- This topic has 5 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 23 years, 10 months ago by
daveroconn.
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MasterPlumbers
I’ve solvent welded tons of PVC, but now need to use lots of threaded PVC and other plastic irrigation fittings. What’s the best way to know how much to tighten threaded PVC/plastic for a watertight join?
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Experience, tighten them up using teflon tape. As you crack a few you will know when to stop.
Good Luck.
Bill
The Local Plumber
Tustin, California
http://www.TheLocalPlumber.com -
A large golf course system with many leaks was analyzed years ago, and the most common reason for leaks and broken fittings was too much teflon tape around the threads. They found that two wraps, maximum, gave adequate sealing without creating excessive outward pressure on the joint.
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Use Teflon PASTE not tape for starters inside the fitting and on the male threads. Hopefully your using schedule 80 fittings or greater.
Use a strap wrench to make up these fittings not a pipe wrench.
Hydrostatic sections of piping and not try to test every joint at once.
Buy a few RATED unions and this way if you do have a leak you can cut out the leaking fitting and install a union Or have extra couplings ( schedule 80) regular solweld cups and then if you should have a leak you can glue these one or two defects.
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Thats the problem with being an over qualified master plumber from the Bronx.
Every question is his to answer, and only his. Anyone else that has an opinion never really meets the expectations.
The answer was more humorous then not, Tell me Sylvan, will you give advice to everyone? Do you think all these questions come from people with a tool bag like yours?
What kind of advice can you give a guy that has NEVER screwed a fitting on to a pipe? Use a strap wrench.LOL
Bill
The Local Plumber
Tustin, California
http://www.TheLocalPlumber.com -
Use some food grade silicone on the threads with the teflon this will lubricate the threads as you tighten it and also fill any voids in the threads not filled with the teflon tape. This is a trick for screwing togeather 80 PVC into a brass fitting but works well with all threaded fittings brass/plastic plastic/plastic.
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