teflon tape needed with o rings?

[MarkS]

I have one question... is it better to apply vasoline to an o ring and does it really increase the life before it cracks, or will it simply lead to leakage and problems? This is another thing I've read about...

It would depend on the o-ring material. Oils are like an acid to some types of rubbers. A good source of o-ring information and o-rings is All O-rings. They have a hugh selection and a fluid compatability guide.

A better (safer) choice would be silicone or teflon o-ring grease. O-ring grease can improve sealing in some circumstances.

 

[voigts]

Teflon tape is used on tapered fitting connections to lubricate the threads so that you can get the fittings tighter. After plumbing two houses, I'll take plumber's goop (teflon pipe compound) any day over that stupid tape.

O-rings seal well and are very reliable. That is why they are used on barbs. Of course they can fail over time. But so can anything else. I always have used some RTV on any threads and yet to have a leak. So far (knock on wood) I haven't had the first problem out of any o-rings.

 

[Enablingwolf]

Teflon tape is used on tapered fitting connections to lubricate the threads so that you can get the fittings tighter. After plumbing two houses, I'll take plumber's goop (teflon pipe compound) any day over that stupid tape.

O-rings seal well and are very reliable. That is why they are used on barbs. Of course they can fail over time. But so can anything else. I always have used some RTV on any threads and yet to have a leak. So far (knock on wood) I haven't had the first problem out of any o-rings.

"I'll take plumber's goop (teflon pipe compound) any day over that stupid tape."

That is called pipe dope. Usually it is used for black iron pipe or gas line. Though it is used for thread lube in other things in plumbing. It is part of a hard fitting. Least how to get one. It just lubes the metal for a cut, to obtain a really nice seal. If it holds gas in, it will hold liquid.

When you use pipe dope. You are cutting metal to get deeper into the fitting for a killer seal. Why it is called a hard fitting. Since more then likely it will never be broken. If it is broken, you are redoing it completly. Or making adjustments in your parts or seal. Metal to metal is the best seal you can get.

 

[outhouse]

voights kind of hit the nail on the head as far as tape and dope it is really only for pipe threads Not straight cut threads used on a o-ring application. I have worked with hydrolics and if you put anything other then a little hydrolic oil on them we would have bounced you out of there...

as far as our pc,s go in a few threads in the past few years the general thought was a little vasoline may help extend the life a little longer. you can use silicone to seal the threads as a form of backup but it makes taking your stuff apart a big pain in the you know what as well as possible shreads of dried silicone on the inside of your loop upon reinstallation [it will hide in the threads]

its up to you i just installed fresh o-rings without anything and im not worried 1 bit.

 

[BazMan28]

Yeah you probably shouldn't use teflon tape with o-rings. teflon tape or pipe dope shouldn't be used on fittings that don't seal on the threads, like o-rings and tube fittings. here's an article that explains the whole thing a little better

 

[bigtallanddopey]

I think for the most part you have to take into account what you are working with. Pc water cooling parts are not industrial parts and using industrial solutions will often cause more harm than good.

I used to work a lot with air components which we sealed with tape. Worked very well with few leaks if used properly. One day an ex plumber started working with us and used the liquid goop stuff as in his opinion it worked better.

It may have worked for plumbing but with our air components it got into the system and cost us several thousand and contributed to him losing his job.

My point after all that is sometimes using the tools already given is the best thing to do. The fittings come with o-rings and in my opinion work perfectly well with them. Putting anything into the system like tape or goop in my opinion increases risk to the other components. Any of those two items could get stuck in the pump or in the cpu block fins and reduce cooling or flow rate.

 

[trents]

The only leak problems I have had using only O rings was with a Swiftech reservoir whose threaded holes were recessed too much. The shoulders of the elbow I was using would bottom out against the tapered sides of the recess before making good contact with the O ring. Stacking two O rings on that fitting fixed the issue.

 

[GTXJackBauer]

I've been using threaded tape for added security since starting with H20 years ago. No issues here whatsoever.

 

[Mr.Scott]

My rule:
Tapered thread gets tape.
Straight thread gets o ring.

 

[maxfly]

My rule:
Tapered thread gets tape.
Straight thread gets o ring.

i agree. the only barbs i use that need tape are for my pa120.3 and thats only because i cant find any black chrome compression fittings for it everything else has o rings. hahaha just noticed how old this thread is!