment
Very helpful thanks.
I’m glad you found the video useful
Thanks for the comment 👍
I use ptfe tape on compression fittings as I find it stops the thread from binding and allows you to tighten the nut more easily and consistently - saves you going back and having to retighten joints to stop them weeping.....one thing I have also learnt - never use brass olives unless you like your joints to weep over time, always use copper olives.
Copper olives are miles better than brass olives!
Thanks for the comment ;-)
you're very helpful!
Thanks ;-)
That cleared things up.
You are welcome
Thanks for the comment 👍
this was helpful, thanks
You are welcome
Thanks for the comment
I am repeatedly baffled by the fact that water tight seals rely on tape or silicone (with shower traps). Tape needed for an outdoor tap! Thanks to you Ultimate Handyman.
Sometimes O rings are used, but often it's down to the PTFE tape ;-)
Thanks for the comment
witch has more effect ptf or joining compound loved the video.
Not sure, as I don't normally use jointing compound. I always use PTFE tape on site for compressed air, water, condensate and low pressure steam.
Thanks for the comment
شكرا على الشرح والتوضيح
مرحبا بك.
شكرا على التعليق
Great video. Worst place for ptfe is high temp steam pipes. When it's hot it emits carsenogenic gas
Thanks for the info ;-)
Machining Basics where in a house hold would there be steam pipe? I'm not clued up on plumbing but in case I end up having to have any work done.
Very helpful
Glad you think so!
Thanks for the comment 👍
Perfect tks + GOD Bless you
Thanks for the comment
Another very useful video. I noticed your adjustable spanner had some really thin jaws which I am sure are incredibly useful in some tight spots, can you tell use the brand.
Thanks Tony, they are Bahco. It's only a 6 or 8 inch pair but the jaw opens really wide ( about 32mm I think ), this is one of the few spanners that you can use to adjust some nuts on Capacitive Sensors as you can't use normal adjustable due to the thickness of the jaws.
fave.co/2xoE4bd
That reminds me I might do a video on Bahco adjustable's in the future as I have about 6 pairs ranging from 6 inch to 24 inch!
Thanks for the comment
Many thanks for the info. Off to Amazon now!.
Iv'e recently seen a trick if you have to put tape on a thread near a wall or other obstacle so you can't fit the roll between. You roll some tape on a thin object like a pen.. then you use the pen to dispense the tape on the thread.
Thanks for the tip ;-)
Great video very good info. I was told by a plumber that when you wrap the ptfe tape, you wrap it towards you rather than away from you, is that right or wrong and also how many wraps do you think on a thread?
Barry (West Kirby, Wirral)
Hi Barry, it depends which hand you hold the tape in and which hand you hold the fitting in. If you hold the fitting in your right hand and tape in your left hand you would wrap it towards yourself.
I normally wrap it between 8 and 15 wraps, depending on how tight the fitting is (when pipe fitting on site you can adjust the jaws in the pipe threader to give you a loose or a tight fit)
Thanks for the comment
Hi i have been in the plumbing&heating trade for 50yrs no PTFE tape then only boss white and hemp, as you probably no, and with all the other water regulations not allowed on potable water, i was a legionella control plumber in the prison service for 20yrs so a lot of exams and updates. any way great video hope to see more of you kind regards Alan.
Thanks for the comment, Alan ;-)
Bet you remember when it came on a metal reel!-I still think hemp is superior for outside taps etc as it gives you more allowance when tightening up so that the tap ends up vertical.
I always use plenty too, PTFE is cheap and leaks are expensive.👍
Absolutely, it costs pence and if not enough is used it can cost big time!
Thanks for the comment
Ultimate Handyman
I still carry hemp & paste for iron work but PTFE is so much easier for most fittings, hemp is handy for slacker fittings.👍
Thanks for the info ;-)
PB me too! I wrap lots and lots of times. As you say, tape is cheap. Floods or the time taken to drain down and fix is expensive in money/time.
I personally tend to use ptfe AND then some jointing compound. Makes doing it up easier.
No doubt someone will be along to tell me that's wrong....
And there I was, thinking that too much PTFE is worse than no PTFE .. Thanks!!
Another great video many thanks. Any chance you can help me out pls? I have just installed a dual fuel towel radiator with a tee piece to allow for a heating element. This tee piece has an o ring but I cannot nip it tight in the right orientation so all I could do was pack the thread with ptfe and hope for no leaks. So far so good but the tee piece is still fairly loose.
Loose = Not good on plumbing.
When it heats up and cools down it could start leaking due the expansion/contraction.
I'm off out now, but if you ask here (preferably with pictures) someone will advise-
www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/forum1/plumbing-forum-f8.html
Try Loctite 55, similar to PTFE, but much thicker www.loctite.co.uk/pipe-sealing-9886.htm
Spot on 👍
Thanks for the comment ;-)
Very Nice ☺
Thanks for the comment
God damnit! I couldv'e saved so much time by not using the PTFE on compression joints when I was doing my bathroom!
