pola0502ds
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2011
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- 846
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I would have wrapped it 5-6 times with the tape. I tighten mine a 1/2 turn to a full turn past hand tight. Thats all you need. A lot of people don't realize that even on metal NPT pipe fittings you don't need to crank on them to get water tight. I learned the hard way and I actually broke the threads off on my head once. Had to replace the whole pump head. I used JB weld at first but it didn't work to well.
A bit late on my part, but thanks! Didn't realize you answered everything *inside* my quote
Now I just need to find a local distributor that can order the SS housing and o-ring for me...
By the way, I'm using polysulphone street elbows on the inlet and outlet in order to avoid stripping their heads (the elbows are then connected to SS fittings)... I figure those can easily be replaced, and much more cheaply than the entire housing.
But it still have me nervous as I still feel like tightening too much can still easily break the threads, and I've used my pump now a couple times with the elbow SWIVELLING on the outlet. It hasn't leaked, even when moving around (it sits on a chair right now so it can't loosen more than 45° or so before hitting the surface and stopping), but still, with boiling-hot wort moving through it, it feels like an accident waiting to happen.
So just how tightly CAN I tighten polysulfone fittings onto the pump? I also gave it 3 wraps of Teflon tape... bad idea? Do I even NEED to use PTFE tape?