Firstly thanks for the help you have all given me in the past from this website. This should be a simple one...

What is the correct torque setting for 1/2" galvanized pipe? I am using galvanized pipe for the exit from the wall into the shower stall for rigidity (CPVC run elsewhere) and wanted to make sure i didn't overtighten or undertighten for that matter.

The correct torque is more like an impact at the base of the skull for the person who told you to do it this way. Return the galv. and use copper or brass with and adapter that has brass threads for the pipe to attach to.

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OK. I have no problem using brass instead. That still leaves me the question of what torque it should be set to?

Wrap it with teflon tape and put teflon paste on top of the tape. Now heres the interesting part. There is no torque specification that you would torque it to. In piping the thread is a tapered thread and fittings have to line up so there is some leeway as to how tight you make it. Generally on the last turn you have to decide is this where I stop or do i go one moe time around, will I make it that far. You are using probably 1/2" in your application so 12" pipe wrenches will not get you in trouble. Unless of course you are a real knuckle dragger. If that is the case smaller wrenches may be in order! The galvanized will create corrosion problems in the future if you use it.

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If you are using all factory manufactured parts (fittings and pipe nipples) the general "rule of thumb" is to tighten the fittings until there are approx. three threads left exposed. This guidline allong with the use of teflon tape and pipe-dope will usually eliiminate the need for a lot of torque in tightening the fittings.



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Thanks all for the usual quick response

The book value for the thread engagement if your using 1/2 inch ips threaded material is 1/2 inch if you go with 3/4 " it will be 9/16 inch. hope that helps. i would not go with the three thread exposed method as the one who threaded the pipe may have threaded it short or long (run)causing you to either not tighten enough or kill the fitting. generally we tighten to what we call plumbers feel but that can take some time to develop. do use some teflon tape or lamp wick and some pipe dope over that. and only on the exposed threads on the pipe not inside the fitting. leave the tape or lamp wick off of the first thread to make engagement easier. good luck let us know how you made out.

i say turn till it wont turn anymore and then go one more time. never had a leak following that advice

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You may undertighten it, but will not overtighten it unless you use a much larger wrench than you should. There is no way to give a torque setting that would mean anything.

Because field made threads, and even factory made nipple threads, vary condsiderably from the actual ANSI specs, there is no way to specify torque. Also the type of metal or metals, and the sealant used, all will cause the torque to vary/

Threads really vary when we start talking about fittings made on the other side of that international dateline.

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on 1/2" pipe, use a 10" pipe wrench.



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Thanks Coach!

Someone who doesn't know how tight to make a joint is definitely not going to know what "lamp wick" is, and that was never an "approved" sealant anyway. It was to stop leaks in connections which were not done correctly in the first place;

That or an apprentice trying to impress the boss.

May not have been "approved" but very effective!