Sealing olives

[OffshoreGas]

There seem to be a few camp on compression fittings, some people just fit an olive, others olive with PTFE tape and a third group olive and paste.

I’ve never bothered with tape etc and never had an olive leak.

Are the other options a DIY thing or are people taught one to the olive + tape etc?

 

[king of pipes]

No olive and a quality potable universal paste for me , Gas wise we are encouraged to use no paste but unless you are using Prestex , or Conex I will still add a small amount to the pipe not into a fitting belt and braces , the only time I would use ptfe on a olive is connecting a compression fitting to Hep or speedfit . Kop

 

[OffshoreGas]

No olive and a quality potable universal paste for me , Gas wise we are encouraged to use no paste but unless you are using Prestex , or Conex I will still add a small amount to the pipe not into a fitting belt and braces , the only time I would use ptfe on a olive is connecting a compression fitting to Hep or speedfit . Kop

You don’t use the copper bit with one of these?

 

[townfanjon]

I think its a typo lol , I would like to see it work without the olive

 

[OffshoreGas]

I think its a typo lol , I would like to see it work without the olive

Maybe Rob really is the King of Pipes?

 

[JKG]

Bit of paste around the olive for me that’s how I was taught and stuck with it

 

[Ben-gee]

Bit of paste on the olive’s shoulders for me, I like to think it’s because of poor quality fittings rather than poor quality plumbing.....but either way it seems to work!

 

[OffshoreGas]

Would be considered deviation from MI’s in my world to use tape or paste on an olive. Interesting to know, thanks gents.

 

[Ben-gee]

You’ll find the domestic plumbing world is all about deviation from all sorts of things - it’s a question of making it work with what’s already there and this often involves a good deal of improvisation.

For me that is half the fun - and why imho experience and lateral thinking are needed as much as ‘qualifications’

 

[OffshoreGas]

You’ll find the domestic plumbing world is all about deviation from all sorts of things - it’s a question of making it work with what’s already there and this often involves a good deal of improvisation.

For me that is half the fun - and why imho experience and lateral thinking are needed as much as ‘qualifications’

We do plenty of stuff Blue Peter would be proud of too but I’ve never been in a situation where a properly cleaned/prepared pipe didn’t seal with an olive. If I see thread tape sticking out the back of a fitting it immediately screams DIY. Wasn’t sure if this was actually accepted practice in some situations.

 

[king of pipes]

Maybe Rob really is the King of Pipes?

Funny man I meant NO! PTFE of course you use the olive as well as a smear of paste . Kop

 

[OffshoreGas]

Funny man of course you use the olive as well as a smear of paste . Kop

Sorry Rob I read that as not using an olive.

 

[king of pipes]

Sorry forgive my bad phraseing I will try hard next time and I am not Rob . he is central heating king ??? So he say anyway

 

[rpm]

There seem to be a few camp on compression fittings, some people just fit an olive, others olive with PTFE tape and a third group olive and paste.

I’ve never bothered with tape etc and never had an olive leak.

Never?
TBH I am amazed at that but then how much domestic and small pipework work have you actually done?

 

[OffshoreGas]

Never?
TBH I am amazed at that but then how much domestic and small pipework work have you actually done?

Few 100 “domestic” compression fittings I guess, few 100’000 pneumatic and LP hydraulic fittings with exactly the same materials.

Sorry forgive my bad phraseing I will try hard next time and I am not Rob . he is central heating king ??? So he say anyway

Too much nobility around here

 

[rpm]

Few 100 “domestic” compression fittings I guess, few 100’000 pneumatic and LP hydraulic fittings with exactly the same materials.

Think the rub is the few 100 domestic compression fittings then. I`ve also done pneumatic and hydraulic`s in different food and drink factories and to me the materials used in the fittings are of a much higher quality.

 

[OffshoreGas]

Think the rub is the few 100 domestic compression fittings then. I`ve also done pneumatic and hydraulic`s in different food and drink factories and to me the materials used in the fittings are of a much higher quality.

Plenty of equipment uses exactly the same pipework/fittings. Valve positioned, level measurement systems, potable water systems, reverse osmosis plants, food and beverage manufacturing equipment. Pretty common on marine equipment like tankers too. Old pneumatic controllers are riddled with them.

