one of the frustrating things I find when using pipe threaded elbows, "T"'s etc. is when it gets tight the bend is pointing in totaly the wrong fawking direction than where you need it!!!!

I'm about to put together a project and before I screw on the elbows I thought I would ask for tips. Like..... "start the threads with the elbow 90 or 180degrees out from where u want it to end up".... orrr????

thanks in advance!!!!!!!!!

where did you get your bended pipe from? I believe one would
usually tell whoever they're payin what their plans are and they
start the threads in the correct spots so this doesn't happen.

Also with tape or dope you don't need to tighten that puppy all the way down. The tape or dope will seal it nicely.

Originally posted by Blinky Bill
where did you get your bended pipe from? I believe one would
usually tell whoever they're payin what their plans are and they
start the threads in the correct spots so this doesn't happen.

I think Coach is referring to off the shelf parts from Homey's.

I always find the teflon tape has enough "give" to it so you can tighten them "just a wee bit more" if things don't line up right.


Andy

Originally posted by Blinky Bill
where did you get your bended pipe from? I believe one would
usually tell whoever they're payin what their plans are and they
start the threads in the correct spots so this doesn't happen.

Damn... you can get custom threaded/bent pipe stuff? Where would u look for that kind of business? I'm just using off the shelf brass, black, and PVC stuff. I've never used anything else. Now I dont use any galvanized stuff cause Biodiesel eats the coating off and contaminates your fuel system. That is not any matter to this topic though.

If I dont have to CRANK on it to be air tight since I'm using tape then GREAT! When I use elbows with a diesel project it HAS to be air tight or it will fawk with the engine so I allways CRANKED on it which put the bend usually in the wrong direction. REAL glad to hear I dont have to do that.

Much thanx, Unless some one pipes in and totaly disagree's with ya :flipoff2:

What are you carrying in it? water supply? waste water? fuel?

You only have one thread so 90* or 180* will not make any difference.
NPT threads are tapered so they get tighter and tighter as you turn them. The trick is to not tighten them till they won't turn anymore. Tighten them by hand as hard as you could, then when it's almost finished use a wrench and comprimise tightness for direction.
Thread sealant, teflon tape, dope or even liquid telfon all work well in sealing the thread joint. With brand new brass threads sealant isn't nessecary but if the threads are used sealant is reccomended.
High pressure systems like hydraulics a different monster. If your just working with a low pressure system the joints don't need to be super tight.

Originally posted by mike
What are you carrying in it? water supply? waste water? fuel?

Vegetable oil with a cutting agent to bring it down to the viscosity of diesel. At first Gasoline at up to 15%. I'll be trying several other cutting agent/solvents too.

This project is basically a standard fuel transfer pump system like they put on drums or bed diesel tanks along with a dispensing nozel like u find on a gas pump. Farmers us it to fuel their tractors etc. etc. Unimog, Tractor... just about the same thing :flipoff2: Let the picture below tell ya better than I can describe it.

http://www.tuthilltransfersystems.com/products/detailpgs/securetransfer/fueltransfer/images/1210.jpg

I have a little extra plumbing though. Inside is a screen filter and the exit from the pump goes thru a 800 buck super spinner filter(cetrafuge concept type filter) before it goes out the nozel. I will actually stick the nozel in the second bung of the drum and filter the oil over and over till I'm ready to pump it into the diesel fuel tank of the Mog or later in my car also. Right now I'll run the filter while I prepare to go to sleep in the camper where the barrel sits. Least thats my plan for my moving journey from OH to FL. My car already is in FL.

