Lockshield (compression) olive question

[johnbrist]

Silly question coming up:

On a compression type lockshield valve there is, of course, an olive on the tail that screws into the radiator. Should this olive be fixed in position or should it be moveable?

I ask because I bought a Pegler Terrier Lockshield valve to replace an old seeping valve and the olive on the tail was very firmly fixed, about 2mm from the end. (Additionally it was at a very slight angle.) I took it back and another was identical.

Am I wrong in thinking that the olive should be free to move? (Which would, incidentally give a small amount of play when fitting to existing pipework.)

 

[Gasop]

Simple answer, if the olive not in the right place then ' it the valve with a nammer' to
put it in the right place.

The olive not in fixed place until tightened with compression nut.

 

[johnbrist]

Thanks - that's great.

(As I said - a silly question.)

 

[John D v2.0]

I bought the same ones and they were fixed too. They were leaking after I fitted them but following a very sarcastic thread on this forum, I learned that a couple of turns of PTFE tape on the outside of the olive (not the threads) is a dodge that works surprisingly well! Try it and see.

 

[johnbrist]

In the end I returned the Pegler and got a couple of Altecnic Eclipse lockshield valves.

I now know that could have knocked the olive into place, but the olive wasn't square to begin with - so, not being a pro, I went for an easier option!