compression fittings

lordfletch · 14 Jan 2015 at 13:10

im using bitspower compression fittings and i have them hand tight.some people then advise to give them a quarter turn with visegrips (jaws covered with cloth) is this really necessary ?

GiraffePencils · 14 Jan 2015 at 13:14

no
hand tighten or you can crack the block

Mynight · 14 Jan 2015 at 13:46

^^ this, I learnt the hard way

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If like me your fingers aren't too grippy use a rubber glove

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GiraffePencils · 14 Jan 2015 at 13:51

I'm just gonna say it again, just because I want to be a bit clearer.
If you cannot fully tighten the fitting with your hand, the o-ring will still be compressed enough to create a seal (if you don't have some kind of disability in your arms)
But, if the fitting has been tightened fully by your hand and you quarter-turn with vice grips, you WILL crack the block.

Gloves/cloth to assist/save finger tips is a good bit of advice

russell664 · 14 Jan 2015 at 14:48

^ +1 with the above.

With compressions, I only ever tighten them as well as I can with my fingers. It is plenty tight, and creates a water tight seal.

Hand tighten them always.

lordfletch · 14 Jan 2015 at 14:50

i should have been clearer, i meant the barb side of the fitting for the hose.hand tight seems ok, cant pull the hose off.
cheers fletch

Mynight · 14 Jan 2015 at 14:52

Same issue. Once you get to a certain point of tightness all the pressure would be transferred onto the base 1/4".

russell664 · 14 Jan 2015 at 14:57

I still feel hand tight would be best.

I wouldn't want to risk cracking any joints.

OLDPHART · 15 Jan 2015 at 16:21

lordfletch said:
im using bitspower compression fittings and i have them hand tight.some people then advise to give them a quarter turn with visegrips (jaws covered with cloth) is this really necessary ?

Just make sure the tubing is fully home upto the fitting and hand tighting.

If you tighting them up with some grips it grabs the tubing making it harder to undo and what if the grips slip oops.

ubersonic · 15 Jan 2015 at 17:01

lordfletch said:
i should have been clearer, i meant the barb side of the fitting for the hose.hand tight seems ok, cant pull the hose off.
cheers fletch

In that case you can over tighten it with fingers anyway, you want the compression ring to turn until just before the hose starts turning (because that twists the hose causing it to kink).

topgun06 · 15 Jan 2015 at 17:12

Always done them up finger tight, never had any problems.

lordfletch · 16 Jan 2015 at 15:24

another question.im fitting a ek-fc r9-290x and bitspower fittings to my card, will i need spacers for the bitspower 1/4 thread going into the block or are they short enough ?
cheers fletch.