I am installing a showerhead, and if I were to turn the neck until it
is fully tightened it would be spraying at the wall. So I turned it
back counter-clockwise a bit, to aim it into the tub. I have applied
pipe dope, but the joint leaks because it is not fully tightened. What
can I do to seal the joint?
Thanks!
Adam

teflon tape.

randy

"Adam Cohn" wrote in message
oups.com...
I am installing a showerhead, and if I were to turn the neck until it
is fully tightened it would be spraying at the wall. So I turned it
back counter-clockwise a bit, to aim it into the tub. I have applied
pipe dope, but the joint leaks because it is not fully tightened. What
can I do to seal the joint?
Thanks!
Adam

"Adam Cohn" wrote in message
oups.com...
I am installing a showerhead, and if I were to turn the neck until it
is fully tightened it would be spraying at the wall. So I turned it
back counter-clockwise a bit, to aim it into the tub. I have applied
pipe dope, but the joint leaks because it is not fully tightened. What
can I do to seal the joint?
Thanks!
Adam

try teflon tape around the threads, retighten, if it leaks add more teflon
tape till it stops

"xrongor" wrote in message
...
teflon tape.

randy

And make that last turn slowly. Bring it to the proper position and don't
back it off.

Have you tried Teflon Tape on the threads??

Gobs of Teflon tape aren't likely to stop the leakage. Since brass is
so easily deformed, it makes more sense to simply buy another fitting.
Another sneaky trick is to use automtive sealants instead of pipe dope.
Permatex #3, Hylomar, and others are especially well suited to handling
hot water. You'll need to thoroughly clean off the pipe dope for the
sealants to work well. HTH

Joe

Wow, thanks everyone. I will start with trying the teflon tape tonight
after work. If that doesn't do it, I will look into the alternative
solution with the automotive sealants!
If anyone else has different ideas, I will check the thread again.
Thanks,
Adam

Adam Cohn wrote:

Wow, thanks everyone. I will start with trying the teflon tape tonight
after work. If that doesn't do it, I will look into the alternative
solution with the automotive sealants!
If anyone else has different ideas, I will check the thread again.
Thanks,
Adam

As a slightly different point of view, how tight is "tight"...virtually
all the time one can simply torque the fixture around one more turn to
get it where it is required...this, of course, implies one isn't using a
24" pipe wrench and a cheater bar on a 1/2" brass fitting...

Adam Cohn wrote:

I am installing a showerhead, and if I were to turn the neck until it
is fully tightened it would be spraying at the wall. So I turned it
back counter-clockwise a bit, to aim it into the tub. I have applied
pipe dope, but the joint leaks because it is not fully tightened. What
can I do to seal the joint?
Thanks!
Adam


You could go back a few decades and use what we used to use then, some
thin cotton string wrapped in the male threads, along with a little pipe
dope.

You're probably experiencing what's called a "spiral leak" with water
flowing through the tiny channel between the flat crest of the male
thread and the sharp bottom of the female threads. Pipe dope is
generally enough to fill that narrrow passage and keep it from leaking.

Many people don't realize that standard NPT pipe threads are not
intended to seal without using some kind of pipe dope to block that
spiral leak path. There is a special series of pipe threads called
"NPTF-dryseal" which was designed for fuel and solvent use back before
Teflon was a twinkle in DuPont's eye. (The "F" stood for fuel.) Those
threads were designed with a shape which deformed and makd a complete
metal to metal seal without any auxillary dope required.

HTH,

Jeff
--
Jeffry Wisnia

(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)

"As long as there are final exams, there will be prayer in public
schools"

get a longer neck

The teflon tape sealed it right up! Thanks all for the help!
Adam