# The use of PTFE/Teflon/Plumbers tape.



## GHNelson (3 Jan 2012)

Okay gang
Old one that's reared its ugly head again.  
Why or Why not.......is the question.
Can we use plumbers tape on a cylinder to help seal the Co2 regulator and cylinder.
Compression rings a bell....I'm no welder but my brother is a Foreman pipe fitter for 35 years he should know. :silent: 
hoggie


----------



## GHNelson (4 Jan 2012)

*Re: Re Plumpers Tape*

Hi gang@ukaps
Did a bit of digging on the above subject.
Apparently you do not use tape on brass to brass fittings.
Also you can use Teflon Tape on Tapered Threads.
Not on Straight threads.
http://risk.arizona.edu/healthandsafety ... ontape.pdf

Do we use it on 2 different metals with Tapered Threads?
The mystery deepens.  
hoggie


----------



## hinch (4 Jan 2012)

use gas tape not ptfe and you'll be fine afterall its used in your house probably more than once


----------



## GHNelson (4 Jan 2012)

hinch said:
			
		

> use gas tape not ptfe and you'll be fine afterall its used in your house probably more than once


Cheers for that.
I don't use any tape on my regulators because I assume they are brass compression fittings.
You don't need too.
hoggie


----------



## hinch (4 Jan 2012)

yeah you shouldn't do on brass to brass compression but sometimes you get regs that aren't brass


----------



## PeteA (4 Jan 2012)

I just said similar in the "A couple of CO2 system questions" thread.  I've read in numerous places that you shouldn't need to use tape on any pressurised gas joints.  On a water joint you're trying to make a seal using the tape and thread.  In a gas system the o-ring makes the seal as it's designed to withstand pressure X, the thread is there to hold the o-ring in place rather than create a seal (as in a liquid system).  I seem to recall that on one thread I read somewhere a gas engineer said that one of the basics taught was you don't use tape etc as it's not safe - however I've not got that bookmarked any more so can't cite the source.

That said if people want to use ptfe tape on their CO2 systems I can't see it doing too much harm.  Personally I've not although I have used it around my diffuser seals as it holds water.


----------



## Stu Worrall (4 Jan 2012)

theres a big thread on it here - http://www.ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=14844&p=153868&hilit=ptfe#p153868


----------

