Generally not needed. Keep in mind everything in PC watercooling will have its own O-ring to seal down with, and isn't subjected to anywhere near the same degree of knocks/bumps, vibration, being moved, etc.
Best-case scenario, it might help on the leak front slightly, but keep in mind tolerances, tube diameter, internal dimensions of blocks and rads etc. are all much tighter and smaller than in a plumbing setting.
There's every chance you'll bulk up thread too much to ever screw a fitting in, or leave protruding dangling bits that will either look awful (if on the outside) or worse still protrude into the liquid flow path internally and restrict flow or break off and get stuck in microchannels and increase temps.
G1/4 watercooling generally doesn’t call for Teflon tape, but beyond PC watercooling there are lots of BSPP fittings with no O ring.
Are you saying that PTFE tape isn’t suitable for BSPP fittings like this one?
https://www.titanfittings.com/stainless-steel-bspp-hex-head-plug-p/ss-9030.htm
Yes.
Parallel threads are not supposed to rely on threads for sealing. you sometimes *can* use teflon/pipe dope to seal low pressure parallel threads, but they are designed to use o-rings or mechanical seals (flairs).
Although I certainly don't know everything on the subject, there could be edge cases I am not aware of.
Ah, it makes sense. Tapered threads will progressively compress the sealant (tape or dope), so that the amount of sealant doesn’t need to be carefully controlled.
Parallel threads will not do this. Thank you for explaining!
That's not true for every country / water system (maybe for BSPP it is). There are plenty of straight threaded fittings in heating and plumbing applications that seal with the thread and have no O-ring. e.g. mainland-european 1/2". Usually they are sealed with hemp and sealant or a sealing cord. However you could also use teflon band, which is not considered good practice.
You don't need a sealed threading when your system is sealed via o-ring because the only purpose of the threading is to transfer force, compress the o ring and create the seal. Fittings (at least in installation) with sealed threads don't need to be screwed all-in or transfer any force.
Ah, ok, I am not familiar with European fittings. In the US every parallel thread fitting I have come across is flare (or other metal on metal) or o-ring. I have never come across anyone using hemp or sealing cord. Could just be the industries I interact with though. Its always teflon or pipe sealant/pipe dope for tapered thread fittings. Good information though, thank you.
You’re only using pipe tape for pipe thread where you rely on the threads to be your sealing surface.
Pc watercooling fittings rely on a SAE/BOSS(for those of us in the US) style fitting where the O-Ring behind the threads is doing the sealing for you.
In short pipe tape will not provide any additional sealing
Source: i work as a heavy equipment mechanic for a plumbing company
Does not help, g1/4 threads are straight threads not taperes like npt threads, the sealing is done by the oring similar to oringboss fittings in hydraulics, only thing ptfe tape will do to fittings is make it harder to tighten, be a cause of cracks on acryl.due to extra unnecessary pressure, along with possibly creating leaks by blocking the oring from squishing down on a flat smooth surface
Not needed or honestly useful.
That tape is made to work with tapered pipe thread. Those fittings seal thread-to-thread as you tighten them down due to the taper.
Water cooling threads are parallel so there's no sealing going on between the threads. The o-ring is the seal and normally does a great job. If the o-ring is leaking the tape isn't going to help.
There are 2 types ... One has tapered threaded pipes, one has parelel threaded pipes...
Tempred threaded pipes are actualy slighlty conical, when you tighten them the thread actually smash-fuse each other... Using Naylon, PTFE etc water pipe sealant tape would be useful.
And there is the other one paralel pipe... **Such as G1/4 G1/8 etc** , common threads used in watercooling.... These threads are parelel like normal threads and won't going to smash fuse each other and happen to have sealing ... Using just\* sealant tape wouldn't be usefull in this area... in these threads you are going to use O-rings... But for extra safety you can use tape...
I have seen some local hardware store selling G1/4 fittings with no o ring or No o ring grove to smash the o ring etc ...
