Leaking air lines

[Joevano]

I have my compressor located in a storage room, and "plumbed" it to my ceiling hung hose reel throught the attic with 1/2" Goodyear air hose. I have a slow leak somewhere as I turn the compressor off when not in the shop and if I forget to turn off the line from the tank, it will drain down overnight. What do you use for sealing the fittings? I used PTFE tape.

 

[Falcon67]

Teflon tape plus pipe dope. From a friend that runs a plumbing business - "Wrap it with twice the tape you think you need, then cover with dope. Tighten and hope for the best."

Some of my cheap fittings use JB Weld for pipe dope.

 

[lakelandcat]

I have my compressor located in a storage room, and "plumbed" it to my ceiling hung hose reel throught the attic with 1/2" Goodyear air hose. I have a slow leak somewhere as I turn the compressor off when not in the shop and if I forget to turn off the line from the tank, it will drain down overnight. What do you use for sealing the fittings? I used PTFE tape.

when you wrap your tape leave the first thread open, that way the tape is pulled into the thread. If you wrap it all the way to the end it will push it down. More sometimes is not the best. Wrap it once and check your connect with soapy water, if you have a leak you'll get bubbles.

 

[ItsNemo]

Don't overdo the tape, it just gets pushed out of the way but I second the tape + dope suggestion. My recent setup I taped and doped all the connections and nothing leaked first time pressurizing it, a first.

 

[PoorOwner]

Could be anything like the swivel on the reel, if you use a soapy water spray bottle it will reveal where it is leaking quickly.

Sometimes you just have to add more tape, then tighten it pretty good. But I just use rectorseal #5. Use either or both if you like.

I have an up coming project that involves both tape and dope. It's for the compressor drain and I have to have it stop at the front, which means it doesn't necessary get installed tight enough for a good seal.

 

[Flail]

Trueblue Rectoseal, available at Homey’s.

 

[sberry]

Find the leak first.

 

[Paperman]

And buy good tape. HF tape is almost transparent its so thin but good tape will feel damnear like electric tape thickness. Also your tape job could be great and it will still leak, you can get a **** fitting. We have had a few of them over 1000's of fittings but a porous casting can make you cuss' allot when its way down the assembly.

 

[Slednut]

Find the leak first.

Yes, use soapy liquid to find the leak, any fitting could be the culprit.

 

[HoosierBuddy]

It could be anywhere. I've even had hoses check up in and leak along their entire length. Soapy water or, better yet, "Leek Seek" is what you need here.

To answer your original question though...Pipe Dope is much more reliable than teflon in my actual experience.

Phil

 

[turbowoodworker]

I worked in a shop as a kid. Leaks will happen, but it was a cardinal sin to forget to turn off the compressor overnight or, God forbid, the weekend for fear the compressor would run all weekend. Got my *** handed to me once, that was enough.

 

[Sticky Grips]

Do you have any way to separate the compressor from the air system plumbing?

The compressor itself could be an issue. Just a thought to avoid chasing your tail.

 

[Jeff Ivers]

If I understand what you are saying, you turn off the compressor over night, but leave the air lines open all the way to your tank. I never turn off my compressor. I always turn off the 1/4 turn valve I installed just past the outlet from my air compressor and before the lines that go to my various drops. The tank stays pressurized all the time and I only have a couple of joints to check for leaks should a problem develop. Have you considered setting up a remote turnoff for the airline?

 

[peter2772000]

Liquid Teflon, it's a paste. I've used it for nat gas, brake lines and my air-compressor. Never a leak, that $hit is amazing.

 

[matt_i]

My old reliables are Snoop for the leaks (soapy water is a close 2nd) and Loctite 565 PST for making up the joints. Teflon is OK but there are dangers of getting a "thread" of the stuff jammed in something important in the fluid system (not necessarily compressed air). Also should you ever have to take apart a fitting that was teflon-taped and has to be reassembled, its a pure pisser to have to clean off all the stringy webs of the shredded teflon from both sides of the threads.

 

[Jlbc212]

I agree with Flail: Trueblue Rectoseal

 

[1500hd]

Use pink Teflon tape on any fitting larger than 3/8”. It is high density. Research the proper tape to use for different size fittings. Also there is special tape for stainless steel fittings.

 

[bczygan]

I agree with Flail: Trueblue Rectoseal

I thought this was a bad joke about "******-seal", but misspelled.

Turns out it is a real product called:

 

[4cyclic]

Gasoila is also very good


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00207KC5E/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[sberry]

Find the leak first.

 

[ez-duzit]

Best thread sealant is Leak Lock. Install a shutoff valve at the compressor.

 

[AP514]

Could be anything like the swivel on the reel, if you use a soapy water spray bottle it will reveal where it is leaking quickly.

Sometimes you just have to add more tape, then tighten it pretty good. But I just use rectorseal #5. Use either or both if you like.

Tape, Rectorseal #5, and a soapy water spray bottle for the WIN

you can get Rectorseal 5 at any HD, Lowes

 

[TTTTTT]

Took a little while to find, I had a hairline crack on the 1/4" drain valve casing. Cheap valve, I put a new one one, didn't over tighten it. Leak resolved. Check that as well. Not a spot you think about.

Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

 

[sberry]

Pays to,,,,,,,, find leak first,,,, and then you can decide if you want to look at every sealer ever invented.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Find the leak first.

Find the leak first.

Pays to,,,,,,,, find leak first,,,, and then you can decide if you want to look at every sealer ever invented.

^^This^^

Tommy

 

[apollo11]

I worked in a shop as a kid. Leaks will happen, but it was a cardinal sin to forget to turn off the compressor overnight or, God forbid, the weekend for fear the compressor would run all weekend. Got my *** handed to me once, that was enough.

One of mine has been on for 20 years plus. I never turn it off

 

[Firebrick43]

Liquid Teflon, it's a paste. I've used it for nat gas, brake lines and my air-compressor. Never a leak, that $hit is amazing.

Brake lines???

 

[peter2772000]

Yup.

Bought the stuff at my HVAC supplier. It's rated for use with hydraulic lines and nat/propane gas. Matter of fact, I'm out of the stuff, when I pick up a new tube I'll post the name of the stuff.

 

[Tonyuk]

I use yellow gas tape on my compressor at home, never leaked yet.

 

[HoosierBuddy]

Best thread sealant is Leak Lock. Install a shutoff valve at the compressor.

That stuff works, but sets hard and is very hard to disassemble after a couple of years. This may not be an issue for home use...but we had to get away from it where I work because of that issue.

Phil

 

[Lelandwelds]

Find the leak first.

Rector seal and loctite are good. They're some others. I always used the oxygen safe stuff. Limited chances for "kaboom" and seemed more industrial quality. Good teflon ( like LA-CO) costs about $6 a roll not $1.

Look over parts before install. I had a tee which had an unthreaded leg once.

Check every fitting including compressor, hoses, and filters. A system with partitions is easier to check and service. ( How big and complicated is your place?) Leaks aren't always a once and done.

 

[phy6]

Ever since I switched to using the pink or yellow teflon tape, my air leaks have gone away, especially on black pipe NPT connections and larger threads. The thin teflon tape from HF is not that great--I was told you should not be able to see through it! The pink tape is at least twice the thickness and really fills in the gaps.

There is also a gray version marketed for stainless steel fittings, sold in the plumbing department of Lowes. It worked great on my stainless water fittings. Stainless is especially prone to galling so you need dope and/or tape to keep things from galling and being stuck forever (you could still have a leak and the pieces be stuck together!)