Connecting a HW cylinder

[*rab*]

Aright all... I was wondering how a plumber goes about connecting a female compression fitting to a foam insulated HW cylinder?

I've got the feed and return pipes for the coil on the HW cylinder connected to the cylinder using 22mmx1" F comp fittings. The problem I'm having is that I can't figure out the best way to tighten them once the base of the female fitting is screwed below the level of the cylinder's foam insulation.

I've got a 2" jaw stillson - which is fine for tightening the fitting when it first goes on, but won't fit in the insulation recess to tighten it all the way. I can't find a spanner or a socket big enough for the fitting, and locking pliers don't really work very well either.

Any ideas? our system would be working great if these two fittings weren't weeping :/

Cheers...

 

[ricarbo]

Adjustable basin wrench?

 

[corgigazza]

Why not use cylinder unions

or

at bss http://www.bes.ltd.uk/nav_graf/frames_cat.htm part no 6794 & 9180

If you still want to use

Stilsons on the fitting end will help but these fittings tend to leak sometimes, dont forget lots of ptfe on the male cylinder flow & returns and the jet blue on the olives

 

[*rab*]

Ricarbo - My original thought was an adjustable basin wrench, but I couldn't find one big enough - all the ones I could find were 'for tap connectors up to 3/4" ' - I even went to B&Q with the compression nut to see if theirs could be persuaded to do 1" - but nope.

Corgigazza - I think I'm going to have to risk sounding daft here - are cylinder unions different from a normal comp straight coupler? If so it sounds like I might just be using the wrong part out of ignorance :/

I've got already lots of PTFE on there - I've never thought to use any pastes, but it sounds like a good idea as well, cheers

Ps - BES look wicked, i've never seen them before - I've in and out of PTS and B&Q (cos it's open later) for weeks now... and neither do anything online. I think I might end up getting some stuff from BES... do you get a discount coupon for "refer a friend"?

 

[ChrisR]

I don't like putting any strain on cylinder fittings so use something lile "Siseal" now, a thread seal liquid which sets, in a few hours, and seals just about anything. In other words I'd do the compression fitting first, then screw the female onto the cylinder hand tight. It goes off quicker if you heat it. It doesn't get SO tight you can't undo it, especially if heated.
There are lots of these sort of sealants, BES do a couple I'm sure.

 

[*rab*]

I don't like putting any strain on cylinder fittings so use something lile "Siseal" now, a thread seal liquid which sets, in a few hours, and seals just about anything. In other words I'd do the compression fitting first, then screw the female onto the cylinder hand tight. It goes off quicker if you heat it. It doesn't get SO tight you can't undo it, especially if heated.
There are lots of these sort of sealants, BES do a couple I'm sure.

Sounds good - I'll get some. I was a little bashful about putting any force on a stilson when tightening a cylinder fitting, simply because the copper seems to be so flimsy.

 

[corgigazza]

Monument do a basin spanner that accepts different jaws will do to to 50mm + with another head, plump centre suply them, excellent tool

Phone up bss and they will send out a free catalog

.

The name for the cylinder union in plump centre is cap & liner im told used to use 22cx-3/4 iron but due to some leaking on pressurissed systems now use ptfe wrapped round the liner to give good seal then fit the nut, you can also get a good bend on the fitting by using street elbows in tight placeshttp://www.toolbank.com/category.cf...046&nx=1C5C77716765B3504C6C38530AE575228gc6ni