A brass compression fitting is a type of jointly designed to make an air-tight seal that provides a mechanical advantage for ease of use. When used for fitting copper tubing, compression fitting also provides a leak-proof joint. When these two fittings are used together, a copper seal is created which provides leak-proof coupling across the entire length of the tubing. The tubing is placed over the end of the fitting, and the nut is tightened onto the end side and tightened to compress the end of the tubing so that a seal is formed and a tight fit is ensured.
Copper tubing is often the way to go when it comes to gas piping. It is easy to install and is one of the most durable of all tubing materials. If used properly, it can last up to 40 years easily. Brass compression fittings are the key fitting tool for copper tubing. They are used to attach pipes and fittings with ease. Brass has proven it’s worth many times over, so it will not fail you or your customers so easily.
For a fitting to properly fit a copper pipe, it should have a compression design at the connection point. Once pressure is applied to the joint, the fitting will grip tightly and the copper pipe will be compressed. The following points will analyze how to install compression fittings for copper tubing;
Cut the Brass
The tubing cutter is fitted in the jaws of the brass and attached so that the brass rests squarely on the cutter’s two flat rollers. If necessary, cut the brass end. Then rotate the cutter completely around the brass one or two times, so the cutting wheel is snug against the brass.
Team and clean the brass
Use a reaming tool to remove the sharp, ragged edge inside the brass end (most brass cutters have a triangle-shaped reamer that retracts into their body) and then insert the reamer into the pipe and rotate it back and forth, taking several complete rotations while applying pressure to the brass.
Install the Fitting
Slip the compression nut from the compression fitting onto the brass, and slide the compression ring on top. Slide the two pieces until they are a little more than 1 inch from the brass end., You must squeeze the compression fitting onto the brass (or the brass must be inserted into the fitting as appropriate) until the brass is snugly enclosed in the fitting for copper tubing.