Old timer told me to stop using plumber's tape on alarm panel threads

I had a guy who's been doing this since the 90s tell me to ditch the Teflon tape on my screw terminals inside panels. Said it causes intermittent continuity issues when vibration sets in. Sure enough, after 3 service calls to a house on Maple Street last fall, I found loose connections where the tape had just crumbled away. Anyone else run into this or is he just old school paranoid?

2 comments

2 Comments

jesse_west29d ago

Teflon tape can definitely cause problems inside panels if you're wrapping it too thick or using it on the wrong type of terminal. I've seen it break down and leave little bits of plastic that mess with continuity, especially on screw terminals that get any kind of vibration. But if you just put a single wrap on the threads and keep it away from where the wire actually makes contact, it's fine. You might be overdoing it with the layers. I've had more trouble from old school guys who refuse to use any tape at all and then wonder why their connections corrode after a few years in a damp basement.

tylerlane28d ago

Buddy of mine did the same thing last year, his panel was a mess of tape bits.