aj
head of marketing and bargains 
Posts: 541 
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Post by aj on Nov 19, 2019 21:20:52 GMT
Was tigthenig compression fittings.How do you tighten compression fittings without them slipping. Tried two adjustable spanners and also adjustable spanners and water pump pliers still slipping and at the end the fittings looked like a dog had chewed them. Any chance of a vid?
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Post by tomplum on Nov 19, 2019 21:34:57 GMT
sure, I'll do one for you aj, the rule is, hand tight, then quarter turn with a spanner, no need to wring its neck  |
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Post by DIYDafty on Nov 19, 2019 21:44:32 GMT
From my DIY perspective, I used to have trouble with compressions but not usually now. Don't know why your tools are slipping unless as Tom says your tightening them too much (or using tiny stubby adjustables?). I used two good sized adjustables for a long time and had no problem as long as they gripped the nut properly and are not too loose.
One of the good points of compression fittings is if you don't do them tight enough then they'll just drip and you can nip them up a little bit more until the drip stops. If you do them too tight, you can kink the olive and all sorts then you definitely can't nip up.
One other thing, when I started doing them a lot of the advice was they should hold clean - without any ptfe or jointing compound. That might be true for dead clean pipes and fittings but if the pipe is in situ with old fittings etc jointing compund or ptfe around the olive definitely helps.
Remember I'm not a plumber so stand to be corrected by the many time served plumbers on this forum that I'm privileged to be a member of.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2019 21:50:38 GMT
From my DIY perspective, I used to have trouble with compressions but not usually now. Don't know why your tools are slipping unless as Tom says your tightening them too much (or using tiny stubby adjustables?). I used two good sized adjustables for a long time and had no problem as long as they gripped the nut properly and are not too loose. One of the good points of compression fittings is if you don't do them tight enough then they'll just drip and you can nip them up a little bit more until the drip stops. If you do them too tight, you can kink the olive and all sorts then you definitely can't nip up. One other thing, when I started doing them a lot of the advice was they should hold clean - without any ptfe or jointing compound. That might be true for dead clean pipes and fittings but if the pipe is in situ with old fittings etc jointing compund or ptfe around the olive definitely helps. Remember I'm not a plumber so stand to be corrected by the many time served plumbers on this forum that I'm privileged to be a member of. You have your badge Dafty so that qualifies you |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2019 21:53:16 GMT
One good bit of advice I can give is never try and nip up a fitting under pressure that is dripping, the fuckers can fly off  |
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Post by tomplum on Nov 19, 2019 22:16:13 GMT
some good points been brought up here, my post was meant on a new pipe with a new fitting, as PB has warned, if its a old fitting on old pipe and its just started dripping, that's a different case,
anyway video to follow,
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2019 22:25:44 GMT
Hot water cylinder connections are the ones where people get a drip and try and nip them up  bad idea  |
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Post by DIYDafty on Nov 19, 2019 22:58:06 GMT
So if a fittings been fine for years and then one day it starts dripping is that when you wouldn't try nipping up?
My long post above was about when you've just repaired a fitting and are unsure if its tight enough.
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Post by dickpuller on Nov 20, 2019 7:31:44 GMT
Ah, always great points of contention in this trade; compression fittings!!
Knowing how much to tighten takes years of experience, the right size of spanner/grips etc & joint paste on the Olive👍
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Post by rocketmanbkk on Nov 20, 2019 11:15:26 GMT
I’ve just got back from a callout, stopcock in airing cupboard dripping & went through living room ceiling.
It was old & soldered on. I just cut it all out & put a lever valve on with a straight coupler up the top.
Good job
Cheers all
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Post by tomplum on Nov 20, 2019 13:49:37 GMT
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Post by crowsfoot on Nov 20, 2019 17:41:37 GMT
Hot water cylinder connections are the ones where people get a drip and try and nip them up bad idea Upon coming across a dripping cylinder connection I was then asked by my co plumber "if I was a lucky plumber"? I replied that I've never thought about it that way before, but I was willing to try my luck and nip it up a bit. It made it worse of course and we had to drain down! However, It made me think about the concept of being a lucky plumber because my co worker swore he knew of one? Can you have a lucky plumber? What do you think? Some people are born lucky so why not have lucky plumbers? |
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Post by endfeed on Nov 20, 2019 18:35:35 GMT
In my experience, one of Tom's sayings sums it all up for me,"some days your the statue and some days your the pigeon" 👍
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 20, 2019 18:41:34 GMT
Hot water cylinder connections are the ones where people get a drip and try and nip them up bad idea Upon coming across a dripping cylinder connection I was then asked by my co plumber "if I was a lucky plumber"? I replied that I've never thought about it that way before, but I was willing to try my luck and nip it up a bit. It made it worse of course and we had to drain down! However, It made me think about the concept of being a lucky plumber because my co worker swore he knew of one? Can you have a lucky plumber? What do you think? Some people are born lucky so why not have lucky plumbers? Any plumber who is a member on this forum is lucky Tappy  |
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Post by endfeed on Nov 20, 2019 19:23:10 GMT
If you cut your pipe little shy of the stopper inside the compression fitting, would you risk it? I did the other day🤫🤫🤫
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bad idea 
