Pneumatic Tanks

[Tristan Lall]

Originally Posted by cmrnpizzo14

The first tip is don't be stingy with the teflon tape. Make sure that all of your connections are sealed well, the last thing you want is to have to find a leak. Just do it right the first time, even if its not as quick as you would like.

Regarding Teflon tape, you actually do want to be stingy. Just wrap it once around the threads (a couple millimetres beyond a full turn), such that the cut end of the tape is not bunched up by the tightening of the fitting. Leave at least one thread un-taped on the open end of the fitting.

The tape isn't the sealant. Instead, it acts primarily as a lubricant. NPT threads are tapered, and as such, it's the faces of the threads that actually make the seal when tightened properly. (Other types of threaded connections like JIS may not be tapered, but instead depend on other surfaces for sealing.) Excess tape increases the chance that a piece will be squeezed out of the joint, and break off into the fluid stream when pressurized. You don't want pieces of Teflon clogging the tiny valve pilots.

[slijin]

Originally Posted by Tristan Lall

Regarding Teflon tape, you actually do want to be stingy. Just wrap it once around the threads (a couple millimetres beyond a full turn), such that the cut end of the tape is not bunched up by the tightening of the fitting. Leave at least one thread un-taped on the open end of the fitting.

From experience, I find that this tends to depend on the quality of the tape itself. The higher quality (i.e. thicker and more durable) it is, the less wraps you'll need; the lower quality it is, the more you'll need.

One thing to remember is to wrap the tape in such a direction that tightening the threads continues to stretch the tape, rather than make it bunch up.

[Bill_B]

Originally Posted by Tristan Lall

...You don't want pieces of Teflon clogging the tiny valve pilots.

Nor do you want anything else in those pathways. If the ends of your tubing are open or have spent significant time open, they may already be contaminated. Every time you cut off a piece of tubing for use, you should close off the end of the unused roll to prevent stuff from getting in there. I wince every time I see a piece of open ended tubing in the bottom of the parts tote. Why take chances?