From: John De Armond
Newsgroups: rec.outdoors.rv-travel
Subject: Re: Proper Propane Connections- Paste? Tape? or ???
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 03:08:38 -0500
Message-ID: <p1os12dj7nt6708sv29ttodh82jvog4om8@4ax.com>

The white tape is just fine for gas.  The yellow and pink tapes are
simply of different thicknesses.  The white is the thinnest.  If you
only have white on hand, use a few more wraps.

Many people don't like to use teflon tape for gas service because if
applied wrong, it can shed pieces and clog up the works.  Here are
some tips for using teflon tape:

Start 1 thread back from the tip of the fitting.  This ensures that
any stray bits won't fall out into the pipe.

Wrap the tape in the same direction as tightening the fitting.  Apply
the tape to the fitting and turn the fitting clockwise, screwing on
the tape just as if tightening the fitting.  If the tape is applied in
the wrong direction it will tend to unwind as the fitting is
tightened.  This will cause fragments to come loose inside the pipe
and can cause leaks.

When you break the tape from the roll after wrapping, use your thumb
to smooth the end of the tape down into the threads.  This helps the
tape not come loose as the joint is fitted up.

When you take a fitting apart, remove ALL the shards.  Use a dental
pick or equiv to get at the pieces embedded in the female threads.
These must be removed to prevent their being pushed into the plumbing.

If I know that a fitting is going to have to come apart again, I
usually don't use Teflon tape because of the cleanup labor.  I like
LocTite's anaerobic pipe dope.  This stuff remains paste-like wherever
it is exposed to air but sets up fairly stiff in the threads.  Such a
tiny bit of the stuff actually hardens that cleanup after disassembly
is simple.  A swab dipped in acetone will remove all the residue.

If you use conventional dope, use "Gas dope" (non-hardening).  This is
usually yellow.  It remains semi-soft which makes taking the joint
apart much easier.  The semi-softness lets the stuff flow and cover
any potential leaks if the fitting is later rotated for whatever
reason.  Quite important for gas plumbing.  That's why it is called
gas dope.

I used the yellow dope 11 years ago when I plumbed my restaurant for
gas.  I recently had to take down some of the black iron plumbing
while reorganizing my kitchen.  What a dream it was to lay wrench on
pipe and have it unscrew easily after all that time.  Stark difference
to working with hardening dope that sometimes requires a torch to
loosen.

John

On Mon, 20 Mar 2006 04:15:39 GMT, "B F Lake" <nomail@nospam.com>
wrote:

>
><enc111@msn.com> wrote in message
>news:1142827523.707539.286800@z34g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
>> What's the proper way to connect threaded-brass propane line fittings?
>> I've seen the white plastic tape used on my regulator connection (which
>>
>The white tape is for water connections not for gas lines.  The yellow tape
>is for propane threaded connections.  It will say on the package that it is
>for gas.
>
>Regards,
>Barry
>