Teflon tape question

Okay, please forgive my ignorance when it comes to this topic, okay? lol

I have a Heavy Duty kettle with ball valve, barb fitting, and thermometer from Morebeer. This past weekend I went to Home Depot and bought teflon tape to make waterproof seals because for plumbing I've always seen teflon tape used. Is it actually required in this instance and how much is necessary to use, because with the amount I used I cannot tighten the fittings all the way. I'll do my best to post a pic tomorrow but I need to leave for work now. Thanks so much in advance, everyone.

For typical applications, I only wrap the fitting with about three wraps of tape. That is all you need to make a seal. Also, I am not sure what you mean about screwing all the way in. Pipe threads are tapered and design to stop. You can't screw a pipe thread all the way in. Also, make sure you wrap the tape in the proper direction. If you are screwing the fitting in CW you want to wrap the tape CCW.

Three wraps is enough teflon with the standard tape. There are a couple of brands that are making thicker tape and only require about a wrap and a half but it's usually blue (for water), yellow (for gas) or pink (for stainless steel). If it's white in color you will be good with three wraps.

It sounds like a common misconception that NPT fittings will fully thread together until no threads are visible. Most will mesh by 2 revolutions if not 3.

=) Thanks everyone for the help. I truly appreciate all the responses. Are there any alternatives to using teflon tape, such as those little inserts used on the fitting for kegs? I don't know what they're called but they look sort of like a plastic ring that goes inside of the part being screwed on?

I would stick with Teflon tape. I personally use nothing but blue monster tape and replace it once a year

kevinb said:

For typical applications, I only wrap the fitting with about three wraps of tape. That is all you need to make a seal. Also, I am not sure what you mean about screwing all the way in. Pipe threads are tapered and design to stop. You can't screw a pipe thread all the way in. Also, make sure you wrap the tape in the proper direction. If you are screwing the fitting in CW you want to wrap the tape CCW.

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Shouldn't the tape always be wound in the same direction as you thread on?

IslandLizard said:

Shouldn't the tape always be wound in the same direction as you thread on?

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No. I use it a lot on fuel systems & the like. Tipical US standard threads are right hand. That is to say,tightened clock-wise. so you wind the teflon tape counter-clock-wise,so that the act of tightening in the opposite direction doesn't unwind the tape. But rather tightens it.

unionrdr said:

No. I use it a lot on fuel systems & the like. Tipical US standard threads are right hand. That is to say,tightened clock-wise. so you wind the teflon tape counter-clock-wise,so that the act of tightening in the opposite direction doesn't unwind the tape. But rather tightens it.

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Yes - This.

TxBeerGuy said:

=) Thanks everyone for the help. I truly appreciate all the responses. Are there any alternatives to using teflon tape, such as those little inserts used on the fitting for kegs? I don't know what they're called but they look sort of like a plastic ring that goes inside of the part being screwed on?

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Loctite and other companies make "liquid Teflon tape" but I don't recommend this. Whenever I use this at work I have issues. Stick with the tape.

IslandLizard said:

Shouldn't the tape always be wound in the same direction as you thread on?

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Interesting, this is the same way I wind my tape. Not sure how winding it opposite direction would keeping it from unwinding. Either way I havent had any issues.

Because the wind up of the tape is facing the opposite direction of the threads tightening direction. It'd be kept tight as the part is tightened down. It unwinds if I wrap in the direction of tightening.

IslandLizard said:

Shouldn't the tape always be wound in the same direction as you thread on?

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unionrdr said:

No. I use it a lot on fuel systems & the like. Tipical US standard threads are right hand. That is to say,tightened clock-wise. so you wind the teflon tape counter-clock-wise,so that the act of tightening in the opposite direction doesn't unwind the tape. But rather tightens it.

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It depends on which way you're looking at the pipe to determine if it's clockwise or counterclockwise wrap.

The part that's confusing about calling it counterclockwise wrap is that when you're wrapping the tape on the threads you're often looking at it from the opposite direction relative to when you're threading it in.

Regardless which way you call it, the wrap should be so that it tends to tighten rather than loosen when you screw it together.

More precisely,if it's left or right hand thread. But otherwise,yeah,it should be wrapped in the opposite direction of tightening so that it snugs up when the part is tightened up.

I think it's least chance for misunderstanding just to say wrap so the tape tends to tighten rather than loosen.

Here's a YouTube on how to do it.....

Had many apprentices.
Hold the the threads to the right, come off the bottom of the nipple wrapping over the top, pulling tension as it is wrapped. wrap 4 or five good wraps. Wala!!

whoaru99 said:

I think it's least chance for misunderstanding just to say wrap so the tape tends to tighten rather than loosen.

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We did. You wrap in the opposite direction of tightening so the tape snugs up rather than unwinds.