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Post by rocketmanbkk on Nov 4, 2016 15:46:50 GMT
So, how many turns of ptfe will you be super safe with on a rad valve?
Rct
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Post by joinerjohn on Nov 4, 2016 15:52:57 GMT
Is it the rad valve itself your on about or, the insert which screws into the radiator before the valve?
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Post by rocketmanbkk on Nov 4, 2016 15:57:40 GMT
Yes, the insert.
I've tried a few different number of wraps & want to know what everyone else does & what's a super safe number of wraps.
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Post by joinerjohn on Nov 4, 2016 16:00:22 GMT
I asked Tom a couple of years back and I think the answer was "loads" I was re-fitting a towel rad in a bathroom and the insert seemed to take a lot of ptfe tape to seal it. If I remember correctly, it took somewhere round about 20 odd turns of tape. I think the threads on the insert are slightly tapered.  |
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Post by tomplum on Nov 4, 2016 16:10:07 GMT
I don't count how many wraps I give it, its better too many than not enough, Its a sinking feeling when everything is up and running then a drip appears from the threads, I ' say at least ten turns clockwise  |
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Post by rocketmanbkk on Nov 4, 2016 16:20:20 GMT
I tried 14 & drip
Now I do 18.
Tom, how do you gauge it if you don't count? By eye?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2016 18:53:31 GMT
You'll always need more wraps when installing towel rads, they're shite.
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Post by tomplum on Nov 4, 2016 20:15:55 GMT
Its more important to wrap into the thread so when you wind in its eating into the thread and not winding out, if the rad tail is in your left hand and pointing to you, wrap it clockwise, I think i'll do a vid on this,,,
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Post by Mash on Nov 4, 2016 20:21:58 GMT
i don't count either, just sort of 'know' when its enough, i'll count it next time. Id say probably 14-16 on normal rads, more on towel rads maybe 18-20. Even more on iron for shower valves 24 maybe and taper it at the end so when the iron seats it squashes down and sort of makes a ring at the bottom if you understand that.
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Post by dickpuller on Nov 4, 2016 23:25:54 GMT
I'm another one that doesn't count the raps of PTFE.
Ive been using Loctite 55 & Liquid PTFE more & more lately, but each to their own.
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Post by Plumbergirl on Nov 5, 2016 8:01:51 GMT
PTFE is cheap and leaks are expensive rocky so don't be shy with it. |
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Post by endfeed on Nov 5, 2016 10:44:29 GMT
I got a call back at work for it leaking at the rad tail a call back back they dont pay you your bonus😢so i do 15 wraps and put paste on top of that!belt and braces☺
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Post by jcplumb on Nov 5, 2016 13:44:46 GMT
I used to do 13 wraps of PTFE, for years that was fine, no drips. Then did a triple bathroom install in a house and all three rads wept from the tails.
Re-did them with 20 wraps each, one of them still wept. Re-did that one with 20 and some loctite 55, that sorted it.
Went back to 13 wraps on rads and had another weepy one a few months later.
My go to number is now 22, don't know if PTFE is getting thinner or the tails are getting crappier but something has changed over the last 5 years or so.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 5, 2016 18:21:12 GMT
PTFE is cheap and leaks are expensive rocky so don't be shy with it. Cracking advice there!!!  |
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Post by crowsfoot on Nov 5, 2016 21:39:10 GMT
When I was working on a large CH install contract I met an older plumber whom I called "Superplumb" and he would always dab a finger of boss white onto the threads before screwing in the ptfed radiator tails.
Ever since then I've always done the same.
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