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Any Pro Plumbers here?  Teflon, Plumbers Putty, PVC "dope"? What is right?

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  1. Tim C.
    • 6 friends
    • 127 reviews

    Hoping there's some knowlegeble Plumbers out here.

    We have a fiberglass water filter in the Sierras - and have to drain it in the winter. In trying to assembe the PVC thread into the threaded drain hole, we used Teflon Tape and cranked it down --- after filling it and leaving it overnight, it now leaks.

    What the heck are you supposed to use to connect a PVC thread to a fiberglass threaded connection? This tank is under pressure if that matters.

    thanks for any experience you can share.

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  2. Kevo M.
    • 596 friends
    • 440 reviews

    Usually teflon tape. But not too much or you'll crack either of the two fittings. Which is what you've probably done to the fiberglass water filter.

    You could do teflon and dope also. But either way, you shouldn't have more than 3-5 revolutions of teflon tape around the male threads.

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  3. Kevo M.
    • 596 friends
    • 440 reviews

    Do NOT use plumbers putty for this kind of application.

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  4. Nelson W.
    • 147 friends
    • 390 reviews

    Did you cross thread the fittings?  I'm not a professional by any means, but that would be my first thought.

    How much teflon did you use?  If you use too much, you can gum up the process as well.  I usually use maybe 2 turns for most things.

    Again, my experience is more of a homeowner's than that of a professional.

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  5. Tim C.
    • 6 friends
    • 127 reviews

    We applied the teflon tape to cover all the threads oh the male fitting. No overlapping too much - basically covering the threads.

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