Er, I think you'll find that in a tap connector, the fibre washer stops water leaking down the thread.
The water in the pipe is in touch with the washer, which swells and stops water getting to the thread.
PTFE tape just seals the thread up, or doesn't as the case may be ;-)
Or UP the thread :-)
The proper old washers were leather, not fibre.
IIRC leather for cold, rubber for hot.
I suspect that some people use PTFE tape on threads - when the thread is not designed to do any sealing. In applications like tap connectors the washer on the shoulder provides the seal - on a compression fitting - the olive provides the seal. Clean faces and threads are a good starting point for getting a seal - also well aligned pipes.
Sometimes it is handy for lubrication if nothing else - can make tightening easier and less squeaky.
For the first time the other day, I encountered a metal to metal cone fitting (radiator tap to tail) joint that would not stop leaking however much it was tightened. The surfaces were new, and looked and felt fine, but still no joy. In the end I had to resort to winding some PTFE round the thread on the tail such that it flopped over the mating surface when the joint was assembled.
On Tue, 26 Jan 2010 01:18:06 +0000, John Rumm wibbled:
I gave up on PTFE when I discovered Rocol... Marvellous stuff. But for parallel threads, I've had less issues with fibre washers than some damnable taper threads, especially when one of them is plastic.
I suspect that it is because at least twice on my 8 or so times that iI have changed these ( Including replacing a bath yesterday I have forund the inside diameter of the fiber washer is smaller than the thinned pipe which goes into the bottom of the tap. being fiber there is no flex and so fitting is more akin with the demolition man with his hammer and not the surgeon with his scalpel. Common sense dictates that this is a disaster on fittings which are akward to reach and tighten The previous incumbant had used silicone to seal this I am going to use Speedfit flexis which use rubber washers Selco sell em 6 for a pound if you dont want 100 HTH Phil
For the "first time" ??? I take it you mean it was the first time you encountered a leaking one and not the first time ever ?
You could have used LSX Sealant .
I was thinking of a wall mounted tap connector for an outside tap, as those are what I usually see.
Colin Bignell
Which is a long way from the OP's daughters bathroom situation and as I said before to somebody the fibre washer in a tap connector doesn't stop water leaking "down" the thread .
£1.11 for 10 in Wickes. I woke up this morning to find my combi had lost it's pressure. The return pipe had a split it's nylon washer.
I could not find my washers and called at Wickes for some new ones. I did find my old washers when I put the new ones away. They were in the drawer I searched this morning whilst looking for them!
Adam
The first time I had a rad joint like that which leaked - never had a problem with them in the past - even when re-mating old connections.
Indeed, if there was any in my bag at the time, but alas there was not.
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