plastic pipe and compression fittings

wayoutwest

I am trying to join 1/2" heavy gauge using 3/4" brass compression fittings,also 3/4"H.G to 1/2"H.G [using a reducer with a 1" brass fitting].A friend ,who has done quite a bit of diy plumbing,is helping me but I am having problems.Despite putting 6 wraps of PTFE tape around the threads and the same around the olive,the joints are still leaking even though I have tightened them to the MAX.Someone else has now told me that I should not use the tape and to be using copper olives.I might just get a plumber in, but I would like to know where Im going wrong so any advice would be welcome.

DoneDL

PTFE tape is not normally used on compression fittings, redo the joints without the tape and don`t over tighten.

wayoutwest

Thanks DoneDL.Whoops-I think we used about 3 or 4 rolls on 10 fittings.Iwill try again using none this time.Are the ordinary brass olives ok or should I use copper ones with this type of [ black plastic] pipe.

Condenser

You can use 2 wraps of PTFE in front of the olive so that when the nut compresses the olive into the fitting it helps create a better seal. Do not use PTFE on threads or anywhere else. The type of olive won't matter

Joey the lips

This is a strange one. Your using the right fittings for heavy gague but you should not need any ptfe tape. especially on the olive. I am wondering if your fittings have metric olives instead of imperial olives because this is unusual.

Or are you sure your using heavy gague hydradare.

wayoutwest

Hi Joey.The olives fit nice and tight on the pipe and Im using new pipe,olives and fittings-its just my friend told me that you cant put enough tape on the olives and threads-I think that,by the sound of it,Iwas given incorrect advice.I will try again without tape-just hope that I havent caused any damage to any of the parts by over tightening.Thanks all.

Joey the lips

wayoutwest wrote: »

Hi Joey.The olives fit nice and tight on the pipe and Im using new pipe,olives and fittings-its just my friend told me that you cant put enough tape on the olives and threads-I think that,by the sound of it,Iwas given incorrect advice.I will try again without tape-just hope that I havent caused any damage to any of the parts by over tightening.Thanks all.

I know plumbers(and they are good) that wont use PTFE tape on principle. Now i think that extreme but there principle is sound. Your friend is incorrect you can use too much PTFE tape and you can put it on the wrong way so it unravels as you thread.

DublinDilbert

Sounds like you've put loads of PTFE on the threads. If you want you can put PTFE on the olive/pipe, but don't put any on the threads. No water should be getting as far as the threads, so no PTFE is needed.

.243

olives first,then if its leakin ptfe second