[time-nuts] OT Euro/US plumbing was 14 tpi UNS die
GandalfG8 at aol.com
GandalfG8 at aol.com
Wed Jul 8 08:22:32 UTC 2009
In a message dated 08/07/2009 00:08:41 GMT Daylight Time,
cfharris at erols.com writes:
But I'm puzzled! First you tell me you have never seen an O-ring with a
jamb
nut in a heating system, and then you tell me that your system, presumably
without any such O-ring seals, doesn't leak???
-------------------
I think that's because you're talking about different things.
When Bjorn comments...
"Cu tube joints are madewith "nut", "support cylinder" and a "squeeze
ring".......
He's referring to a standard compression fitting, with the brass or copper
"squeeze ring", more usually called an olive or compression ring, having
tapered ends and being compressed around and into the copper pipe surface as
the nut is tightened.
Other than soldered joints, which are also still used, this is the
standard fitting here for gas or water in domestic installations.
When fitted properly, and they're very easily fitted, these shouldn't leak
at all.
If they have a downside it's that same thing that makes them work so well
to start with, the ring bedding itself into the outer of the copper pipe,
especially as there can be a tendency to overtighten despite warnings to the
contrary.
For the ring to be fully effective it needs to be installed over a "fresh"
section of pipe.
When working on existing systems, particularly those that have been
installed for some time, it may be necessary to replace lengths of pipe, or at
least cut back and insert a fresh short length in order to remove ends where
the fittings have been previously installed
I have also never seen an O-ring with jamb nut in a domestic heating
system and don't think steel pipe has been used here in regular domestic heating
systems since "central heating" took off in the 1960s/70s.
Steel pipe, often it seems referred to as "gas barrel" even if not being
used for gas, is still common in industrial situations but copper is the
norm for gas and water in domestic situations with pipe sizes varying to suit
flow and equipment fittings.
Domestic radiator type water heating systems traditionally make use of
25mm and 15mm copper pipe but systems using plastic sheathed 10mm copper pipe
are becoming more common, with the sheath being cut back to allow entry
into the fitting..
As compression fittings are very much the norm here I'm surprised that you
don't seem to have encountered them in the US.
Is it possible that what is being supplied to the US from Europe is more
dictated by US plumbing practices and regulations than by what we'd normally
prefer to use ourselves?:-)
regards
Nigel
GM8PZR
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