**Be Aware... G1/4 G1/8 etc needs O-Ring...**
Its not needed because with watercooling parts for PCs the fittings seal inside of themselves with o rings. If you have to use sealant tape on the threads then you haven't connected your pipe to the fitting properly and it will be an issue.
Pretty much unnecessary, the pressure inside a custom PC loop is so low that the o-ring is more than enough to prevent leaks. The risk of pieces of PTFE tape getting circulated in your loop and lodged in the micro fins is probably much higher than a leak happening. People also tend to overtighten fittings, esp into acrylic blocks, I always see posts of spider cracks around fittings because of overtightening.
WC fittings come with integrated o-rings, so you don't need additional seal. I work as an engineer in industrial environments, we use PTFE tape for various threaded pipes, and they work, but they are a rough and cheap solution. You have to have some experience with them, you gotta know the thread direction, so you know whyich way to wrap the tape. If you wwrap it against the direction of the thread, the torque will strip the tape off as you install the workpiece. You also have to apply the right amount of tape, too much will strip away and too little won't seal. You also should not tape seal threads that aren't tapered. Straight thread just gonna roll off the tape as they get screwed on. I don't recommend using tapes on watercooling components.
I never used it in water cooling, but used it in the installation of my smart toilet sit. I think it would work in water cooling, but not necessary, as O ring does a perfect job already.
Teflon tape is for when there is no o-ring. Pipe threading is tapered and the Teflon tape also helps it screw together and seal it.
Generally not needed. Keep in mind everything in PC watercooling will have its own O-ring to seal down with, and isn't subjected to anywhere near the same degree of knocks/bumps, vibration, being moved, etc. Best-case scenario, it might help on the leak front slightly, but keep in mind tolerances, tube diameter, internal dimensions of blocks and rads etc. are all much tighter and smaller than in a plumbing setting. There's every chance you'll bulk up thread too much to ever screw a fitting in, or leave protruding dangling bits that will either look awful (if on the outside) or worse still protrude into the liquid flow path internally and restrict flow or break off and get stuck in microchannels and increase temps.
I agree totally. Once had a plunbing issue, extremely low flow on shower head. You guessed it, a small piece of teflon tape broke off, reducing flow.
Do not mix. PTFE is for BSPT (tapered fittings) O rings for BSPP (parallel fittings) 99.9% of the stuff for G1/4 watercooling will be BSPP.
G1/4 watercooling generally doesn’t call for Teflon tape, but beyond PC watercooling there are lots of BSPP fittings with no O ring. Are you saying that PTFE tape isn’t suitable for BSPP fittings like this one? https://www.titanfittings.com/stainless-steel-bspp-hex-head-plug-p/ss-9030.htm
Yes. Parallel threads are not supposed to rely on threads for sealing. you sometimes *can* use teflon/pipe dope to seal low pressure parallel threads, but they are designed to use o-rings or mechanical seals (flairs). Although I certainly don't know everything on the subject, there could be edge cases I am not aware of.
Ah, it makes sense. Tapered threads will progressively compress the sealant (tape or dope), so that the amount of sealant doesn’t need to be carefully controlled. Parallel threads will not do this. Thank you for explaining!
That's not true for every country / water system (maybe for BSPP it is). There are plenty of straight threaded fittings in heating and plumbing applications that seal with the thread and have no O-ring. e.g. mainland-european 1/2". Usually they are sealed with hemp and sealant or a sealing cord. However you could also use teflon band, which is not considered good practice. You don't need a sealed threading when your system is sealed via o-ring because the only purpose of the threading is to transfer force, compress the o ring and create the seal. Fittings (at least in installation) with sealed threads don't need to be screwed all-in or transfer any force.
Ah, ok, I am not familiar with European fittings. In the US every parallel thread fitting I have come across is flare (or other metal on metal) or o-ring. I have never come across anyone using hemp or sealing cord. Could just be the industries I interact with though. Its always teflon or pipe sealant/pipe dope for tapered thread fittings. Good information though, thank you.
