Hello there, I wonder if you helpful people who posted will see this. Just a bit of advice again please. I tried a wrench and tightened it about a quarter turn-I couldn't really get it much tighter than that but there was a bit more to give I would say. I didn't want do that because I was going to take it off again. I was worried about damaging the threads. Anyway I turned the gas on and there was no leak from the place where there was last time (where it fits into the opening) but as Mr Wolf pointed out, there is a leak coming out of the shaft now. It's an obvious leak, because I could hear it and feel it (so it wasn't one that was otherwise hard to detect and that I needed a detergent to test for). It's not a huge leak but obviously big enough that I can feel it. . Now I am in a quandry. I've got this Teflon tape stuff, shall I just wrap it round the shaft a few times - might that help. I could try tightening it a bit more, - maybe that will create the seal all the way. I was a bit scared for some reason. I don't know why - I had visions of it puncturing the canister inside on the bit where the nitrogen comes out! Could I wrap this Teflon tape around the whole lot after it's been screwed in? It's just like clingfilm so not quite sure what it is really meant to do - I do I did watch the YouTube video and I can see that it wraps around threads. My final question is - I think obviously I could put the regulator back on again and tighten it up more. If that is the case, I wouldn't want to then take it off again and have to re-test. Is it okay to leave the regulator attached (obviously with the canister turned off) until such time as it would be required. The only reason I ask this is because the PPH says that if you changed your mind you should then dismantle it. But I'm not sure how important that really is.
thank you
One overall question comes to mind: would you describe yourself as a
handy kind of person? Good with tools? Experienced working on small projects with tools?
Absolutely no offense meant, sincerely, but for a person who is a bit handy attaching the regulator is a breeze, takes a minute.
No, don't wrap the Teflon tape over or around anything, that's not what it's for.
Start again--detach the regulator completely from the tank.
Completely clean/remove the old Teflon tape from the threaded fitting. Your fingers, a toothpick, a toothbrush, anything will do the trick.
Take a deep breath.
The Teflon tape is really more of an extra safeguard so that the external threads and the internal threads (also called the male and female threads) in a joint make a good, tight connection. Another option is something called pipe dope, it's sort of a gluey liquid. The idea is that either of them fills in any very tiny irregularities in the thread surfaces, ensuring a tight connection.
There are numerous videos on YouTube about how to apply Teflon tape correctly, perhaps you should watch one.
Do you know what it means when a person "strips the threads" of a threaded connection? (If not, please Google.) It's also referred to as
cross-threading. It just means that right at the beginning, when you first bring the two parts together, you force things, you don't gently make sure that indeed the external threads are smoothly fitting into the internal threads. In almost every threaded connection, right at the start, when the two parts come together and begin to thread, you can simply
feel that you've got it right. Should be smooth, be threading easily with just your fingers. So be careful of this, don't force anything, start slow and easy!
Take another deep breath.
Once again wrap a short length of tape around the external threads of the regulator fitting, 4"-6" should be plenty. It's easy, you watched the video, you've got a whole roll of the stuff, if you mess up just start again.
Next, line up the regulator fitting and the tank fitting and slowing, just with your fingers, begin turning the nut, again making sure that you're not cross-threading, that the two parts are engaging smoothly and correctly, the external threads spiraling nicely within the internal threads.
Eventually you're going to reach a point when you can't turn the nut anymore with your fingers.
Get a wrench (don't know where you are, a
spanner in the UK) and with it start tightening the nut more. It is very difficult to tell a person online exactly how much! In general, threaded connections go from loose, to snug, to tight, to
over-tight! (The person used all his might to keep turning and trying to force the nut a tiny bit more. Never necessary, don't do that!) You want nice and tight, that's it. When you can't turn it fairly easily with the wrench, it's tight enough!
You should have zero leakage with this connection. Very minute leakages in a gas joint can be detected by brushing a bit of slightly soapy water onto the connection; if you see bubbles appearing, that's the gas leaking out. (You can also see this process in a YouTube video). If you can actually hear and feel the leak, you've done something wrong--you don't have a good connection--take it apart, clean the old tape off, try again.
This should work. Another idea: by any chance do you have a friend who's kind of handy, worked a lot with tools? Tell him that you're going to try and brew some beer--would he help you attach the regulator to the tank.
Best of luck.