Yeah.... I'll be driving using filtered Vegetable oil as fuel. On this up comming moveing trip; I'll have with me about 60 gals of used cooking oil from Arby's. Eventually on long trips (cross country type, all on back roads and wheeling with 4x4 clubs on the weekends :D except for in town stops to eat and refuel) I will stop at resturants and refill from their waste oil and drive away filtering it till its clean enough to use as fuel. By then I'll be hungry and stopping at another resturant :D

Eventually it will all be redone to where I am using a vehicle fuel tank (30 gal Truck tank) as the filter tank and it will filter the oil as I drive. . At that time I'm going to plumb another filter into the system too. Not a big spendy one though, just a standard auto diesel fuel filter. I got a spare off a Junker MB diesel, though I may invest in a newer larger big rig filter. As I get low on fuel I'll redirect the pumps flow to fill the tank I drive with via a valve in the cab.

More details on this setup here (http://biodiesel.infopop.cc/6/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=447609751&f=159605551&m=372600382)

ohhh.. did I forget to say I got my super spinner RCI 800 buk filter for about 30 buks from an ebay seller :flipoff2:

http://www.rcipurifier.com/images/indexpurifier.jpg

WVO!?! Excellent! Lemme know how it goes! WVO and Biodiesel are really quite interesting... esp since I have an oilburner :D

Hmmm heard of some guy running a VW Bus on Veg cross country. They kept having problems.


Hahah you know Us southerners call Panama City the "Red Neck Riviara" LOL.
When are you coming through Atlanta? Love to see the mog running on Veg. If it's durring the week I'm on the way in Cartersville GA a mile off I 75. If it's on the weekend I'm In Marietta about 3 miles off I 75.

Originally posted by Grim Reaper
Hmmm heard of some guy running a VW Bus on Veg cross country. They kept having problems.


Hahah you know Us southerners call Panama City the "Red Neck Riviara" LOL.
When are you coming through Atlanta? Love to see the mog running on Veg. If it's durring the week I'm on the way in Cartersville GA a mile off I 75. If it's on the weekend I'm In Marietta about 3 miles off I 75.

Yep... Redneck Riviara. I lived there for the first 18yrs of my life.

I'll put tya on my list of stop bys. I got a slew of them but I think I'll make most of them. I've been in Marieatta though I'm sure its all very different now. I use to work in Norcross for a Gymnastic School there. Right out of HS so that was in the early 80's o.

Make sure if you use pipe dope, you read the label. Some are not supposed to be used with fuel/solvents. I believe the pipe "dope with teflon" would be ok to use, and it works great. I've never had a leak using it & use it every day.

Like everyone else said, make sure you use teflon tape, its sole purpose is to make the threads "slippery" so it makes up easier.

Don't over-tighten as you could crack the 90* or tee.

What size pipe are you running? 1/2"?
Our sprinkler heads are 1/2" and you can make them in hand tight & one turn with a cresent wrench and that will hold 200psi without leaking!

Nick

Originally posted by Valentine
Make sure if you use pipe dope, you read the label. Some are not supposed to be used with fuel/solvents. I believe the pipe "dope with teflon" would be ok to use, and it works great. I've never had a leak using it & use it every day.

Like everyone else said, make sure you use teflon tape, its sole purpose is to make the threads "slippery" so it makes up easier.

Don't over-tighten as you could crack the 90* or tee.

What size pipe are you running? 1/2"?
Our sprinkler heads are 1/2" and you can make them in hand tight & one turn with a cresent wrench and that will hold 200psi without leaking!

Nick

So far I'm all strong arm hand tight. Ill watch for leaks. with a pipe wrench in hand. Yup... that big... my regular adjustable wrench is nottttt quite big enough for most the connections. Most are like 1" also just under that and two at 1/2" If my memory serves me right. My PSI will be way below 200 though.

3 foot pipe wrenches help....

Originally posted by Toyota_Jim
3 foot pipe wrenches help....

damnnnn..... I knew I was getting short changed. My last Pipe Wench had only two feet.


ooooohhhh Pipe wRench.... I thouht you meant....... oh never mind. :flipoff2:

pipe dope and tape it good. Also if you dont mind the mess use permatex instead, if dries rock solid so you dont have to crank it down all the way.

Originally posted by wrangler4.2
pipe dope and tape it good. Also if you dont mind the mess use permatex instead, if dries rock solid so you dont have to crank it down all the way.

