Teflon tape in water heater element threads

[makubex]

Do I need Teflon tape on my water heater element threads, or do I just leave them unprotected when I thread the element into my kettle?

 

[thargrav]

The element came with a black washer - use it as a seal.

 

[makubex]

I have a gasket between the element and kettle, I was just wondering if I should apply Teflon tape in addition to that, to keep the element from galling, or if that was a no no for the water heater element.

 

[thargrav]

Use just the gasket - the teflon tape won't add anything.

 

[alien]

T.H. is right that the element should seal on the gasket not on the threads. I would put 1.5 wraps of PTFE tape on anyway to stop the threads galling.

 

[norsk]

T.H. is right that the element should seal on the gasket not on the threads. I would put 1.5 wraps of PTFE tape on anyway to stop the threads galling.

What he wrote...

 

[makubex]

T.H. is right that the element should seal on the gasket not on the threads. I would put 1.5 wraps of PTFE tape on anyway to stop the threads galling.

Thank you, this is what I was looking for. I knew I had the element sealed for water permeability, I just wasn't sure if there was any reason why I wouldn't want to use teflon there to prevent galling.

 

[acidrain]

Yeah, I put teflon tape on all every nut and bolt in my truck to keep them from galling... not.

Your hot water tank doesn't need or recommend it. Why would anything else?

 

[Bobby_M]

It depends on what you're threading it into. If you have an NPT half coupling or NPT spud, I'd use teflon. If it's an NPS locknut, I'd leave it off. Galling happens on stainless NPT threads, not bolts or NPS to NPS connections.