 

[centralheatking]

I think that all this is due to thermal creep. In that copper pipe will expand and contract and maybe ultimately cause the mechanical joint to open, even if only a little. Whatever practice we adopt this is the issue. Paste blue, black pink, ptfe loctite etc who knows. Might well act as a lubricant and assist the traction I always used to put boss white on until told not. The Sages say, my old fellas say
nothing...bare compression fittings tightened up is best. Thats what me and my boys (58-65) do. centralheatking

 

[OffshoreGas]

I think that all this is due to thermal creep. In that copper pipe will expand and contract and maybe ultimately cause the mechanical joint to open, even if only a little. Whatever practice we adopt this is the issue. Paste blue, black pink, ptfe loctite etc who knows. Might well act as a lubricant and assist the traction I always used to put boss white on until told not. The Sages say, my old fellas say
nothing...bare compression fittings tightened up is best. Thats what me and my boys (58-65) do. centralheatking

I was taught clean pipework well, make sure it’s free from damage/pitting/scratches. Use an olive that’s a harder material than the pipe your trying to seal so it bites in rather than just crimping around. Seat the tube properly in the fitting. No PTFE, paste etc etc. Don’t go mad with the tightening.

 

[centralheatking]

I was taught clean pipework well, make sure it’s free from damage/pitting/scratches. Use an olive that’s a harder material than the pipe your trying to seal so it bites in rather than just crimping around. Seat the tube properly in the fitting. No PTFE, paste etc etc. Don’t go mad with the tightening.

Correct Offshore gas man my mentor in the early 80's then aged 50 always
said not too tight...and you can always return and nip things up
anyway if u need to...centralheatking

 

[Stigster]

I never use any paste, tape or potions on olives at all, never had a problem with them, probably fitted thousands of them by now. I don't recall ever having a problem with them like that or any call backs. My pet peeve is people who overtighten compression fittings. I'm forever having to do demonstrations in the workshop with the apprentices. I put a 15 or 22mm compression valve on a piece of pipe, just nip it up not too tight and then blast it with 20 bar from the pressure tester. I am yet to have one blow off or leak and I've had to do this demo scores of times.

Granted that is under ideal conditions without thermal expansion/contraction and vibration but it does neatly show they can be trusted without "tightening them till the squeal".

Ultimately though, with apprentices at least the correct answer is, do them how your boss tells you to cos he's paying your wages. After that it's up to you and what you have confidence with.

 

[centralheatking]

I never use any paste, tape or potions on olives at all, never had a problem with them, probably fitted thousands of them by now. I don't recall ever having a problem with them like that or any call backs. My pet peeve is people who overtighten compression fittings. I'm forever having to do demonstrations in the workshop with the apprentices. I put a 15 or 22mm compression valve on a piece of pipe, just nip it up not too tight and then blast it with 20 bar from the pressure tester. I am yet to have one blow off or leak and I've had to do this demo scores of times.

Granted that is under ideal conditions without thermal expansion/contraction and vibration but it does neatly show they can be trusted without "tightening them till the squeal".

Ultimately though, with apprentices at least the correct answer is, do them how your boss tells you to cos he's paying your wages. After that it's up to you and what you have confidence with.

My great mentor Graham Davey back in 1980 taught me loads
one was 'do not overtighten Robert' you can always go back later
We never used splodge or tape on comp fittings. Tapered threads ok and crap foreign stuff as much as required. Also at heights
on ladders put your leg over the rung and one hand for yourself and one for the Queen ...he served centralheatking

 

[OffshoreGas]

My great mentor Graham Davey back in 1980 taught me loads
one was 'do not overtighten Robert' you can always go back later
We never used splodge or tape on comp fittings. Tapered threads ok and crap foreign stuff as much as required. Also at heights
on ladders put your leg over the rung and one hand for yourself and one for the Queen ...he served centralheatking

Agree about tapered threads, they are designed to seal with a tape of paste to fill the thread forms.

I was always taught parallel needed an anaerobic sealant or a washer to seal on a flat face.

 

[Stu-B]

Never used tape or paste on an olive, only use paste on gas threads like for hobs/bayonets, ptfe on water threads like for rad valve stalks, but after reading the loctite thread I’m gonna give that a go for next rads I i fit

 

[OffshoreGas]

Never used tape or paste on an olive, only use paste on gas threads like for hobs/bayonets, ptfe on water threads like for rad valve stalks, but after reading the loctite thread I’m gonna give that a go for next rads I i fit

Only problem with Loctite is it has to set before you pressurise it. Not always s problem. You can get an activator/catalyst spray that speeds it up a lot.