SailNet Community banner
  • SailNet is a forum community dedicated to Sailing enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about sailing, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, maintenance, and more!

Need help getting propane fitting off

2K views 11 replies 7 participants last post by  Ferretchaser 
#1 ·
I'm trying to get a screwed-on connector off an old propane appliance and I cannot get the connector to budge. It was a connector for the propane line and some type of pipe sealant (looks tan or brown) was used on the threads. What is typically used as a sealant for propane pipe joints? It the answer just more muscle?
 
#2 ·
Ensure that you are turning in the correct direction. On some old gas appliances, for whatever reason the connection tightened by turning connector counter clock-wise rather than clock-wise. If I recall correctly, that was a connector wherein the gas line threaded into the appliance receptacle rather than over it.

FWIW...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Flybyknight
#3 ·
Usually/often if a fitting is reverse thread there's a 'notch' in the nut like so:

 
  • Like
Reactions: svHyLyte
#4 ·
Here's a pic of the brass fitting that I'm trying to get off the appliance. It is screwed onto (what appears to be) aluminum or other white metal part of the appliance. You can see the sealant on the threads. Hard to get a purchase on both pieces to exert some force. (Also afraid of breaking off the aluminum part of the appliance.)

 
#9 ·
That does look like a right hand thread. From the yellow coloring it appears that yellow gas-line tape may have been used on the fitting but it also appears that some kind of putty may also have been applied. Have you tried applying heat to the brass fixture only? It may expand enough to make breaking the bond a bit easier. On a worst case basis, you might use a dremel tool to cut off the threaded end and then score either side of the fitting and then use a frozen nut splitter to crack the fitting which should loosen it enough to remove without goofing up the threads on your appliance.

Good luck!
 
#5 ·
if there is no propane in the system then you can heat the fitting up and it will loosen a lot easier. some pipe dope has a setting agent in it that glues the fitting on and the heat will break down the glue
 
#6 ·
Hmm.. that looks like a standard NPT to flare fitting adaptor.. unlikely it's reverse thread. Do you have a pipe wrench small enough to support the aluminum/potmetal fitting while you try to loosen the brass part? Heating things up with a small propane/butane torch might work wonders if you can safely do that. Concentrate on the brass part.

Drag a dental pick around the exposed part of the threads to see if you can determine what direction will turn it off...
 
#10 ·
Just trying to get the fitting off and do not much care if it gets destroyed in the process. Trying not to damage the appliance. A friend wants the appliance and it would fit perfectly in the box I have except for the darn fitting.
 
#12 ·
Its a right hand thread. Just warm the bugger up a bit and then unscrew it anti clockwise.

ATB

Michael
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top