Well I've used it that way and in my 60's now. Never had a joint leak yet. I've seen many that were assembled without ptfe tape, however and they have copper corrosion (verdigris) where they have been weeping, the poor dears!
Also because it is Teflon based the nut is made easy to tighten - because non-stick.
I'll always use it - couple of minutes may save hours, especially when on old pipework and fittings.
Nice one☺
Thanks for the comment ;-)
Subscribed🕺🏼
Thanks for the comment and sub 👍
PTFE: plumbers tape for everything
LOL
Thanks for the comment
I just wanted to know if you will be attending Screwfix Live 2017, I noticed there are a few RUclipsrs this year who are in to creating and all things tool/DIY related that are attending.
I don't think I'll be going this year as it is a 5 hour drive (without delays). I did go once when it was at event city in Manchester as that's only 40 minutes away.
Which RUclipsrs are going ?
The theory to a taper thread is that it's supposed to seal it's self. Not like straight thread.
Thanks for the comment 👍
Best accent in UK, best advice in World! What did you do to your hand?
Thanks Jason, I was knocking a deep socket onto a inch diameter bolt using a hammer, I was on scaffolding and reaching out at the time ( the bolt head was pointing to the floor ). I had my gloves on and so was not aware that my skin was between the end of the socket and the hammer as I thought it was just my glove. I gave the socket a smack and immediately knew that my skin was in the way as I developed a two inch long blood blister, which popped immediately. I don't use plasters normally but after two weeks it was surrounded by yellow fluid, so I lanced it and cleaned it out with salty water, so put the plaster on to keep it clean ;-)
Thanks for the comment
Ultimate Handyman good to hear your hand is OK!
Sounds like me doing DIY haha - You should start a channel on First Aid! :D
Ouch!
Hello again Handyman. Handyman, I have traditional mixer taps, I am going to connect it to a Hep20 female adapter. Can I use ptfe tape as a sealant in order to prevent leaks??? Or should I get a 1 inch rubber insert. I'm at a loss sir.
Hep2O make tap connectors - fave.co/2RzvoEx
Thanks for the comment
It's my first time to know that once there is a rubber ring, I do not need to use the white tape and I feel it is correct as the rubber ring can do the job and the white tape will not do anything actually. I am wondering since the rubber ring can be bought at a very low price, can I use rubber ring in some circumstances to take the place of the white tape as it is so useful?
No, the PTFE tape is used on tapered threads, you cannot seal tapered threads using a O ring- you need the PTFE tape for that ;-)
So if it parallel thread then I can use a O-ring, right?
Hi, in the plumbing forums and on RUclips quite a lot of plumbers say you need to use jointing compound for compression fittings on radiators else they will leak if you don't use it ?.....is this an old wifes tale?
I never use jointing compound or PTFE tape on compression fittings, but a lot of plumbers say that you do need it.
Most compression fitting manufacturers tell you not to use it 😉
Thanks for the comment 👍
There is a RUclips plumber who uses PTFE tape and pipe dope combo. Seems like overkill but he always states that it prevents him from having to return to repair his work.
Thanks for the comment
Is yellow type PTFE suitable for welding shielding gas such as Argon and or C02?
I'm not sure, as I have never used it. Normally welding gasses have a sealing ring to make the seal.
I'm curious, why wouldn't some fittings just have an o-ring or something else instead of needing the tape sealant? Also is it true the tape only lubricates so you're able to tighten the fitting more than normal?
It's probably due to cost and the design of items. On site we have thousands of metres of threaded pipework, so it's pretty easy to buy a 6 metre length of pipe and thread it in the pipe threader, then apply tape and screw it into a socket.
It says on Wikipedia that PTFE lubricates the threads and as the tape is made from Teflon it probably does lubricate the threads to some degree, but I think it's the fact that it seals the small gaps in the threads that makes it water tight / air tight. Sometimes we get fittings on site and the pipe will bottom out before it's screwed all the way in (which is why I always use plenty of tape).
Thanks for the comment ;-)
Ultimate Handyman Thanks for replying! I was also wondering if maybe it's used sometimes when temperature would be an issue for simple o-rings and such
yeah but what about loctite hemp wire or loctite thread sealant?
They can be used instead if preferred ;-)
Hey mate - can you do a video on installing coving please
I only tried installing coving once when I was about 18, I found it difficult and it looked crap afterwards so I always get a professional in to install it- he can do it with his eyes closed LOL
Ultimate Handyman lol -- maybe that's a hint to call somebody in before I attempt myself 😂😂
I have thought about it a couple of times, but the guy I use can walk straight in the room and just look at the corners and cut the mitres without a gauge or anything. He can cove and Artex a large room ceiling in a couple of hours so I normally just get him to do it ;-)
Do you need to lube the o ring type connector before screwing home ?