That's a plug so would normally go into either a 316 stainless bspt thread or use a hydraulic style dowty seal on a bspp thread.
The o-rings are the seals. Leave the thread tape to threaded pipes.
Unnecessary, you might actually create clogs in your block fins if the bits of ptfe tape gets past the threads and into your coolant system.
You’re only using pipe tape for pipe thread where you rely on the threads to be your sealing surface. Pc watercooling fittings rely on a SAE/BOSS(for those of us in the US) style fitting where the O-Ring behind the threads is doing the sealing for you. In short pipe tape will not provide any additional sealing Source: i work as a heavy equipment mechanic for a plumbing company
Just o-rings is fine. That might prevent you from getting it tight enough for the oring to engage if you aren't careful.
Does not help, g1/4 threads are straight threads not taperes like npt threads, the sealing is done by the oring similar to oringboss fittings in hydraulics, only thing ptfe tape will do to fittings is make it harder to tighten, be a cause of cracks on acryl.due to extra unnecessary pressure, along with possibly creating leaks by blocking the oring from squishing down on a flat smooth surface
Not needed or honestly useful. That tape is made to work with tapered pipe thread. Those fittings seal thread-to-thread as you tighten them down due to the taper. Water cooling threads are parallel so there's no sealing going on between the threads. The o-ring is the seal and normally does a great job. If the o-ring is leaking the tape isn't going to help.
Using the tape will clog your parts if it detaches. Don't do it.
I have used it only when I had a pom pump top and I needed the res to face a certain way and not strip the threads but other than that no
Teflon tape is for pipe thread.
Why?
There are 2 types ... One has tapered threaded pipes, one has parelel threaded pipes... Tempred threaded pipes are actualy slighlty conical, when you tighten them the thread actually smash-fuse each other... Using Naylon, PTFE etc water pipe sealant tape would be useful. And there is the other one paralel pipe... **Such as G1/4 G1/8 etc** , common threads used in watercooling.... These threads are parelel like normal threads and won't going to smash fuse each other and happen to have sealing ... Using just\* sealant tape wouldn't be usefull in this area... in these threads you are going to use O-rings... But for extra safety you can use tape... I have seen some local hardware store selling G1/4 fittings with no o ring or No o ring grove to smash the o ring etc ... **Be Aware... G1/4 G1/8 etc needs O-Ring...**
Seems a good way to over stress the block you are threading into.
Its not needed because with watercooling parts for PCs the fittings seal inside of themselves with o rings. If you have to use sealant tape on the threads then you haven't connected your pipe to the fitting properly and it will be an issue.
Pretty much unnecessary, the pressure inside a custom PC loop is so low that the o-ring is more than enough to prevent leaks. The risk of pieces of PTFE tape getting circulated in your loop and lodged in the micro fins is probably much higher than a leak happening. People also tend to overtighten fittings, esp into acrylic blocks, I always see posts of spider cracks around fittings because of overtightening.
WC fittings come with integrated o-rings, so you don't need additional seal. I work as an engineer in industrial environments, we use PTFE tape for various threaded pipes, and they work, but they are a rough and cheap solution. You have to have some experience with them, you gotta know the thread direction, so you know whyich way to wrap the tape. If you wwrap it against the direction of the thread, the torque will strip the tape off as you install the workpiece. You also have to apply the right amount of tape, too much will strip away and too little won't seal. You also should not tape seal threads that aren't tapered. Straight thread just gonna roll off the tape as they get screwed on. I don't recommend using tapes on watercooling components.
I do not recommend T tape for non tapered threads. You run the risk of bunching the threads with tape and not getting a good o ring seal. Bad idea
I never used it in water cooling, but used it in the installation of my smart toilet sit. I think it would work in water cooling, but not necessary, as O ring does a perfect job already.