Teflon tape or pipe thread dope ?

[Guy_Roan]

Which do you use on your metal to metal water heater plug ?
My old trailer had a plastic plug so nothing was required, but this one has an anode.

Guy

[irishtom29]

csamayfield55 wrote:


HELL NO, Would never work in a union!!

I am a boiler man that works for a large printing company

Chris

I was a union boilermaker, worked out of a hiring hall. Made considerably more money than non union hands and had better conditions and benefits. I retired 13 years ago at 55 with a generous pension and with SS I'm near six figures. If you can show me how being a union member wasn't in my interest I'll call you Aristotle.

Investors and businessmen work collectively to further their economic interests but try to prevent employees from working collectively to further theirs. Often they try to shame workers---"can't you make it on your own?"--while they take advantage of collective actions such as corporations and trade associations.

[John_Joey]

My 2c as non-union type, if it comes apart often then tape, otherwise dope. Let the union guys break it apart when I'm gone. :B

[csamayfield55x]

irishtom29 wrote:

csamayfield55 wrote:
this is a little bit of advise from someone who puts pipes together for a living.

597 man?

HELL NO, Would never work in a union!!

I am a boiler man that works for a large printing company

Chris

[aruba5er]

Harvey (brand) Teflon pipe dope Best Of Both Worlds

[time2roll]

Tape for me.

[irishtom29]

csamayfield55 wrote:
this is a little bit of advise from someone who puts pipes together for a living.

597 man?

[csamayfield55x]

this is a little bit of advise from someone who puts pipes together for a living.

If you use pipe dope make sure it is TEFLON dope!! That old yellow stuff (Rector seal) can turn to concrete if it is old and heated.

For the anode rod on my old trailer I just put a couple of quick turns of teflon tape on it. It is easy to store in a tool box and doesn't make a mess all over. Just make sure it is only on the threads. You can very easily get tape over the threaded end and that is what others have described with it getting into strainers. My guess is it would be hard to get it into the water system from an anode plug but it could happen

Chris

[Guy_Roan]

handsome51 wrote:

DutchmenSport wrote:

Bill T wrote:
... I have pulled pieces from the faucet strainer.

... to prevent the dope from entering the piping system.

Exactly why I do not use anything on the Anode Rod. In a stick and brick house, I'd use the Teflon on a pipe that won't be removed for the next 100 years. But removing the anode rod once or twice a week, well.... there's just too much risk of getting "dope" "putty" or "tape" into the water system. That's contamination at it's finest!

Not to cause an argument here, but this is the reason I don't use anything on the anode.

Why don't you use this:Universal Tank Saver Anode Rod, TSA-200,
The anode has a valve on it. So you don't have to remove it to train the tank. I just remove it once a year to check the anode. I use the valve to drain the tank after each trip.

In my case that "draining once a year" will also be when I check the anode. I snow bird and my trailer is on a permanent site where I'll drain and check just once before heading north, so that would be a waste of money.

Guy

[handsome51]

DutchmenSport wrote:

Bill T wrote:
... I have pulled pieces from the faucet strainer.

... to prevent the dope from entering the piping system.

Exactly why I do not use anything on the Anode Rod. In a stick and brick house, I'd use the Teflon on a pipe that won't be removed for the next 100 years. But removing the anode rod once or twice a week, well.... there's just too much risk of getting "dope" "putty" or "tape" into the water system. That's contamination at it's finest!

Not to cause an argument here, but this is the reason I don't use anything on the anode.

Why don't you use this:Universal Tank Saver Anode Rod, TSA-200,
The anode has a valve on it. So you don't have to remove it to train the tank. I just remove it once a year to check the anode. I use the valve to drain the tank after each trip.

[DutchmenSport]

Bill T wrote:
... I have pulled pieces from the faucet strainer.

... to prevent the dope from entering the piping system.

Exactly why I do not use anything on the Anode Rod. In a stick and brick house, I'd use the Teflon on a pipe that won't be removed for the next 100 years. But removing the anode rod once or twice a week, well.... there's just too much risk of getting "dope" "putty" or "tape" into the water system. That's contamination at it's finest!

Not to cause an argument here, but this is the reason I don't use anything on the anode.

[Bill_T]

I use both tape and dope. Thread dope on fittings that will not be taken apart. Tape on parts that are frequently taken apart. And both on fitting that are corroded, damaged, or just will not quit dripping.

One word of caution about the tape. Too much on the male end can split the female fitting. When a taped fitting is removed be sure to clean the tape bits from the female fitting to keep those pieces from entering the piping system. I have pulled pieces from the faucet strainer.

When using dope leave the first two threads of the fitting free of dope to prevent the dope from entering the piping system.

[Guy_Roan]

DutchmenSport wrote:
I don't use either on the anode rod plug. Metal to metal. That's because I drain the tank after every trip. I have an occasional drip, but that's no big deal! It's not like the plug is going to be in there permanently. It get removed too much.

But for what it's worth, I haven't used plumbers putty on "anything" in the last 30 years. Teflon tape only on everything for me. I've only used plumbers putty under a sink to help seal it to the counter top when replacing the sink or around sink drain, or a shower drain hole.

My other option was pipe thread dope, not plumbers putty.
I only use that between a sink drain and the sink along with a rubber gasket.

guy

[Dave_H_M]

Dutch, I think he is talking pipe dope not the putty.

Anyway I use Teflon tape on that plug/anode rod.

[DutchmenSport]

I don't use either on the anode rod plug. Metal to metal. That's because I drain the tank after every trip. I have an occasional drip, but that's no big deal! It's not like the plug is going to be in there permanently. It get removed too much.

But for what it's worth, I haven't used plumbers putty on "anything" in the last 30 years. Teflon tape only on everything for me. I've only used plumbers putty under a sink to help seal it to the counter top when replacing the sink or around sink drain, or a shower drain hole.