Hi All,

The instructions with this towel rad merely said use PTFE tape around
the tread of the value tail when screwing this into the rad.

But I can't stop it leaking (slow drip) - it purely replies on the
thread of the valve tail to keep it water tight - there is no flange
for the tail to but up onto. The blanking plug and bleed valve at the
top don't have this issue as they have rubber seals that sit between
them and the rad itself. this isn't possible with the valve tails.

I've tried leaking compound - no luck, it still leaks - slowly drips
actually.

Any suggestions as to what might solve this?

Thanks, Tom

"Tom" wrote in message
...
Hi All,

The instructions with this towel rad merely said use PTFE tape around
the tread of the value tail when screwing this into the rad.

But I can't stop it leaking (slow drip) - it purely replies on the
thread of the valve tail to keep it water tight - there is no flange
for the tail to but up onto. The blanking plug and bleed valve at the
top don't have this issue as they have rubber seals that sit between
them and the rad itself. this isn't possible with the valve tails.

I've tried leaking compound - no luck, it still leaks - slowly drips
actually.

Any suggestions as to what might solve this?

Thanks, Tom

You did put the PTFE tape around the thread before you screwed it into the
radiator didn't you, not at the bottom, afterwards!?

If so, how many turns of PTFE did you wrap around the thread
(approximately)?

Toby...

On 05/07/2010 15:31, Tom wrote:
Hi All,

The instructions with this towel rad merely said use PTFE tape around
the tread of the value tail when screwing this into the rad.

But I can't stop it leaking (slow drip) - it purely replies on the
thread of the valve tail to keep it water tight - there is no flange
for the tail to but up onto. The blanking plug and bleed valve at the
top don't have this issue as they have rubber seals that sit between
them and the rad itself. this isn't possible with the valve tails.

I've tried leaking compound - no luck, it still leaks - slowly drips
actually.

Any suggestions as to what might solve this?

Thanks, Tom

These things are *meant* to seal on the threads, and usually do! The
tail is slightly tapered, and should go tight at a certain point without
needing a positive end stop - but you need the right amount of PTFE tape
to ensure that this happens. I find that gas grade tape - which is
slightly thicker - is far better than the standard stuff. Make sure you
wrap the tape the *right* way round the tail, so that it isn't forced
out when you screw the tail in. If all else fails, use liquid PTFE - but
that shouldn't really be necessary.
--
Cheers,
Roger
____________
Please reply to Newsgroup. Whilst email address is valid, it is seldom
checked.

On 5 July, 15:31, Tom wrote:
Hi All,

The instructions with this towel rad merely said use PTFE tape around
the tread of the value tail when screwing this into the rad.

But I can't stop it leaking (slow drip) - it purely replies on the
thread of the valve tail to keep it water tight - there is no flange
for the tail to but up onto. The blanking plug and bleed valve at the
top don't have this issue as they have rubber seals that sit between
them and the rad itself. this isn't possible with the valve tails.

I've tried leaking compound - no luck, it still leaks - slowly drips
actually.

Any suggestions as to what might solve this?

Thanks, Tom

The tail pipe is a British Standard Pipe thread. There are two sorts.
Tapered and parallel. Parallel threads are hard to seal with tape.
Tapered threads are designed for just this. The seal is formed ON THE
THREAD.
Assuming it is tapered, PTFE tape will do the job. However it has to
be wound on to the thread correctly. You wind the tape onto the
thread by rotating the threaded part IN THE DIRECTION YOU WOULD TURN
IT TO SCREW IT IN.
If you wind it on the other way, as you screw it in the tape is just
pushed off. Start at the thick end of the thread and finish at the
small end. There needs to be sufficient tape to completely bury the
thread, excess will be pushed off. You soon get to know how much to
put on. You will have to mess about to know how much to tighten it.
But less than you might think. Usually about one thread is left
showing when tight. But it varies. And may have been over tightened in
the past.

Parallel threads need some sort of a joint to seal them. Normally
there is a shoulder at the end of the thread. if you're clever with
the PTFE, you can form one by winding lots of tape on at the shoulder,
again applying the tape as described above.

On 5 July, 16:39, harry wrote:
On 5 July, 15:31, Tom wrote:



Oh! Check that the socket (female part) has not split due to
overtightening in the past. This very occasionally happens.

Thanks for all the replies - I'll give a thicker version of the PTFE
tape a try when I get some.

The towel rad is new and splitting should not the case... I hope.

The tread of the valve tail I think is probably parallel rather than
tapered, however I'll take a closer look when I get it off again.

I did try leak sealing stuff but it didn't work - I have seen that
fail for others in the past. Getting the right PTFE tape is now
obviously essential to the job going right - the cheap stuff just will
not do.

Thanks for the help again.
Tom

In article ,
Tom writes:
Thanks for all the replies - I'll give a thicker version of the PTFE
tape a try when I get some.

The towel rad is new and splitting should not the case... I hope.

The tread of the valve tail I think is probably parallel rather than
tapered, however I'll take a closer look when I get it off again.

