Compression Joints - how tight and which type of olive?

[JohnD]

Thousands of plumbers use a simple method of installing leak-free compression joints, ie. nothing or jointing comp. added to the olive. This works for them.

Hello White Spirit

I am sorry you did not read my posts carefully enough to grasp that I am not trying to break the habits and traditions of old and experienced plumbers.

I am simply pointing out that PTFE tape makes a good seal and reduces the risk of leaks, so is a valuable technique for DIYers.

I gather from what you say that you have not tried this technique so you are not in a position to comment on its effectiveness. I have and I am. It works.

 

[Dan Robinson]

I'm still trying to work out how a seal is better... if it is sealed it is sealed surely?

How many joints have you made?

Percentages are useless without a base figure.

Fricking annoying when you keep getting asked the same question without getting an answer innit?

BTW I have answered your question. It is just not the answer you wanted to read.

 

[Iddy]

Dan, you have far too much patience! Let the bodger bodge....

 

[JohnD]

See my post above. Since no-one denies that it works, and no-one denies that it is a technique that enables unskilled DIYers to make better joints with less risk of leakage, there seems to be no reason (other than emotion and tradition) why DIYers should not use it.

 

[Dan Robinson]

I'm still trying to work out how a seal is better... if it is sealed it is sealed surely?

How many joints have you made?

Percentages are useless without a base figure.

Fricking annoying when you keep getting asked the same question without getting an answer innit?

 

[JohnD]

yep

but I've realised now that no-one is going to come forward and say that PTFE doesn't work.

Because it does.

 

[Iddy]

John, we accept your point and diyers are free to do what they like including taking your advice, but you must realize by now that the vast majority of pros on here think that what you recommend is a bodge, and from their experience as pros, recommend the likes of jet blue.
I'm sure diyers on here would prefer the advice of pros who make these joints day in day out to the advice of an opinionated novice....
[/b]

 

[JohnD]

Yes, DIYers as you say, who have not had the years of training and experience that pros have, so find it difficult to make watertight joints, and will benefit from a technique that professionals do not use, and sneer at, even though it works.

 

[Terry lambert]

John, can you explain the principle of how a compression fitting makes a water tight joint?

And why that joint might fail?

 

[Dan Robinson]

Also, the fact that to get a comp fitting water tight requires the DIY'er to use tape is not a good indictment of their skills, and any pro coming across it is going to be very wary of what other nasties await him.

Further more - how many compression fittings does one need to use FFS? I mean - for 2 - 5% to be:

A- memorable as a figure

and

B- to be part of a statistic based on the what must be a significant number of compression fittings being used is not necessarily a strong indictment of ones' abilities. Frankly, unless they are terminus fittings like rad valves; you should not be using that many anyway.

But as John is not willing to give us the base line figure to make the percentages worth while.....


Anyway. No one including me has said it will or it won't work. Axel has rightly pointed out why it is not a good idea. The fact that John has apparently got 100% of his myriad of compression fittings water tight since using PTFE can still statistically be more by luck than by judgement.

 

[gavinda]

8 pages


Hawk white or au naturel for me.

Ptfe it's for threaded joints or gland nuts. Like the others have said , alarm bells ring when I see ptfe on compression.

 

[JohnD]

Also, the fact that to get a comp fitting water tight requires the DIY'er to use tape is not a good indictment of their skills,

DIYers are not required, or expected, to be skilled plumbers

I'm sure you know that really.

 

[ChrisR]

I'm with JohnD.
If you only use it on the fitting side of the olive you don't see it.
I 'd normally use nothing or a paste, but I have known old joints with crappy compression fittings & crappier olives where you just can't do it up to the normal torque, and they leak even more when you try. I have had paste fail and PTFE work. LS-X always works if you leave it long enough to set, but it's expensive.

Wouldn't choose to use tape as a routine but I don't see a long-term problem. If it gets a diyer out of trouble then fair enough?
At least it doesn't go hard like some pastes.

The "liquid PTFE"s are nice, they lubricate the parts too. Slic tite, Virgin White, Swan seal(?). Mostly cos they come with a brush and I'm a wuss.



--
Edit - just remembered that one of the poly pipe mfrs recommends putting ptfe on olives if compression fittings are used with their pipe. Presumably that's because it seals at a lower torque, then?

 

[gavinda]

LSX- Lacking Skills and eXperience.

 

[Dan Robinson]

DIYers are not required, or expected, to be skilled plumbers.

So you think there is need for people to do the same job and strive for the same standard of work?

How many joints have you made?

Percentages are useless without a base figure.