I've recently been re-plumbing my airing cupboard, in order to replace the
hot cylinder which was leaking. Since the new one has a bigger coil than the
old one, the primary connections are further apart causing the pipework to
need re-rigging - so I decided to convert from Y-Plan to S-Plan while I was
at it, using Honeywell 22mm 2-port valves. I've also used several Peglar
quarter turn full-bore lever valves, to enable various bits to be isolated
easily. The Honeywell and Peglar valves were all supplied with 22mm
compression fittings, and I was amazed at the amount of torque required to
get them 'tight'.

Wherever possible, I initially made the joints 'off-line' by holding the
valve body in a vice while doing up the compression nut. On numerous
occasions I found that after doing up the nut with a 15" adjustable spammer,
using far more torque than *felt* [1] right, if I took it apart again the
olive would still rotate fairly freely on the (copper) pipe.

Is this what usually happens, or was I doing something wrong?

I eventually got them tight by using even more brute force - and then put a
smear of Screwfix 'no nonsense' leak sealant round both sides of the olive
for the good measure - and all seems ok. But the amount of force I had to
apply still worries me a bit.

Any comments?

[1] After 50 years of DIY, car maintenance, etc. I reckon you develop an
instinctive 'feel' for what is right when doing up bolts and nuts - without
reference to torque wrenches, etc.
--
Cheers,
Roger
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