I did try leak sealing stuff but it didn't work - I have seen that
fail for others in the past. Getting the right PTFE tape is now
obviously essential to the job going right - the cheap stuff just will
not do.

I usually use 10 turns of PTFE (thin stuff for water).
If the tail is not getting stiff when screwing it in,
strip it all off and redo with more.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

It's not one of those special offers from Screwfix by any chance?
It eventually took 50 turns of (normal thin) ptfe tape to get a seal
on the one that I have just put in.

On 5 July, 21:02, Rednadnerb wrote:
It's not one of those special offers from Screwfix by any chance?
It eventually took 50 turns of (normal thin) ptfe tape to get a seal
on the one that I have just put in.

No its from B&Q, but its worth noting the chrome finish is truly
appalling to boot. This has to be a parallel valve tail fitting not
tapered.

btw. I have just had a cheap one from Screwfix installed by a
professional plumber as part of a larger job and there where no
problems with that - comparatively the Screwfix rad was one of
unbridled excellence.

I have now used about 10-12 turns of PTFE (plumb centre stuff),
marking the tail with marker pen so as not to loose track..... and it
still leaks. You could well be right about the 50 turns. It wasn't
offering nearly as much resistance when screwing in as it should. I'll
experiment with more until there is more resistance on screwing it in.

Thanks for the help.
Tom

On 6 July, 11:52, Tom wrote:
On 5 July, 21:02, Rednadnerb wrote:

It's not one of those special offers from Screwfix by any chance?
It eventually took 50 turns of (normal thin) ptfe tape to get a seal
on the one that I have just put in.

No its from B&Q, but its worth noting the chrome finish is truly
appalling to boot. This has to be a parallel valve tail fitting not
tapered.

btw. I have just had a cheap one from Screwfix installed by a
professional plumber as part of a larger job and there where no
problems with that - comparatively the Screwfix rad was one of
unbridled excellence.

I have now used about 10-12 turns of PTFE (plumb centre stuff),
marking the tail with marker pen so as not to loose track..... and it
still leaks. You could well be right about the 50 turns. It wasn't
offering nearly as much resistance when screwing in as it should. I'll
experiment with more until there is more resistance on screwing it in.

Thanks for the help.
Tom

I hope you're not just screwing it in by hand. There are often lugs
inside the tailpipe that are engaged by a special tool to screw the
fitting home. (Though some have internal/external hexagons.) Obviously
you won't have a tool but usually a big screwdriver can be found to
fit & then use an adjustable spanner on the screwdriver.

In article ,
harry writes:

I hope you're not just screwing it in by hand. There are often lugs
inside the tailpipe that are engaged by a special tool to screw the
fitting home. (Though some have internal/external hexagons.) Obviously
you won't have a tool but usually a big screwdriver can be found to
fit & then use an adjustable spanner on the screwdriver.

My old (or rather, my dad's old) 1/2" rawlplug cold masonary chisel
is an absolutely perfect fit for all the internal key radiator tails
I've encountered.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

Hi All again,
No, getting the tail in and out is no problem - it has an external
part that has flat sections that engage easily with and adjustable
spanner. It is not the sort that has an internal hex style fitting
that need what looks like a large allen key (rad key).

One of the two still leaks - I have tried up to 30 turns of standard
PTFE tape (BS L type) and also used Fernox LS-X Leak Sealer on the
inner thread - but it still leaks. Why on earth do they make this
screw in fitting so utterly leak prone when a lot of plumbing is now
push fit. On removal this morning (after leaving it all night to cure)
I noticed that the LS-X sealant had been pushed right to the end of
the screw in valve tail and was attached to the end like a little
crown.

I note that poster Rednadnerb had a Screwfix rad that needed 50
(yeah, 50) turns of PTFE tape to prevent it leaking - mine must be in
that league.

I'll give it one last go tonight and then I'll get the plumber back in
that did the other one for us.... and guess what? that was a Screwfix
rad! That read/valves appeared to have the small valve tail as the one
I'm battling with.
Tom

The problem with this rad appears to centre on the shallowness of the
female screw thread on the rad (I will measure that and post here when
its next off). As the valve tail is being screwed in it tears off the
PTFE tape by pushing it off to the outside of the rad.

I'm now thinking that either LS-X or liquid PTFE (which is terrible
for getting a screw fitting so it can be subsequently undone) may be
the only answer.
Tom

Tom wrote:

I'm now thinking that either LS-X or liquid PTFE (which is terrible
for getting a screw fitting so it can be subsequently undone) may be
the only answer.

Or return it to B&Q as faulty and get a refund.

--
Mike Clarke

On 07/07/2010 19:18, Tom wrote:
The problem with this rad appears to centre on the shallowness of the
female screw thread on the rad (I will measure that and post here when
its next off). As the valve tail is being screwed in it tears off the
PTFE tape by pushing it off to the outside of the rad.

