COPPER OLIVES N BRASS OLIVES

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hello all,

can some one please tell me what are the best olives to use on copper pipes and what are the personal favourites.


thanks
 
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Whichever comes with the fittings.

Conex are the best and use brass.

Copper olives is best for soft copper and plastic pipe.
 
I use whatever comes with the fitting but prefer copper as they are softer and seal easier and better.

Whilst they only cost a few pennies its still extra cost and thats why most fittings come with brass.

Its possible to buy copper olives loose and use them for anyone who has a strong preference.

Tony
 
Me......I throw the brass !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and use copper and jet blue
each to his own........ I never have to go back to jobs due to leaks not a boast just take a little longer to do the job. cos it saves me money !
 
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I've always used jointing compound, call it belt and braces if you like but leaks cost money as above.

Even the Conex man said it was a good idea.

Can you you guarantee every length of copper tube doesn't have a scratch or ding init.
 
And I always thought that DIA was a traditionalist who did everything the proper way!

I just use the olive!

Tony
 
And I always thought that DIA was a traditionalist who did everything the proper way!

I just use the olive!

Tony

Always use jointing compound , exprerience shows this to be the case. ;)
 
As DIA says, a small minority of pipes have slight imperfections, either due to manufacturing, storage/transport or cutting/preparation errors. These faults are often hard to detect without really good lighting and go unnoticed when working in a dingy loft, under a bath or wherever.

I still remember a shower I installed for my parents where the compression inlets always seeped ever so slightly where they joined the 15mm supply pipes, no matter how carefully I prepared the pipes and so on. After wasting a lot of time, it turned out that the pipes had slight longitudinal scores on them (no, not my doing), which I presume were responsible.

The lightest smear of LSX before reassembly and no more problems, even after several years.

Does anyone use a single turn of tape over the olive, or is that a rubbish DIY botch that someone showed me once?

I'm still amazed by how often I see PTFE tape wrapped around the threads of compression joints, by contractors from professional plumbing companies.

Intreresting advice about copper vs. brass, thanks for posting.
 
Couple of turns of ptfe around the olive works.

I use jointing paste and always have.

A smear on the thread lubricates it, and the nut doesn't squeak or pinch when you tighten them
 
I alway wrap any olive I use in single wrap PTFE, its always served me pretty well.

I'm still amazed by how often I see PTFE tape wrapped around the threads of compression joints, by contractors from professional plumbing companies.

Occasionally I might put it on the thread as well if its an old fitting & isn't tightening up smoothy.
 
I always carry hawk white for gas, but I've not had much success using it on water, does anyone have a compound they'd recommend for using on both? I used to use boss white but that stuff is just way to messy for my liking!
 
Fernox is quite good.
which is the LSX I was referring to above.

Looks, smells and feels like clear silicone you might seal around a bath (or whatever) with.

Always works for me (water only, I'm an amateur and don't touch gas).
 

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