Don't know if it's been asked before, but what's the consensus on using teflon tape to seal the burner riser to the tank on stoves like the Svea 123? They make a high temp version capable of withstanding temps of 500F. -PWDolkas
You could but I'd say it was unnecessary, the taper seat is enough. I would give it a wipe with anti-seize grease and call it good. I prefer never-seez nickel for high temp applications. Alec.
I have a copper-based anti-seize on it now (the kind you use on spark plugs) and it seems to work just fine, but I was just wondering. I'm going to do a bubble leak check and see if it is really holding pressure and if it does, then I'm good. Thanks all - Paul
I recall reading about anti seize and torquing requirements. I do not recall the details, but it changes the holding power of threaded parts. I am very selective in its use. I do not use it to seal a threaded fitting. I clean, and inspect, the threads first. That should fix the problem.
Well, it passed the leak check, so I figure it's working well enough for me not to worry. But you touched on the initial reason I was thinking of using tape - the anti-seize compound does reduce the friction between the mating parts, so they don't seem to be tight. I could continue to tighten, but then the valve stem probably wouldn't align with the opening in the windshield. Also, I want to be able to easily take the stem off in the field (without heavy tools) so that I can remove the wick & dry everything out if I'm packing the stove in luggage for a plane flight. I had a near miss once boarding a plane coming back from Mt. Rainer - the lady at the desk could smell gasoline in the (completely empty) fuel bottle and I had to rinse it out with hot water in the bathroom before she would let me check my luggage in. So I've been paranoid about bringing stoves with even the slightest whiff of gas smell on planes ever since. We could (and probably should) do a whole thread on airport security as it pertains to bringing stoves in checked luggage. -Paul
Never-seez and other similar products are torque multipliers. They reduce friction so that less torque is required to achieve the same degree of "tightness" with a threaded connection sometimes by as much as 40%. When I was a working mechanic there were many times I got to fix the job where the do it yourselfer had added anti seize compound to the cylinder head bolts and then stared in amazement when the bolt snapped off before it reached the specified torque.
Teflon tape will do the same thing, easy to overtighten. And I don't believe it is fuel rated either. I generally use some brown Permatex product I have or whatever tube of locknut is nearby.
@PWDolkas The 123 was never designed to taken apart and reassembled over and over again. I feel it would eventually compress the threads on the valve stem to the point it would have to be tightened more each time. Like what happened to me when I over tightened one and had to replace the valve. Mike
Hunter- Yeah, I hear you, but if it's a case of being able to send it home after a trip, what choice do I have? I think I'm hearing the best thing to do is to use anti-seize on the threads and don't over tighten. You shouldn't over tighten anyway with the 123, because the valve stem has to line up with the 1 in the 123 engraving on the tank so that you can access the stem when you put the windscreen on. So it gets consistent tightening each time you do it.
Just be careful as it will mean it can come undone a lot easier too... Factory settings for many fasteners come in two settings - the first for ungreased threads and the second for greased threads, usually a lot lower and often requiring some additional form of lock nut or similar protection against coming undone. I have no idea if the 123 has a lock nut.
No lock nut. I don't think you can put a locknut on a pipe thread. But it's really easy to see if it's coming loose as the valve stem will no longer line up with the "1" on the tank or the slot in the windscreen that provides access. So you just hand tighten it a bit.