I'm now thinking that either LS-X or liquid PTFE (which is terrible
for getting a screw fitting so it can be subsequently undone) may be
the only answer.
Tom


If the tape is being pushed off, that suggests that you're winding it
the wrong way round the tail. Are you sure you're not?

Have you tried the thicker gas-grade tape?
--
Cheers,
Roger
____________
Please reply to Newsgroup. Whilst email address is valid, it is seldom
checked.

"Tom" wrote in message
...
Hi All,

The instructions with this towel rad merely said use PTFE tape around
the tread of the value tail when screwing this into the rad.

But I can't stop it leaking (slow drip) - it purely replies on the
thread of the valve tail to keep it water tight - there is no flange
for the tail to but up onto. The blanking plug and bleed valve at the
top don't have this issue as they have rubber seals that sit between
them and the rad itself. this isn't possible with the valve tails.

I've tried leaking compound - no luck, it still leaks - slowly drips
actually.

Any suggestions as to what might solve this?

Thanks, Tom

Bit late for my two pence worth, but I should think this was a job for
ordinary 'RTV' (or any other cheap as you like silicone sealer). If it can
hold fish tanks together your tap thread will be no problem. Why bother
with ptfe etc when we all have tubes of this lying around. Just don't go mad
and block anything up with it (like wot we used to do when 'liquid gasket'
first came out...).

S

replying to Spamlet, Dave wrote:
I'm having the same problem as the original poster. Got some Aluminium
Designer Vertical Radiators, no matter what I do, I cannot stop the tails from
leaking. I have tried regular PTFE Tape, Gas PTFE Tape, Joint Compound and
Fernox Sealer. I have even tried types of tails, including extendable ones
that have a short thread but a rubber seal on the end, thinking this will
surely nail it but to no avail. A frustrating and costly mistake buying these
rads.

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy...ng-641833-.htm

On 07/11/2017 12:44, Dave wrote:
replying to Spamlet, Dave wrote:
I'm having the same problem as the original poster. Got some Aluminium
Designer Vertical Radiators, no matter what I do, I cannot stop the
tails from
leaking. I have tried regular PTFE Tape, Gas PTFE Tape, Joint Compound and
Fernox Sealer. I have even tried types of tails, including extendable ones
that have a short thread but a rubber seal on the end, thinking this will
surely nail it but to no avail. A frustrating and costly mistake buying

Is the leak from the threaded part of the tail that goes into the rad,
or when it joins the rad valve?

If its from the threaded section, then only way I can see all those
methods failing is if you are not tightening them sufficiently. The tail
sections are usually a tapered thread, and so need to be tight enough to
bottom out in the socket and compress the sealing tape etc enough to
make a proper seal.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

In article ,
Dave m wrote:
replying to Spamlet, Dave wrote: I'm having the same problem as the
original poster. Got some Aluminium Designer Vertical Radiators, no
matter what I do, I cannot stop the tails from leaking. I have tried
regular PTFE Tape, Gas PTFE Tape, Joint Compound and Fernox Sealer. I
have even tried types of tails, including extendable ones that have a
short thread but a rubber seal on the end, thinking this will surely
nail it but to no avail. A frustrating and costly mistake buying these
rads.

Are you certain they've not split open on a thread? Aluminium is nothing
like as strong as steel.

--
*Be more or less specific *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Wed, 08 Nov 2017 10:40:06 +0000 (GMT)
"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote:

In article ,
Dave m wrote:
replying to Spamlet, Dave wrote: I'm having the same problem as the
original poster. Got some Aluminium Designer Vertical Radiators, no
matter what I do, I cannot stop the tails from leaking. I have tried
regular PTFE Tape, Gas PTFE Tape, Joint Compound and Fernox Sealer.
I have even tried types of tails, including extendable ones that
have a short thread but a rubber seal on the end, thinking this
will surely nail it but to no avail. A frustrating and costly
mistake buying these rads.

Are you certain they've not split open on a thread? Aluminium is
nothing like as strong as steel.

Or perhaps galled from over-tightening the tapered thread, so the
sealing face is rough and the thread is stretched and no longer tapered.

replying to Tom, George Ross wrote:
Tom lve got exactly the same problem, b q towel rail, l took my wife with me
and the rail l wanted was £30 dearer but she seen a cheep bargain, the
threads at the bottom were so course l knew that l would have problems so lm
going to follow the advice that you get, if that doesn't work back to b +q and
get dearer one
Good luck

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy...ng-641833-.htm

On Saturday, 4 August 2018 14:44:05 UTC+1, George Ross wrote:
replying to Tom, George Ross wrote:

Tom lve got exactly the same problem, b q towel rail, l took my wife with me
and the rail l wanted was £30 dearer but she seen a cheep bargain, the
threads at the bottom were so course l knew that l would have problems so lm
going to follow the advice that you get, if that doesn't work back to b +q and
get dearer one
Good luck

IME linseed putty always fixes such things, though at times you may also need to pad it with either hemp or unravelled polypropylene rope (cheap rope).. Fill the threads with the linseed.


NT