Okay, - I will leave him alone & bully somebody else instead! Lol! :smile:
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Okay, - I will leave him alone & bully somebody else instead! Lol! :smile:
You shouldn't need to check every joint if you compress them properly & with paste. Still better to check though.
In all seriousness though, - a compression fitting "done right" without paste will mean I assume - the pipe undamaged, full in to fitting & in line & not over or under tightened? Most fittings I see done by others that have slight leaks - when I slacken them they are usually fine & not for example overtightened.
Remember slight leaks are invisible. Paste will seal them.
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I check with tissue and a dusty finger. I make sure I do this in front of the customer as I'm tidying away my tools. I dry off any wet pipe and fittings with a tissue/kitcen towel or the like and make sure the customer is watching, I then use my dusty fingers to do the same and it's guranteed the customer is watching your fingers like a hawk expecting them to be wet like the tissue. If its all dry then I'm happy and I know the customer has confirmed there are no leaks with me.
I talk them through everything I'm doing - if they're at all interested like.
But a tissue or your finger will only pick up a drip, - not a very slight dampness that may evaporate almost before appearing.
You must bore people showing them each joint, - try using paste & save time by confidently leaving in the knowledge there will be no weeps ever! :smile:
I said 'if they're at all interested' - some people find what you're doing in their house interesting and I'm only too happy to explain if they've asked.
As for leaks and a tissue not picking up dampness, please note my previous post about 'dusty fingers'. Using paste would not save me time doing the checks I do, it would take me longer, plus I'm never in a rush.
But, while using paste will add a few seconds each joint (& must admit can be a bit messy on the hands), it will save you time as joints will be watertight. If you ever did have an unpasted joint leak slightly, it probably would waste a lot of time sorting it & perhaps on a call back.
But I haven't experienced the need to use anything on compression fittings so see no point in trying to fix what's not broken. Plus manufacturer's instructions assure me that my way is the correct way.
I see compression fittings with fairly bad corrosion & at the pipe all the time. Copper or brass olives, it doesn't matter.
As to manufacturers instructions - they are not plumbers, so I wouldn't heed what they state nessesarilly. Tightening a fitting to a piece of copper on a bench test & filling it with water & putting it to several bar pressure for a few hours, proves nothing. In the real world it can leak microscopically & also there will be the possibility of slight movement especially on heating pipes.
Not sure if you've notced but I'm a qualified and experienced plumber, I do this sort of thing for a living. Get off my case about it, I don't need your help. When I want help with something I'm not sure or uncomfortable about I'll ask for help but at the moment I'm fine.
Thank you for your concern.
Keefy, many genuine apologies if you misinterpreted me or the tone of my posts. I am serious in what I post but with a bit of banter also! I thought you were part of that. :smile:
If you reread my posts, you will see I never on any of them offered you "help" or had "concern" about you.
I also have a lot of experience but all plumbers have their own habits, ideas & material choices & are free to do so, - that doesn't mean anyone of us are more right or wrong than the next guy & frankly, it is up to each individual what they perceive to be best.
I read your personality from your posts as being a professional - (you did say you leave no leaks & even prove this to your customers), so I am not questioning your ability or work in any way.
...maybe it is has been a hard day! :smile:
Regards from Best!
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Gray0689
I to like keefy never put any thing on my compression joints so had a lot of years working that way.but for the last 7 years or so have put a bit of paste on all joints the reason was I worked for a company that wonted paste on joints because there was a big call back rate on leaks on compression joints they employed 70 installers and you where charged for any leaks.can not really personally remember having many problems when I did not use paste but must have been a big problem with 70 installers.i still use paste. but I know I change the way I work from time to time as we all must do or there would be no difference between a apprentice just picking up his first qualification and some one who has been in the trade 50 years.
The thing with having these discussions is that there will be a few people reading various posts and from that they can make up there mind the way to do certain jobs. Most important people doing there apprenticeships and people later in life having a career change because the odds are you will only possibly have worked with one person and none of us can ever no it all.