Permatex doesn't hold up well with fuels, the teflon would be best all around.

Be carefull with teflon and brass it is easy to over tighten and break a fitting due to the taper.
Still got one more heat exchanger if you want it.

Originally posted by CJ
....
Still got one more heat exchanger if you want it.

aggggg.. I want it but I want to much... I cant right now.. Im so far over budget on the pump/filter system it aint funny. Maybe in Oct after Ive settled in FL and found a job.

Originally posted by JeepinDoug


Permatex doesn't hold up well with fuels, the teflon would be best all around.

And you also have to wait for it to dry which can be a drag. I did the first half of my OBA with it before I figured out it had to be dry to seal, especially at 120 PSI.


Andy

Originally posted by coachgeo


aggggg.. I want it but I want to much... I cant right now.. Im so far over budget on the pump/filter system it aint funny. Maybe in Oct after Ive settled in FL and found a job.

Did you use the other two yet?
Is that what you are putting the fitings in?

Originally posted by CJ


Did you use the other two yet?
Is that what you are putting the fitings in?

Other two have slated purposes just like the 3rd one has all along. Im no where near that stage in the game though.

Fittings are in my WVO pump/filter sytstem as described above in this thread.

Since your here. Please email me to remind me which ports are for what on the exchangers. There are two ports welded on the outer casing Call them Casing Ports, and two that are fitted thru a cap that bolts to the end of the casing with a thousand friggen bolts :flipoff2: Call them the Cap ports. What did these two different areas have fed into them again? Any hazardous materials pumped thru them previously? I assume these can never be used for hot water for Tea and coffee heheh. So far that is not my plan but still keeping options open in my head.

email is coachgeo@pirate4x4.com Dont PM me. it fills to easy

install threaded unions, that way you can clock them any way you want.

Originally posted by bgreen
install threaded unions, that way you can clock them any way you want.

where do u find threaded unions. I ask everytime I go for parts for a project for something that will alow me to set the elbows and "T"'s where I want them and they just say it cant be done. I think I know what a union is but I'm not picturign how to use it for this purpose unless you mean use half union and half elbow or "T" .... will that work?

I'm not a plumber, but I've run more than my fare share of plumbing (used to be Mech Tech for uncle sam for 7 yrs.).

Use the teflon tape. Don't ever put a fitting together without it (unless it's stainless, then you need to use some different stuff). Contrary to what the common mythe is, teflon does NOT seal the joint. As someone mentioned, it's for lube. The seal is made by the taper of the pipe thread (that's why NPT is a different thread than a screw thread of similar size). The teflon lets you screw it together tighter. Don't need to over muscle it. Hand tight, then maybe one more turn with the wrench then turn until it lines up. Check it for leaks. If it still leaks, then get heavy fisted. Just be sure to use a backup wrench on the other piece. One other trick is that you don't ever back it off. Hit the mark while turning in the tightening direction. I've had the occasional leak show up if I tried to fudge it when I overshot the mark and had to back it off like a quarter or eigth of a turn. Oh yeah, be sure to wrap the tape on clockwise. That way it won't try to come off when you're putting it together. And keep the tape off the very end thread, otherwise you could wind up with tape bits in the system. I would avoid the unions if at all possible. They're usually a serious PITA to get to seal. I only use them if I really need to. And in that case I usually put tape on those threads as well for the same reason: so I can crank down on it to (try) and get it to seal. On a union, the threads aren't the sealing surface, but you're still trying to crank on things to get the surfaces to mate.

Aside from all that, since this is on a fuel system I would only use pipe fittings where necessary (e.g.: on the pump). From there I'ld want to use some type of a compression fitting. Either a generic flare type, or better yet a Swagelok type (assuming steel tubing or similar). And yes, you can get fittings that are NPT on one side and compression or swage type on the other. But that's just IMO.

best thing to line line up threaded fittings right is a 36" pipe wrench