Pipe Dope - have you used it?

J

JDBattleMC

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I am redoing my loop after having a leak previously, and I have decided to try and make the most leakproof system you can. I am putting 7/16" hose on 1/2" barbs, locking them with hose clamps, and I'm curious about pipe dope.

A)Has anyone used it?

B)What could it do if it got in my rad?

C)Is it worth the risk over teflon tape? (Presuming there IS a risk)
 
Pipe dope is gooey nasty crap that never really dries... and if it does dry, it turns to powder.

It is mainly used for threaded connections for galvanized pipe.. which you should not be using ANYWHERE anymore.

Just remembering unscrewing galvanized pipe and having to deal with that gooey crap makes me shudder.
 
you never need to use something like that on a loop. considering the tubing your using for 1/2 barbs, generally it's enough.
a well secured hose clamp should be more than enough insurance against leaks.
 
Pipe dope is only for straight threaded pipe.

Not for fittings which are usually tapered.
 
Thread tape was sometimes used in the past, but now most if not all fittings have o-rings.
 
All of my fittings have o-rings, I just wanted the most secure connection. All of my barbs are fat-boys, and the threads are not tapered.

I will go without the pipe dope - I have concerned about it making my fluid conductive anyhow.
 
I've used teflon tape before and it worked well. Some fittings of mine weren't machined very well and still leaked even with the o-ring. Teflon tape solved that.
 
I always use pipe dope on my fittings. I use permatex thread sealant. You can pick it up at most automotive parts stores. With in about 24hrs the sealant sets up and locks your fittings into your blocks or radiators. I have had fittings loosen up and start leaking. That happened to me with a fitting in an acetal cpu block. So that is why I started using thread sealant. It is a whole lot cheaper than a new graphics card and motherboard.
As for getting any of the sealant in the system, that is where patience and paying attention to what you are doing comes into play. I always make sure there is no thread sealant at the end of the fittings or inside the the fittings before I install them.
 
Patonb said:
Pipe dope is only for straight threaded pipe.

Not for fittings which are usually tapered.
Click to expand...

no. pipe dope and teflon tape are for use on any NPT (national pipe- tapered)or NPS (national pipe- strait) or any fitting that doesnt use an o-ring to seal. NPT and NPS pipes make an interference seal by the treads of one sealing against the threads of another, and thus require some type of tape or dope to seal the small areas between the threads caused by imperfect thread cutting. pipe dope is normally used on gas pipes, tape on liquid connections, though that isnt always true and they can be interchangable in some cases. this mainly applies to the construction and plumbing industry, which use large, rough and cheap mass produced pipe (large diameter black or galvanized pipe, mainly).

for our purposes of water cooling, most parts are plastic and have a much smoother surface finish on the threads that can often seal without any tape or dope. not to mention most fittings seal with an o-ring and not by thread interference.
i would probably prefer using tape on a water cooling loop (when necessary) simply because its easier to control and apply and avoid the posibility of pieces of it getting dislodged inside the loop. pipe dope could ooze inside if you apply too much or are careless and it would travel around, which is obviously not a good thing. it certainly could clog your radiator. if you are understand this and are careful im sure it would work fine, though.
 
On O-ring seals you shouldn't be putting anything on the threads. 90% of O-ring leaks are caused by over tightening. You just need to go snug and then 1/4 to 1/2 turn more. Anything beyond that will cause the O-ring to distend and leak.

If you feel you absolutely must put something on the threads I'd go with a small dab of good ole Locktite blue. This will do the same thing as the Teflon, but you wont have the risk of any bits of Teflon coming loose and wandering through your loop.
 
I knew tape was all good... but guess i was wrong on the dope... Sorry ghost, your disclaimer got bashed
 
I slice Teflon tape lengthwise to get at least a couple of wraps around the threads with no over hang. I also secure tubing to barbed fittings with tyewraps pulled as tightly as I can ... I really want a tyewrap gun ... one of these days.
 
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