![]() The fittings are made from a variety of materials including plastic, stainless steel, and brass. Compression fittings are wrench tightened and do not require any flaring, soldering, or other preparation of tubing to assemble. They are a strong and reliable connection that tightens down a sleeve over a joint to prevent a leak. Now it is time to look at a different type of connection: compression fittings.Ĭompression fittings are a type of coupling used to connect two pipes or a pipe to a fixture or valve. If your pipe is against the wall add a rosace backplate to your pipe clip to ensure you have enough space to tighten the nuts using water pump pliers or an adjustable spanner.In previous Dixon® blog posts, we have discussed pipe flanges, swivel joints, dry disconnects, cam & groove couplings, and more. If you have not already done so, measure the diameter of the copper pipe using digital callipers to make sure you choose the right fitting. deburr the copper pipe using a deburring tool (provided you have enough room) or an emery cloth.cut the copper pipe with pipe cutters unless you have enough room to manoeuvre a hacksaw.No matter which tools you are working with, or where you are working, you must: ![]() ![]() If, on the other hand, you are preparing the pipe on a workbench at a good working height and you have pipe cutters and a deburring tool to hand, you won't need any more five minutes to prepare. The same goes if the copper pipe is covered with paint which will need to be removed. If you are working on an existing system and you need to bend down under a kitchen sink or bathroom basin to cut the copper pipe using a hacksaw, there's a good chance your prep work will take at least 15 minutes. However, this is not entirely necessary as the connection is made watertight by the olive.ĭepending on the type of fitting you are making, your copper pipe can take anywhere from 3 to 15 minutes to prepare. Some DIYers like to add PTFE tape to the threaded seat under the nuts. If you are fitting two compression fittings next to each other, you need to leave at least 30 mm between them. To achieve this, you can fit your pipe clip with a rosace backplate. If you need to be able to remove the pipe later on, you'll need to leave a little space between the pipe and the wall so you can easily access the pipe once the fitting is in place. The copper pipe needs to be correctly inserted into the compression fitting body in order to be absolutely watertight. With this in mind, don't forget to account for a loss of a few millimetres when you are cutting the pipe. If required, mark out the position of the copper pipe on the wall using a tape measure, laser level and straight edge in order to fit pipe clips.Ĭompression fittings have a seat where the copper tube is partially slotted in. StepsĪt this stage, the rules for installing a solder-free compression fitting are more or less the same as making a soldered joint. Please note: this type of plumbing fitting cannot be used for gas connections. The olive can therefore only be used once, but it is possible to replace it when removing an old compression fitting. A compression ring, called a ferrule or olive, is designed to fit between the seat and the nuts, and is deformed upon tightening to create a watertight seal. They have a main body (which corresponds to the diameter of the pipe) and two threaded seats where nuts are screwed on. Compression fittings are frequently used to connect taps and other sanitary ware and feature a fairly basic design. Often used as part of renovations for tasks like replacing kitchen taps or bathroom taps, these fittings are reasonably priced and don't require soldering making them ideal for anyone with limited plumbing experience.ĭiameters can range from 6 to 22 mm and fitting types include tee, elbow, straight and mixed connectors with male or female threads. ![]() They are most commonly used to join hard copper pipe which generally comes in lengths of 2 to 5 metres. These couplings feature an olive or ferrule which bites into the pipe and eliminates the need for soldering. Among some of the most common solutions for joining copper pipework are brass compression fittings.
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