Plumbing Compression Sleeves

[ET16]

I'm putting in some faucets that require 3/8" compression fittings. I'm having trouble getting them to seal. I have tried putting teflon tape over the olive-shaped sleeves which has helped, but I don't know if I should be using it. The first application made things too slippery, it seems, as the whole fitting blew off when I turned the water back on. I would hate to have that happen unexpectedly sometime in the future.

I tried to get some copper sleeves, instead of the supplied brass, as I thought the softer copper might seal better, but I have had trouble finding them.

Any advice? Should I just use the tape and redo with new sleeves until it stops dripping?

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

I personally hate those compression fittings. Use some tape and then coat with ptfe paste you can get them to seal. Plumbers insist it's not necessary but then you see them using paste, putty...whatever when they have a big job to finish. Or just get shark bites and be done with the stress. Make sure to get the shark bite tool to campher the pipe end and mark the depth.

 

[Nukeman7]

Are the supply lines you are installing on the faucets made of metal or plastic? If they are plastic, the ferrule collars need to be DELRIN nylon, not brass. The brass collars are only going to work on thin wall metal supply tubing. The nylon collars are tapered differently (i.e., asymmetrical) and have to be installed in a specific orientation.

If possible, it is easiest to replace the supply line with the armored Nylobraid tubing style with pre-made compression couplings on both ends.

 

[burbguy82]

Are the supply lines you are installing on the faucets made of metal or plastic? If they are plastic, the ferrule collars need to be DELRIN nylon, not brass. The brass collars are only going to work on thin wall metal supply tubing. The nylon collars are tapered differently (i.e., asymmetrical) and have to be installed in a specific orientation.
View attachment 225304View attachment 225305

If possible, it is easiest to replace the supply line with the armored Nylobraid tubing style with pre-made compression couplings on both ends.
View attachment 225303

This is correct.

I will add that no sealant or tape is proper. I have never seen a supply, of the type you are installing fail, ever.....unless improperly installed.

The tapered (smaller OD) end of the delrin sleeve goes into the supply stop. Make sure the tube is going in straight, and finger tighten, then 1.5 to 2 full turns after that.

Be absolutely sure your connection is tight, houses have flooded due to the improper installation of this type of connection.

 

[The_Jeff]

You should not have tape. The pipe that the olive things go over has to be clean-- no rust, no paint. What are the pipes made of?

If you can't make this work I'd try to find a shark-bite type fitting that fits. Those are pretty easy to use albeit expensive.

 

[ET16]

Pipes are chome-plated copper.

 

[ET16]

I bought some more sleeves at Grainger. I will try them tomorrow.

 

[ET16]

I redid the connections with the new sleeves. All good.

Makes me wonder about the metallurgy of the sleeves that came with the hoses.