Soldering paste flux is a paste you combine with solder powder or liquid to help strengthen the soldering process.
Thread sealant seals any gaps present at threaded pipe connections. It can come in both PTFE tape, and in a liquid thread sealant form. HomElectrical offers both varieties of sealant from RectorSeal!
Solvent cement is essentially PVC glue. It is used when you need to connect PVC pipes and fittings together.
They work similarly, but at different strengths and for different purposes. PTFE tape, or thread tape, is often for more temporary solutions that you may need to change later. Thread tape is often better suited for air/gas lines and plastic fittings. Thread sealant creates stronger, more permanent seals. Thread sealant is better suited for metallic fittings on water lines because it will lubricate more effectively without being damaged by the harder metal. Whichever you may choose, RectorSeal’s products provide a level of safety you can rely on, as their PTFE tape is non-toxic and non-flammable, and their thread sealant is lead-free and safe to use with potable water systems.
You would use solder paste flux before or even during the soldering process. It is a paste that is combined with liquid or powder solder to greatly improve the soldering process. Solder flux removes previously oxidized metal from the surface and prevents further oxidation by sealing out air. RectorSeal’s regular solder paste flux can be used in most common soldering compounds, such as 95/5, 60/40, 50/50 and 40/60. They even make versions that work better in either hot or cold environments. However, solder flux products should NEVER be used on stainless steel, magnesium, or aluminum.
RectorSeal has a number of products that are lead free and NSF certified, allowing for safe use on your potable water system. Regarded by many as being the industry standard, RectorSeal provides a quality that you can depend on, and will leave you wanting to use their products again and again. While every job may require more or less of these compounds, RectorSeal makes their products in a variety of sizes that range from 1.7oz to 1 gallon, and in the case of sealant tape, 260in to 1296in. Need a lot? RectorSeal even provides a 55-gallon variety of thread sealant! Be sure to browse HomElectrical.com for any size you may need.