Gaskets

[gwilliamson]

Hi chaps
Wonder if you could settle a difference of a opinion between myself & my business partner.
Do any of you use Gaskets on flare joints?
I dont but partner swares by them...Any advice or pros and cons would be great and possibly win me a pint!

[malik55]

"NO" Have not seen any gaskets on flare joints,
and why that is required ? if leakage is the problem then it is the fault in making the flare, Systems are working years without any leakage with proper flaring.

[Iankp]

There are a lot of people using either liquid PTFE or thread sealant on flare joints but as said above Why? Properly made joints shouldn'tneed it and it makes the chances of contaminating the system greater.

[US Iceman]

If the flare is made correctly you will not need any sealant or gasket on the flare joint.

Having said that...Did you know there was such a thing as a flare gasket? You used to be able to buy these in the US a long time ago. The gasket was the flare from the tubing itself.

I have not seen these used for a long time. Is this what your partner is using?

Myself, I like hydraulic fittings for this purpose. They seal better, provide better support for the tubing, and you don't need a flaring block.

[Team York]

What we sometimes use, especially on 410a systems is what is called a solder to flare fitting, this uses a copper gasket. instead of flaring the pipe you silver solder a brass flare fitting onto the pipe, and you fit a copper gasket between the flare and the other fitting. I find them very good.

[NoNickName]

Copper gaskets are normally used in flares connection.
Obligatory by Johnson controls in their fan speed controllers with built'in pressure transducers.

[malik55]

Yes, there is a spacer with the JOHNSON FAN SPEED CONTROLLER'S (Penn series), but that is not a gasket, that is used when the flare connection is not a schreder type, and controller needs to fix on it, it will provide enough space between the flare face and schereder depressor, Otherwise both may damage.

[gwilliamson]

If the flare is made correctly you will not need any sealant or gasket on the flare joint.

Having said that...Did you know there was such a thing as a flare gasket? You used to be able to buy these in the US a long time ago. The gasket was the flare from the tubing itself.

I have not seen these used for a long time. Is this what your partner is using?

Myself, I like hydraulic fittings for this purpose. They seal better, provide better support for the tubing, and you don't need a flaring block.

hi, cheers lads.
The gaskets are the proper copper gaskets as sold in HRP, Dean & Wood etc. I think you have all just won me a pint. cheers
Gareth

[US Iceman]

I think you have all just won me a pint

If you win... you have to share.

[Peter_1]

You only have to use copepr gaskets if the flare you made is not a copper flare (steel, brass...) so that it can 'squeeze' or deform gastight around the conic shaped tap.