larryb Posted October 27, 2014 Report Posted October 27, 2014 I have three relatively new portable oxygen tanks. One about two years old, the other two purchased this year. I've been noticing that they have been losing pressure at around 200 psi/month. So I put one of them upside down in the sink today and find it slowly bubbling where the gauge screws into the tank. The sealant used looks like regular white ptfe tape. I think it'll be easier to fix this myself than go through the hassle of shipping the 3 tanks back to the vendor. Normally with plumbing work, I have little success with ptfe tape and prefer a pipe dope product. Looking on Amazon, I find two products for oxygen, one a green ptfe tape and one a thread sealant: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LB1TWBK/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A11OKIK916253R#productDetails+ http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008HPW242/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER Before I go forward, I thought I'd check in with the brain trust here on any recommendations. Thanks, Larry Quote
Hank Posted October 27, 2014 Report Posted October 27, 2014 I've never used anything on oxygen threads at work. Just make sure they are CLEAN and GREASE FREE! Unless you enjoy spontaneous combustion. Quote
carusoam Posted October 27, 2014 Report Posted October 27, 2014 Same experience as Hank... No ptfe on these type of fittings... House plumbing, yes. Anyone use Teflon on O2 fittings? Best regards, -a- Quote
N201MKTurbo Posted October 27, 2014 Report Posted October 27, 2014 For high pressure stuff, I've found PTFE tape to be the best. Have you tried to tighten the gauge? Quote
N601RX Posted October 27, 2014 Report Posted October 27, 2014 http://www.restek.com/pdfs/308-02-001.pdf http://themedicalgas.com/page12/page13/Sealants.html Quote
larryb Posted October 27, 2014 Author Report Posted October 27, 2014 Yes, I tried a couple times to tighten the gauge. It didn't help. Quote
larryb Posted October 27, 2014 Author Report Posted October 27, 2014 Same experience as Hank... No ptfe on these type of fittings... House plumbing, yes. Anyone use Teflon on O2 fittings? Best regards, -a- The fitting for the gauge is standard tapered pipe thread. It's not the same as the CGA540 fitting between the valve and the regulator. I don't see how this thread can seal without some sort of sealant. And yes, it will be clean and using a oxygen-specific sealant when I put it back together. Thanks, Larry Quote
carusoam Posted October 27, 2014 Report Posted October 27, 2014 Tapered thread, yes... Sorry couldn't come up with the term. In that case, there is probably a standard of how much to use and the proper direction to wrap it to go with a torque setting. Make sure there isn't any excess that likes to cover or go down the hole. I would have expected ferules and slightly higher tech type fittings. I should have started with... 'I don't use O2, yet...' Best regards, -a- Quote
DrBill Posted October 27, 2014 Report Posted October 27, 2014 When I had my steel O2 bottle hydro tested they replaced the fitting using PTFE tape ! So I would use teflon tape on the gauge. BILL Quote
carusoam Posted October 27, 2014 Report Posted October 27, 2014 I'm still fuzzy on this... Anyone put Teflon tape on a scuba tank? Best regards, -a- Quote
Guest Posted October 28, 2014 Report Posted October 28, 2014 When I had my steel O2 bottle hydro tested they replaced the fitting using PTFE tape ! So I would use teflon tape on the gauge. BILL IMG_0373.JPG In looking at the picture of your pressure gauge I see the same recommendation "use No oil". Does any one have a Mil spec for " No oil"? Despite having many apprentices look, we can't find the spec. Clarence Quote
DonMuncy Posted October 28, 2014 Report Posted October 28, 2014 I may be misunderstanding your question, but "no oil" is "nothing with a petroleum base". ie. nothing that will burn. The tiniest bit of combustible material with a healthy dose of pure oxygen will make a terrible explosion. Any friction, like tightening a fitting can raise the temperature to a point the oil will ignite. Quote
carusoam Posted October 28, 2014 Report Posted October 28, 2014 Don, It's Clarence's northern sense of humor Don't use.. Vs. Use no When mixed.. Funniness ensues. Being the new/young mechanic in that shop has got to be a learning experience. Best regards, -a- Quote
N601RX Posted October 28, 2014 Report Posted October 28, 2014 In looking at the picture of your pressure gauge I see the same recommendation "use No oil". Does any one have a Mil spec for " No oil"? Despite having many apprentices look, we can't find the spec. Clarence MIL-T-27730A covers the tape and specifies that it has nothing in it that will make it combustible or give off dangerous fumes when exposed to heat. It was replaced with A-A-58092. Quote
DonMuncy Posted October 28, 2014 Report Posted October 28, 2014 OK, you have to realize I'm a little slow. But clever when understood. 1 Quote
Guest Posted October 28, 2014 Report Posted October 28, 2014 Don, It's Clarence's northern sense of humor Don't use.. Vs. Use no When mixed.. Funniness ensues. Being the new/young mechanic in that shop has got to be a learning experience. Best regards, -a- It's very educational. Some of the classics for your enjoyment. Fetch me some shore line for the float plane we're working on, don't forget the compass headings for your compass swing, who left the lid off the prop wash? Now its evaporated! Order more oxygen No oil. Clarence Quote
Ned Gravel Posted October 29, 2014 Report Posted October 29, 2014 Wait till you are the guy helping with your own annual and under the wing in his shop taking out screws with your bit driver (even with impact to help knock it loose). Apparently some things are not meant to be! I have not made it past apprentice yet. Ned Gravel Lucky steward of C-FSWR, a '65 E model at Rockcliffe, Ontario, (CYRO) Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote
cliffy Posted November 3, 2014 Report Posted November 3, 2014 Used to send new flight attendants to the rear lav with an air sick bag to get an air sample for maintenance before we landed. Quote
Awful_Charlie Posted November 3, 2014 Report Posted November 3, 2014 Ah yes, off to stores for a tin of tartan paint, a sky hook and a long wait please son And when they come back 'They're out of tartan paint an skyhooks, but they said they could give me the long wait', send them back and tell them to be sure they get an 8130 for it! Quote
DrBill Posted November 5, 2014 Report Posted November 5, 2014 I always thought that was a mis-spelling for NYE OIL.. A special compound we used on connectors... NyeTact® 502J-20-UV BILL Quote
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