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ot: sealing pipe threads, new pipes

W

wfw

Member
the pipe going to my water tank sprang a leak and since it was all about 35 years old I replaced it all, including the tank. I used teflon tape on all the threaded joints. Now I have several joints that drip. I have tried tightening them a little more but it has not helped. I am wondering if I should have used pipe dope instead on the teflon tape? tomorrow I will have to take everything apart and reseal it, which is a pain. I have never had this problem before, usually the tape seals good. Has anyone got any advice on this? I do not want to do this but once more. Thanks.


Frank
 

I've been surprised by the cheap, thin stuff in that you usually need several wraps to get a good seal. The old Gore stuff was a lot thicker, and one or two wraps was sufficient.
 
For thirty+ years we used a stick called PIPETIGHT. I think Lowes sell it still and it comes in a fat Crayon looking stick about 5" long.
Before we retired and moved to South Louisiana I was installing a four way shower control in our little cabin or outside kitchen, as it's called down here.

I forgot to bring a spare stick of Pipetight and being 600 miles from home I picked up Teflon tape. Three of the four connections leaked. We have excellent water pressure down here.

I cut off the water until I returned in three months to work on the little house again. This time I used Pipetight, and that was almost 18 years ago and still no leaks.

It's good for water lines, fuel lines, gas lines just about any pressure threaded fitting.
It may be called something else now but any plumber would know because it's the best stuff on threaded fittings.
 
The threads on much of the pre-threaded pipe and fittings being sold today are poorly done, and it's common for them to leak if PTFE tape is the only sealer in the joint. Many people now recommend using tape AND pipe joint compound, with some compounds being a whole lot better than others.

Probably the best goop to use is an anaerobic containing PTFE, such as Loc-Tite PST with Teflon, but that type of compound is EXPENSIVE. X-Pando is excellent (it comes as a powder that has to be mixed with water, has a fairly short "pot life", and sets HARD . . . it's also hard to find.) William Harvey's white pipe joint compounds with PTFE is my "go to" compound for general use, as it sets up firm but remains somewhat flexible. Harvey and Hercules are now owned by Oatey, and I've stocked up on the Harvey PTFE compound because I thought Oatey might rationalize their product lines and substitute the never-seems-to-harden Oatey Great White compound for the Harvey product.

I don't recall if Permatex #1 and Permatex #2 are approved for drinking water, but if they are, they'd almost certainly work well for you.
 
Find some Rector Seal. It is a premium product, I used it for the 15 years I was in the fuel business. It works.
 
If the leaks are in a place they won't cause damage, might give it a few days, see if they will dry up.

I plumbed a machine with threaded stainless once. Used Teflon tape, every connection seeped!

We needed to run the machine, so went ahead and ran it. Within 3 days every leak stopped.
 
Domestically made pipe and fittings are still of excellent quality. Unfortunately, they are not available at your local home improvement center or hardware store. Any name brand pipe joint lubricant containing teflon will work. Teflon tape belongs in the trash can. My 2 cents.
 
Sounds like you didn't use enough tape. I've started using brush on sealant such as Rectorseal Tru-Blu instead of using tape. It seems to be easier to get a good seal than nylon tape.
 
Teflon tape is a lubricant, not a sealer. Pipes are very easy to slightly reverse during assembly, resulting in leaks. Multiple layers area band-aid for poor threads or techniques. Loose pieces getting loose in the system gum up hydraulic valves, checks, filters, etc.

Use a good quality Teflon-based pipe sealer. Wipe a moderate amount of sealer on the male threads. Clean threads are necessary. Forcing crappy threads together is asking for trouble. Have zero issues with my techniques. I plumb water, steam, natural gas with this technique, and have no issues.
 
I use pipe dope with teflon in it. Dont ever use the tape anymore. Put on enough leaving 2-3 end threads clean, then thread it on. Wipe off excess dope that comes out.
 

I use the pink Teflon tape made for gas joints almost exclusively now . It is wider and almost twice as thick as the rubbish they pass off now . No leaks on the agricultural pipe joints on my farm since I started using it .
 
I assume you're using steel pipe, not plastic. If you're using plastic pipe, there are special thread sealants just for that purpose.

I have had good luck with teflon pipe dope on steel pipe. It seems a lot of the Chinese fittings don't have very clean threads, but if you use teflon dope you can usually get them tight enough to seal.
 
I dont use teflon tape for black or galvanized pipe joints. I'll use it for copper to brass connections but that's about all.
As others have said use pipe dope. It lubricates the threads as well as seals the joint giving you a better connection.
 
As said there are some very bad Chinese fittings around. I installed new air lines in the shop and ran into a batch from HD that would not seal nomatter what you put on them or how tight they were. I suspect that they are mixing up BSP fittings with our NPT, been there in the past. 1/2 thread per inch different but they will screw together but never seal. I will no longer purchase any Chinese pipe fitting that doesn't have an M cast into it, I haven't had troubles with that brand.
 
