Tape & Dope every fitting?

Unknown

But in the end , Teflon , wick , thread sealant - if whatever you use seals the pipe and keeps it sealed , I'll call it a Sealant . I'm not a master plumber but I do have 19 years and maybe 3 thousand boiler installs under my belt , so I have an educated opinion about the subject also . You would never catch me using wick on any fitting unless I could not get it to stop leaking - and that is VERY RARE .

Doing something one way because thats how the Dead Men did it can be too narrow a philosophy sometimes . You have to remember even the Dead Men had to try new methods and material at some point . With all due respect , when someone says a product I use daily is a DIY'rs product , I will speak up . And for the record , I have seen wick right next to Teflon in HD and ACE hardware . Go figure ?

SVDW

Tape & Dope every fitting?

One of my Mechanical Contractors is running an informal training class for new hires. They asked me if there's any resource available Pro/Con on taping & doping every fitting? If not, practical experience advice from the Pro's on this site will carry more weight than an Engineer's specification. (Apologies to all you PE's) They will stress the danger of tape around gas vlvs, ect. Just looking for general water piping application experience. Thank's in advance!

CHARLES_4

Just dope/tape the joints you don't want to leak. All others can be left plain.

paul zeszotarski

dope

i was told that dope is better then tape because there would be no leaks. Tape could tear inside the fitting and allow the product out into the atmosphere. that is what i had heard but is one view. if you prefer tape or dope is up to you

DaveC

Wick and Dope

This comes up from time to time, and I keep asking myself: Am I the last guy using wick and dope on water & steam fittings?

Craig Bergman

On our...

Radiant jobs I always tape & dope. Since I started doing both, I've not had any leaks. Not even wiht Glycol systems.

Bergy

BigRed

Tape/dope

Tape then dope is what I've had no leaks with. Permatex 14d is the best dope i've ever used.

J.C.A._3

Light coat,

I'll bet you'll be able to get anything I put together apart in 20 years. I was taught by a real "Old Timer" and he swore by dope/tape/dope.

Leave the top 2 threads clean, and use LIGHT coats and anything will come apart later AND not leak. (All the greenhorns think I'm nuts but they do it when they work on MY jobs!) Chris

Unknown

We do a variation on your theme , Chris

We use Teflon and dope ( Rectorseal ) on the threads , then some dope on the inner threads too . I took apart the header on my 7 year old boiler last month . I still needed an 18 inch wrench , but it did come apart . Can't say that would happen using wick or Permatex or Leak Lock .

Bob Gagnon plumbing and heating

i vote

teflon and rectorseal, but wire brush both threads, then you really never have leaks. Bob

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bob young

wick

wick & schmear is the only way to go . permatex if you are really concerned.

Ray M

Teflon and MEGALOCK. The dope is easy to clean and provides a leak free joint.

Ray M

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Mitch_6

Teflon paste then tape

I use Teflon tape on the male thread first then tap. Just 3/4 up the thread too keep things neat.

Always use the paste first since if you put it on the tape the tape can peal off taking the paste with it.

Mitch S.

JohnNY

It never occured to me that some plumbers/pipe fitters do NOT use wick on water and steam.
My shop does.

You guys do realize that you are only lubricating the threads...not sealing them, right?

Teflon tape is a DIY'ers product if you ask me.

Dope on top of tape is redundant.

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Mitch_6

Ya my grandfather used wicking.

He also poured lead and oakum in residential plumbing and carried cast iron radiators up stairs.

In theory if a thread is good you only need a squirt of oil to make a joint no compounds what so ever.

I will stick with the paste and tape.

Mitch S.

JaredM

Wick and Dope

Dave, No, you are not the last. We do it as routine. I recently did a piping job for a small water treatment facility. The factory start-up technincian commented to us that there are usually a couple of leaks to deal with...we had none. I told him wick and dope is the secret...he had never heard of or seen single strand wick. I gave him a roll.

-Jared

Tony Conner

T-Tape...

...routinely gets used on 300# steam lines. Surprisingly few DIY'ers there

JohnNY

How much spool wick and pipe dope do you think Home Depot sells?



I stand by my statement.


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Unknown

John

It never occured to me that plumbers are still using wick . But like anything else , there's more than one way to do it and do it right . We see many jobs with just Teflon on the threads and it aint just lubricating if it's holding water in the system . Personally I think using Teflon OR thread sealant would work fine , but I just can't convince myself to take the chance .

By the way , how hard is it to unthread a fitting that has wick in it for a couple of years ?

Unknown

Very broad statement

You are saying that because HD sells alot of Teflon is the reason you think it's an inferior product to use ?

Mitch_6

Read product instructions

some products state only use Teflon tape.

Anyone know were to get "red lead" it was the best, just hand tight was all you needed.

Mitch S.

jim lockard

lead oxide

or red lead made the EPA unhappy so they banded it. J.Lockard

JohnNY

Ron

With all due respect, as a New York City licensed Master Plumber, I feel entirely qualified to make this statement: Teflon is a lubricant. So is everything else we apply to threads that allow for future disassembly.
The threads determine the integrity of the joints.

I'm not saying Teflon tape is inferior, I'm saying it is the same.
Wick, on the other hand, fills imperfections in the threads and expands when in contact with moisture. It seals and stays in place indefinitely.

This is off-topic but, all of our steam boilers are assembled with cast iron fittings and wicked nipples and pipe dope.

I'm constantly amazed at how many people out there have strayed from the methods put forth by the highly-revered "Dead Men". And for what? Teflon tape costs more, works less well. Malleable fittings are universally recognized as "gas" fittings...

I'm not trying to be critical and I respect all of you as you are professionals and allies in my chosen trade.
I'm just very proud of the way I do my thing.

I'm sure you all have every right to be proud of your way.



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Tony Conner

Indeed...

... and apparently, I've got to tell all of the engineers and construction & maintenance steamfitters I've ever worked with on high pressure steam systems that we've all been demoted to "amature status" for successfully using T-Tape all these years

JohnNY

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, Ron.
Keep up the great installs.

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bob young

wick yes

we have always used wick on every joint involving water be it domestic , heating or steam condensate. all you need is one leak in a bad spot that a joint needs to be taken apart. good insurance and definitely worth the extra time and effort. on steam never unless connecting to an old existing fitting then absolutely. and i am also a n.y.c. lic. plumber with over forty years in the trade. on steam i prefer permatex no wick ever and never a leak if you use proper wrenches and muscle. teflon is to iffy for me and i prefer not to get my hands messy if it can be avoided. i would rather wash my hands than take apart a three inch joint for free. i rest my case.

I. Wundermich

wicked nipples

Mmmmm...

Al Corelli

Only Three Thousand Boilers?

You're still wet behind the ears!

Seriously, today, your ears HAD to be ringing. We removed an old AS rectangular out from between a vaulted 275 tank and a wall. My fat arse barely fit in front of it, and there was only three inches on each side. We had to remove a wall to gain access to the rear of the boiler to remove it.

My helpers are wonderng who this magic "Ron Jr." is that I speak of! Could have had it done today, but the supply house was closed.

Brad White_20

DIY'ers and 300 PSIG Steam

Unless they buy Dan's books and stop cranking up the pressuretrol you will have quite a few DIY'ers with HPS systems. For a moment anyway