Not really, we tend to only lubricate O rings if they have moving parts going through them, such as pneumatic solenoid valves etc.
Thanks for that, enjoy your videos keep them coming, atb.
Is teflon tape good for high temp lines?
We use it on low pressure steam and it's fine.
Also some of the PTFE is thicker and seems to be better quality and (is more expensive).
That's correct, we have had a couple of different brands recently on site and one of them is pants and rips into thin pieces when pulled apart.
Thanks for the comment
P.T.F.E Gas Thread Tape.. seems seriously strong and doesn't shred when used on fitting which are sharp like Stainless steel, hard chromed brass and the like....might be good... [As for your steam traps, same in combination with Stag 'B' [the thicker type] Jointing Compound worked for me ...[Belt and Braces being on Shift duties for thirty years i got Zero grief from the Maintenance Manager in fact, i got the Steam leak repairs during the Annual Shutdowns ...lol....
So, there you have it DIYers. No need to put PTFE on compression fitting nut threads. But you still will, just in case :-)
LOL ;-)
Ultimate Handyman, where to use PTFE tape and where to use PTFE loctite selant?
You can use either, the Loctite seems to be the preferred choice by many plumbers but it is more expensive.
Thanks for the comment
Thanks for the lesson. Is that a Lancashire accent? Great channel fella
You are welcome.
Yes, I'm from Darwen, Lancs.
Thanks for the comment
do you need to tape if reusing the fittings? fresh olive used.
No, I normally only use a bit of PTFE tape when I'm re-using an old olive 👍
@@ultimatehandyman Awesome, thanks, reusing the olive?, that's hardcore cost savings. I keep a lot of these bits to reuse but never an olive.
@@Outdoorshuntingshooting I didn't mean I remove the old olive and save it for future use, sometimes if you are replacing an isolation valve or similar, I'll use the existing nut and olive, as removing some olives is incredibly difficult.
Does it hurt if I did put PTFE tape??
You can put plenty of PTFE tape on threads 👍
Can u use jointing compound instead.
You can, but I have never used it.
I have used liquid PTFE and it was not good under pressure.
Ultimate Handyman Good to do a test with water soluable and gas jointing compounds to see how they compare in pressure test. against ptfe tape understands there 2 types gas ptfe and water only.
Have you tried Loctite 55?
Not yet, but someone recommended it earlier so I have ordered some from ebay.
Thanks for the comment
Ultimate Handyman Loctite 55 knocks spots off PTFE, it's really good stuff. Cheers for your videos by the way - great channel.
Thanks, I'll give it a try ;-)
Thanks for the comments
The only thing I disagree with is the amount tape you put on the radiator fitting. Most manufacturers call for one wrap, but I usually use 3. I'm a heavy truck mechanic and I don't have leaks. If I had $5 for every roll (lot of hydraulic fittings on a trash truck) I've used I'd be wealthy.
One wrap 😂
@@ultimatehandyman yeah, I've never been sure how you get it to stay. 3 seems to work for me unless I'm doing 2 inch or bigger and then I'll put liquid Teflon on and then 3 wraps. A trick I learned when I worked at a tire shop was scrape tire crayon on the threads. Works pretty good for air, not sure how it would work on a liquid 🤔
Are you of Italian heritage? Are you related to the well known motorcycle racer of the same name?
My dad was Italian (hence the name), but he died when I was 6 so I can't speak a word of it and as far as I know I am no relation to Paolo, Francis or Valentino ( I don't know any of my relatives on the Italian side ).
Thanks for the comment
PTFE tape round your hand to avoid Mr bump plasters
LOL, that is hiding a blood blister, which got infected. I lanced it myself and has now healed nicely ;-)
I'm like you,belt and braces every time! More is better,so long as the threads will start😆😆😆
Thanks for the comment ;-)
when you use this tape always damage the tread a little bit it will work much better than
I always use a blade from a metal saw to rough it up sorry for my bad English
Thanks for the comment, your English is fine ;-)
Should be compulsory viewing for all plumbers (and their mates)
Thanks for the comment 👍
Why is it no one ever shows you how to do this when you don't have clean access to the thread you're putting the tape on. Anyone can do it with the whole unit in your hand - it's harder upside down in a cupboard where these jobs usually have to be done.
Because you normally apply the PTFE tape during installation.
This might help- ruclips.net/video/eMDnGwIHpvE/видео.html&t
Wrong. Always use ptf tape on compression seals...extra safeguards from leaks...😉
🙄
I’m surprised that flexi hose fittings don’t need tape,
They have a sealing washer, so don't need it.
Thanks for the comment
Not enough tape on there
Plenty for domestic heating ;-)
too much ptfe can split joints
I've seen joints split on steam lines, but never due to putting too much PTFE on them as it normally just compresses or is forced out of the fitting.
You are very wrong about the compression fitting.
In what way?