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Worn threaded connections.

Posted: May 19th, 2020, 7:54 pm
by Bobbalus
Hi guys. Is there a product which can seal a screwed connection on a towel rail radiator? I've tried copious amounts of ptfe tape & jointing paste but the radiator valve male spigot never tightens, despite the male thread being tapered. Any ideas?

Re: Worn threaded connections.

Posted: May 19th, 2020, 8:12 pm
by SimonG
I've never had a problem with ptfe and paste. How many wraps of ptfe are you using and are you putting it on the right way?

There are some thread sealants you can get, loctite, but I dont know which one as I've never used it.

Re: Worn threaded connections.

Posted: May 19th, 2020, 9:01 pm
by Croppie
SimonG wrote:
May 19th, 2020, 8:12 pm
I've never had a problem with ptfe and paste. How many wraps of ptfe are you using and are you putting it on the right way?

There are some thread sealants you can get, loctite, but I dont know which one as I've never used it.

Loctite 55, It's as close to magic as Debbie McGee........

Re: Worn threaded connections.

Posted: May 19th, 2020, 11:44 pm
by REDSAW
sounds to me yoour wrapping the wrong direction with the ptfe tape and its unwinding in the socket!
i use 14-18 wraps around normally keeping it reasonably tight wound then running my fingers over it to bite the thread profile. You want the fitting to start tightening when half way in the socket + a good umphf at the end the reason being when we fit these we fit them once!
personally i dont use loctite- i use liquid ptfe, i use to have tru-blu but found it was expensive stained everything blue and stayed on your skin for three days :(
now i use T plus 2, this stuff will seal the hole in the Titanic and just wipes of shin and fabric etc, one of the best things in my toolbox :D
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Todays-Tools ... SwX1la5Far

Re: Worn threaded connections.

Posted: May 21st, 2020, 1:21 am
by Bobbalus
Thanks for the advice guys. I can assure you all that I'm wrapping the tape the correct way (opposite to the direction of the thread). I use around 10 - 20 turns, depending on the fit, but, in this case, if I were to keep winding the threaded spigot in, hoping to get a bind, I'm pretty sure the spigot would simply disappear into the radiator! I've used the Loctite product on threaded compressed air connections & it's worked superbly but it still needs a mechanical interference nip. What I need is something that will seal but with an element of a gap-fill ability. A gas engineer friend has suggested ptfe cord & an old school pipe fitter has suggested hemp & Hawk White. Any of you had experience of either of these?