Gas PTFE tape vs.water PTFE tape

[namsag]

Baggsie the name The Teflon kid and fighting out of the blue corner.

 

[ChrisR]

Nope its fom a BG training manual that takes everything from the standards.

Erm, our impression is that they make things up as they go along. Not disrespecting them , there are often gaps in the standards and the BG books do their best to make sense of what was intended.

CLassic is Meter Installations. The BS is a bit sketchy, so we use the BG manual for training as well.
But, that doesn't make it law!

 

[ChrisR]

Seems as though I can keep using normal ptfe for my diy gas exploits as the two are the same according to Onetaps link.
Apart from the thickness that is.
Happy Days......

Then you're a DIY DORK. The thickness is yours. The two tapes are NOT the same.
DIY DORKS only, click HERE

 

[blondini]

BOSS GT PTFE tape. "This tape satisfies demands of BGC IM/16 and is suitable for town gas, natural gas and LPG."

http://www.bssuk.co.uk/bsscomm/uploads/productinfo/BOSS_permanite_GT_PTFE_tape.pdf

BOSS PTFE tape. "Used by plumbers and heating engineers to provide a watertight seal on threaded joints."

http://www.bssuk.co.uk/bsscomm/uploads/productinfo/BOSS_ptfe_tape.pdf

They are the same material, i.e., both "100% pure, virgin PTFE and containing less than 0.1% wt residual lubricant".

The only difference is the thickness, 0.20 and 0.075mm.

Actually the thickness is not the only difference. The gas tape is twice as dense. There's your answer.

(I can't access the ChrisR link above so apologies if it's says the same)

 

[Agile]

Actually the thickness is not the only difference. The gas tape is twice as dense. There's your answer.

As a matter of interest how did you measure the density?

Tony

 

[blondini]

Actually the thickness is not the only difference. The gas tape is twice as dense. There's your answer.

As a matter of interest how did you measure the density?

Tony

I didn't. Figures for density are given in the links.

 

[Norcon]

Seems as though I can keep using normal ptfe for my diy gas exploits as the two are the same according to Onetaps link.
Apart from the thickness that is.
Happy Days......

Then you're a DIY DORK. The thickness is yours. The two tapes are NOT the same.
DIY DORKS only, click HERE

Then you are an even bigger dork.
Low porosity ?.
And I thought your link might have explained namsags stance on the natural gas reacting with the thinner ptfe.
There is no reaction. Its a made up load of baloney.
It speaks volumes when he is unable to provide any information relating to the chemical make up of the two tapes to support his argument.
As for the low porosity thats overcome by lapping more tape around the threads.
If it has low porosity then how come I have used the stuff on industrial refrigeration systems pressurised to 30 bar in some cases and NO leaks ?. EVER !.

Erm, our impression is that they make things up as they go along

Sounds about right.

 

[Onetap]

Actually the thickness is not the only difference. The gas tape is twice as dense. There's your answer.

Well spotted, sir!

Then you are an even bigger dork.
Low porosity ?.
And I thought your link might have explained namsags stance on the natural gas reacting with the thinner ptfe.
There is no reaction. Its a made up load of baloney.
It speaks volumes when he is unable to provide any information relating to the chemical make up of the two tapes to support his argument.
As for the low porosity thats overcome by lapping more tape around the threads.
If it has low porosity then how come I have used the stuff on industrial refrigeration systems pressurised to 30 bar in some cases and NO leaks ?. EVER !.

It might well explain it.

If both tapes are 100% PTFE and the gas tape is more dense, the only explanation is voids in the less dense tape. There is expanded PTFE gasket material advertised on the web. The other use of expanded PTFE is in Goretex, which is microporous and permeable to gas and vapour, but not to liquid.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goretex

It's not wholly convincing but it's the only plausible explanation anyone has offered. Any leakage from a non-gas taped joint must be tiny, so it would probably still pass a pressure test.

What is very strange is the story about PTFE tape degrading/exploding on contact with gas, which seems to be an urban myth, i.e., cobblers. The salesman in the plumbers' merchants agreed with the gas fitter; it seemed that I was the only one who wasn't aware it exploded.

If Namgas is correct, it seems that some of this story originated with the BGC's technical department.

I wonder if they charged the manufacturers for testing PTFE tape and allowing them to put "Satisfies BGC IM/16" on the spool? Surely not?

ChrisR; Where did you get the picture and do they have the picture of the non-expanded type?

Since neither you nor anyone else, knew the answer a couple of days ago, does that mean you have only recently ceased to be a DIY dork?

 

[namsag]

Onetap stop harping on about gas exploding on contact with ptfe we only have your word the guy said that.
Simple its got nothing to do with the thickness of tape . I use one wrap gas tape and you can get one wrap water tape it both the same thickness but the water tape REPEAT CANNOT BE USED ON GAS . people far cleverer than you and me have made this decision for an obvious reason .Live with it.
IF the answer is density
Less dense means more room between the molecules which mean whatever molecules that are in the gas that can react as they have more room to get in and react.
More dense means tighter molecular structure and whatever molecules within the gas cannont fit into this tighter structure . Bit like how osmosis works

 

[Onetap]

http://www.resitape.com/en/overview_mgst.html

Onetap stop harping on about gas exploding on contact with ptfe we only have your word the guy said that.

It does not explode, but that is what was said; believe or disbelieve as you please.

Simple its got nothing to do with the thickness of tape . I use one wrap gas tape and you can get one wrap water tape it both the same thickness but the water tape REPEAT CANNOT BE USED ON GAS . people far cleverer than you and me have made this decision for an obvious reason .Live with it.
IF the answer is density

The question was why it should not be used.
It was not a statement that I had used it or did use it. No-one knew the answer and that included you.

Less dense means more room between the molecules which mean whatever molecules that are in the gas that can react as they have more room to get in and react.
More dense means tighter molecular structure and whatever molecules within the gas cannont fit into this tighter structure . Bit like how osmosis works

Do you imagine that I need you to explain density?

We know the probable answer now, because someone has found out and has told us. At the timethe question was first asked, you did not know the answer. You posted some garbage about PTFE degrading when exposed to gas and screwed joints unscrewing themselves.

You got the hump with me because you didn't know. Put a sock in it, preferably an impermeable one.

PS

Less dense means more room between the molecules which mean whatever molecules that are in the gas that can react as they have more room to get in and react.

You may not believe this, but that's not right.

 

[DCPlumbing]

Can i use PVC electrician's tape?

I've had a really good look with a magnifying glass and it doesn't seem to be porus. Obviously i wouldn't use blue or red as this may be confused with the hot and cold water supply.

 

[Onetap]

Oops, double post. Sorry

 

[Softus]

Can i use PVC electrician's tape?

Yes, but you have to do an EFLI test afterwards.

I've had a really good look with a magnifying glass and it doesn't seem to be porus. Obviously i wouldn't use blue or red as this may be confused with the hot and cold water supply.

Quality.

 

[spacethegas]

yellow for gas obviously.

 

[Softus]

Or blue for North Sea gas.