I my factory I wrap the threads several thicknesses which seals the leaks and use pipe wrenches with longer handles. Our water is rusty so a small now and then drip leak will stop in a couple days anyway. Lots of water pipes and valves in a plastic factory in the rafters to next to the floor. With our water the bad leaks are when pipe and fittings rust thru not in the threads.
 

2011 I had to completely re-do a new bath I used only pipe dope on the re-do as has been stated I believe the lube effect theory. When I applied the dope I could easily get a couple more turns on the fittings are more unlike before they would bind up after just a couple turns.
 
I rarely use tape anymore. I buy a good quality Teflon pipe sealer. I have had the best luck with Loctite products. I hate taking things back apart because of a cheap $1 roll of thin tape.
 
I remember using pipe dope that was thick and it seemed to harden ? The stuff I have used lately seems thin and does not harden ? If you really have a problem fitting use the permetex hardening type. I had a seeping hyd. fitting one time and resorted to using JB weld on it with good results !
 
Pipe dope, best you can find. I think my tube has teflon. Just did my entire bathroom, saw almost all fittings were leaking with thread tape only and everything tight. I took it all apart and sealed with the pipe dope. No leaks.
 

Here's another vote for Rectorseal. Most folks do not wrap teflon tape enough times around - once around will not do it.
 
Pipetite Stik is the name. I kept a wrapper just for the wording.

Pressure to 2,000 psi
Temperature to 350F
For water, Steam, air, natural gas, propane. If used for gasoline, oils or refrigerants, allow assembly to dry overnight.

Made by LA-CO Industries.






<image src="http://forums.yesterdaystractors.com/photos/mvphoto4875.jpg"/>
name
 
Use good quality Teflon tape
Make sure you wrap in on clockwise
Dope works just as good
Eat your Wheaties for breakfast so you can tighten the fittings up good.

Only time I see problems is when things are loose or the tape was wrapped on the wrong way.
I do not like it but even thin cheap tape will work if enough of it is properly applied.
 
At work we got a bunch of crappy pipe for a job. Took it back to 5he shop and gave the threads a buzz on the bench grinder with a wire wheel on it. The threads hand very tinny metal grit in the threads.
 
(quoted from post at 21:30:24 10/18/17) Use good quality Teflon tape
Make sure you wrap in on clockwise
Dope works just as good
Eat your Wheaties for breakfast so you can tighten the fittings up good.

Only time I see problems is when things are loose or the tape was wrapped on the wrong way.
I do not like it but even thin cheap tape will work if enough of it is properly applied.
Click to expand...

Remember this post you day of fun is in your future...
 
I use that wonderful blue stuff too. The big problem is after it sets
for a couple of months. Gooood luck getting it loose again. Also
don't forget to wipe the threads on the can. When that lid gets stuck
turn the can upside down and dribble brake cleaner in to the cap for a
few minutes till the cap comes loose. I also thin the stuff out with a
cap full or two of MEK now and then so it spreads easily. A lot of
people don't know how to use teflon tape. Two threads from the end
and no more than 2 1/2 wraps. I am left handed so it is a snap for me
to apply teflon tape. Found this at a flea market a couple of months
ago. When was the last time you saw a METAL can of teflon tape.
a175587.jpg

a175589.jpg

a175589.jpg

a175592.jpg
 
I used to buy my tape from home depot etc, it was a buck a roll instead of 5 bucks out of McMaster Carr etc, ordering some fittings from McMaster once and was out of Teflon tape figured oh well I will get a 5 dollar roll instead of running out just for that. I then realized how quality Teflon tape was a whole different product that didn't shred etc, less torque to prevent leaks and way less trouble, never bought anything but good Teflon tape after that
 


Permatex #2 is non hardening and works great for water, air, oil.
Loctite makes a non hardening sealer also but I don't know what it's called.
 
Went back to lowes and got a tube of pipe sealer, cannot remember the name right now. Tried about three wraps with teflon tape, a older one that I got in the late eighties, and the pipe sealer. It still leaked. Took it back apart and the teflon tape was gone where it had been screwed up to. Recleaned and used just the sealer. Now I see no leaks. We are back down east now so I will have to recheck when we go back west. The tank and control where this is at has a dirt floor so if it does still leak it will not be a problem. BTW, on the old pipe that I replaced I just used teflon tape and it never leaked. The pipe to the tank itself was copper and had wore to the point it had developed two small holes. It was worn very thin. I guess 30 + years of use will do that. Thanks for the advise and help!
 
I was doing propane piping, had Ridgid dies and correct oil. Drove me nuts trying to get it to seal. Turned out half my pipe was from the Philippines and and it was about .015" oversize, maybe more, it was 25 years ago. The die was tearing the oversize metal and that's where the leak was.

Rectorseal first, tape, more Rectorseal is what finally got it.
 
I wrap twice with tape and then use Blue Block sealant on gas,steam and water.Never leaks,make everything tight,not kinda tight.
 
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