The thing with having these discussions is that there will be a few people reading various posts and from that they can make up there mind the way to do certain jobs. Most important people doing there apprenticeships and people later in life having a career change because the odds are you will only possibly have worked with one person and none of us can ever no it all.
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shezzaar
probably a stupid question, but just to make sure, with the paste is applied on the end of the pipe, before the olive?
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basildog
you dont need paste or ptfe tape on compression fittings as it is the compressed olive that makes the seal, google manufaturers, also you see some clowns rapping tape round the thread on compressions all the time . and all that does is make it harder to tighten up and undo,they only leak if they have not been done properly to start with ie, over tightened is the main cause and then not tightened enough, or some one has tampered with pipe or frost, you only need to use a little ptfe tape on the olive only to fix a leak if the joint was made wrong to start with thats what taught at colleges.
Nobody would have ever guessed this thread would have turned into paste or not to paste. Always lively.
I use a smear (like that word) of paste on the olive and never have any problems.
and too clear any issues on this, I don't give a monkeys what anybody else does, as it works for me.
Smear or not to smear, please yourself 🙂
I use a smear (like that word) of paste on the olive and never have any problems.
and too clear any issues on this, I don't give a monkeys what anybody else does, as it works for me.
Smear or not to smear, please yourself 🙂
It's like The Magic Roundabout this place. 😉
I've never used anything on compression fittings (although a drop of oil would be good practice) and I'm not looking for a solution to leaky fittings but I'm going to give the Jet Blue a shot. I don't even know why to be honest because it's not like I'll really be able to come back and say - "This gear is amazing, haven't had a leak since I started using it!"
If I get a leak while using it though I'll go all medieval on those who suggested it.
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Billy Bob Bob
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Kyle87
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Kyle87
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Kyle87
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plumber0808
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Gray0689
Apparently the manufacturer's recommend it on the thread. Suppose it makes sense but I haven't tried it myself.
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Gray0689
Don't to me imho nut could come loose to easy
Plus oil can in tool box it be everywhere lol
Thought that myself and if I ever find a nut is a pain to tighten I'd probably just sling it for a new one.
Don't start every one off let's have a bit of a rest and get over PTFE paste or none first.
1st gets piece of wood in eye, as he is not wearing goggles, then picks its H&S at its best... sounds like something I would do LMAO
Wow a 10 page thread about thread tape on a compression fitting, dunno what's worse this thread or me reading all of it, LOL, a simple answer to all is, each to their own. Can I start a thread, What do you put on your radiator tails?? PTFE, PTFE & Paste?? How many wraps of PTFE??
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Gray0689
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kay-jay
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kay-jay
yes you can start a thread. just dont wrap tape round it....
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Rickster123
I know this topic title doesn't have it but there are only 16 threads (no pun intended) with 'PTFE' in the title here on the forums, was expecting hundreds. Probably thousands in the GSR private forum.
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Rickster123
Croppie has shut down thousands of those threads in the last few months!
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Phil_Plumb
OMG supperplumb do you have shares with a wellknown PTFE manufacturer? whats wrong with some jetblue on the inside of the fitting then inserting into gap and nipping up the nuts?
overkill on PTFE and you only use 10-12 turns on rad tails!
tbh its fortunate its in the loft as i wont be able to see this from my front room if i was the custard.
you can learn a lesson from this i hope!
wow first time ive seen this thread and pics, jeez!
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Plum Bob 66
Just out if interest whilst the op is now well versed on the pros and cons of paste and ptfe, did he get an answer to his original question, if so I think it's been lost somewhere ;-)
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supper plumb
A wrap a minute?
One wrap...
Two wrap...
Three wrap...
............................. another roll...
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Gas
If my maths is right, college courses should be touching on correct jointing methods by now for the first years.
So my question to SupperPlumb, do you now look back at that picture and cringe, just a little? :teeth_smile:
Be honest...
So my question to SupperPlumb, do you now look back at that picture and cringe, just a little? :teeth_smile:
Be honest...
- Jun 28, 2007
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