pipe dope for steam piping

Daniel_3

I use "block" brush on blue. It's high temp and doesn't harden. It stays somewhat pliable.

Unknown

what is the preferred pipe dope for steam piping

Ken_40

We switched to teflon tape.

The reason? We found most pipe dopes are oil based. A few (perhaps the blue alcohol based one) is non-oil based - which IMO would make it acceptable. But the issue is what happens to a dope based on oil? The oil leaches into the hot pipe and drools back to the water in the boiler!

We were fanatical about skimming and TSP claning, only to find a week or two later (during the heating season) the boilers were surging and priming yet again.

We discovered the oils become thin at 212F and DO drool into the water via the near boiler piping! Being lighter than water, they float on the boiler surface and make banging, knocking, priming and surging not only possible, but certain.

Switching to teflon tape was THE answer! Once you get the cutting oils, flux, machine oils and system "junk" out by TSP-ing and skimming once - you're done.

Learning how to minimize the over-taping so the job looks really neat, takes practice. But guess what; it looks better than pipe dope oozing down the fitting or nips looking like fly-paper on the 4th of July.

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JackEnnisMartin

Pipe Dope for steam

Hello
I have used a quite a few pipe dope/ tape on steam and I would suggest you use the sealant that is best for the situation. In the event you have damaged threads and you have to fill the thread area use Expando Pipe sealant. The material is basically a form of concrete that by chemical intraction swells and turns as hard as concrete on curing. We used to buy it in fifty pound barrels; when we were doing ammonia installations. It will never leak and it is good for thousand of pounds of pressure. The arguement against it's use is getting the fitiing off again. It is very simple: heat the fitting to three hundred degrees and hit he fitting wiith an hammer -- this fractures the expando and you can turn the fitting out. I have also had good results with Gasolina harding shellac pipe dope. This is a hardening pipe dope and it is also great at sealing bad threads. Masters teflon and Masters Metallic are great for everyday use and work extremely well: they do not harden. In the event you have a problem and you wish to use a high tech porduct Teflon Pipe Sealant from Loctite has a pipe dope that if you use the curing sray for this product;you will get an amazing joint. Tape is good and I have had good results with it. I use the yellow tape for gas, as I find it works better than the thinner white product. The best tape I have ever used is the original product [ the first makers of tape ] it is made in Australia and it is the best tape I have ever used.The blue product you mention is an Loctite product and it is used extensively in the refrigeraton and airconditioning trade: I have had excellent results with it.I would suppose I am showing my age; but, I remember the days of red lead and cleaning the threads with white gasloine -- thanks heavens those days are gone! I hope this helps and good luck and all the best.
Jack Ennis Martin

JackEnnisMartin

Pipe Dope for steam

Hello
I have used a quite a few pipe dope/ tape on steam and I would suggest you use the sealant that is best for the situation. In the event you have damaged threads and you have to fill the thread area use Expando Pipe sealant. The material is basically a form of concrete that by chemical intraction swells and turns as hard as concrete on curing. We used to by it in fifty pound barrels when we were doing ammonia installations. It will never leak and it is good for thousand of pounds of pressure. The arguement against it's use is getting the fitiing off again. It is very simple: heat the fitting to three hundred degrees and hit he fitting wiith an hammer -- this fractures the expando and you can turn the fitting out. I have also had good results with gasolina harding shellac pipe dope. This is a hardening pipe dope and it is also great at sealing bad threads. Masters teflon and Masters Metallic are great for everyday use and work extremely well: they do not harden. In the event you have a problem and you wish to use a high tech porduct Teflon from Loctite has a pipe dope that if you use the excelerant for this product you will get an amazing joint. Tape is good and I have had good experinces with it I use the yellow tape for gas as I find it works better than the thinner white product. The best tape I have ever used is the original product [ the first makers of tape ] it is manufacteured in Australia and it is the best tape I have ever used. i hpe this helps and good luck and all the best.
Jack Ennis Martin

Unknown

what is the preferred pipe dope for steam piping

Unknown

what is the preferred pipe dope for steam piping

Brad White

I gather from

reading the above healthy responses that Block Brush-On Blue, Teflon Tape, Expando, Gasolina Shellac, Loctite Teflon, Masters Teflon and Masters Metallic are preferred depending on the application.

Ken_40

Walter,

Teflon Tape.

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DrZ

Proven Thread Sealant for Steam Services

Copaltite is a high temperature thread sealant used by the Navy.  We have used most of the sealants for this service on the market and found Copaltite to be the most reliable.  It is good for threaded pipe in steam services up to 10,000 psi @ 1200 deg F.  Copaltite was originally a National Engineering Product, you can now find it as an ESCO product. 

Drawbacks of product: 

1.  Copaltite is on the Toxic Chemical list (proper PPE must be used in unventilated areas)

2.  It takes 30 minutes to cure at 300 deg F and 4 hours at temperatures below  300 deg F.

3.  It must be stored at 72 deg F to keep it from curing 

4.  The quantity used annually must be reported EPA. 

KeithC

dope

With a well cut thread, any lubricant will seal your joints. Remember that the threads of the pipe are what make a seal - not the dope. The dope is just intended to be a lubricant.



With that said, I do prefer Rectorseal no. 5 for everything lately. I started using it on gas lines and have moved to using it on everything else because we have so many cans lying around.



I've used tons of grey Pro-Dope though on steam lines, and can say with honesty that it should do you fine as long as you cut proper threads and tighten your lines up with a little oomph in it.



Keith