Are U.S. and Thai bathroom pipe thread sizes different?

[miketu]

Hi, I want to buy a shower head with filter in the U.S. for my condo in Thailand. Will the threads on the U.S. made shower head be compatible with the Thai shower pipe fitting? If not does anyone know what the common thread size (metric?) for bathroom shower pipe fittings is in Thailand so I can bring over an adapter?

Thanks,

Mike

[Crossy]

Whilst not exactly the same (thread angle is different) small sizes (like your shower stuff) should fit just fine.

Moving to DIY.

[kannot]

UK 15mm pipe fittings are the same also as Thai half inch although Thai threads are sloppy poorly manufactured needing tons of ptfe tape

[miketu]

UK 15mm pipe fittings are the same also as Thai half inch although Thai threads are sloppy poorly manufactured needing tons of ptfe tape

Thanks. So Thai pipe threads, for bathroom showers, are measured in inches and not mm? If that's the case then a shower head from the U.S. with SAE inch measurement threads should fit my Thai bathroom shower if the pipe diameters are the same size?

[TerminalVelosity]

Get your self a thread gauge

http://www.threadcheck.com/

To be sure check the size and gauge of your shower head and check your new one also, that way you will not make a mistake.

Also when sealing use loctite 567 and you wont have any issues

http://www.loctite.co.uk/loctite-4087.htm?nodeid=8802627092481

[mogandave]

US pipe threads are NPT not SAE. Thailand uses UK thread (BSPT?)

[miketu]

Ok, thanks all for the good info.

[malt25]

Get your self a thread gauge

http://www.threadcheck.com/

To be sure check the size and gauge of your shower head and check your new one also, that way you will not make a mistake.

Also when sealing use loctite 567 and you wont have any issues

http://www.loctite.co.uk/loctite-4087.htm?nodeid=8802627092481

If you can't find any Loctite 567, use Araldite or similar epoxy, 2 pac adhesives. I find the Araldite is far better on Thai fittings that teflon thread tape.

just sayin.

[JDGRUEN]

When it comes to buying actual pipe fittings in Thailand ... the products are made (as per their labels) in China, Italy, the U.S. and various other countries. I have added on/off inline valves to many water pipes to preclude having to shut off the house water supply every time I worked on a sink or commode. And I have found some combinations that perform poorly ... May kitchen and bathroom sink faucet fixtures are so cheaply made that I have to take great care when snugging up the tightness of a replacement unit so as to not destroy it ....

Plumbing in Thailand when using various off the shelf fittings is a real experience. As for sizing - I have found most available fittings use INCH measurements ... however I have no clue about the thread sizing and the thread angles involved ... I also found a brand of the plastic plumbers tape in 1/2 wide or so widths and it is GREAT... forget wrapping around and around -- just a short piece a few inches long and presto I'm done...

[miketu]

When it comes to buying actual pipe fittings in Thailand ... the products are made (as per their labels) in China, Italy, the U.S. and various other countries. I have added on/off inline valves to many water pipes to preclude having to shut off the house water supply every time I worked on a sink or commode. And I have found some combinations that perform poorly ... May kitchen and bathroom sink faucet fixtures are so cheaply made that I have to take great care when snugging up the tightness of a replacement unit so as to not destroy it ....

Plumbing in Thailand when using various off the shelf fittings is a real experience. As for sizing - I have found most available fittings use INCH measurements ... however I have no clue about the thread sizing and the thread angles involved ... I also found a brand of the plastic plumbers tape in 1/2 wide or so widths and it is GREAT... forget wrapping around and around -- just a short piece a few inches long and presto I'm done...

Thanks, sounds like if I need an adapter over there for a U.S. made shower head, I might be able to find an adapter piece right in Thailand. I have no idea what the thread size on my condo shower pipe is. I'm trying to soften up the hard Thai water in the shower that dries out our hair so badly when we're over there with a quality U.S. made shower water filter/wand.

[petermik]

US pipe threads are NPT not SAE. Thailand uses UK thread (BSPT?)

Dont think so BSPT............British Standard Pipe Taper thread

in Thailand its BSP.............British Standard Pipe thread therefore NO taper-but not a problem just load the male thread at the neck with PTFE tape and all is good

[Rocceao]

Get your self a thread gauge

http://www.threadcheck.com/

To be sure check the size and gauge of your shower head and check your new one also, that way you will not make a mistake.

Also when sealing use loctite 567 and you wont have any issues

http://www.loctite.co.uk/loctite-4087.htm?nodeid=8802627092481

If you can't find any Loctite 567, use Araldite or similar epoxy, 2 pac adhesives. I find the Araldite is far better on Thai fittings that teflon thread tape.

just sayin.

Loctite 567 is like toothpaste and only seals when the fitting is tightened, but allows you to undo the fittings at any time.

Araldite does not seal it a cementing agent that is rigid and is prone to heat e.g expansion and contraction of dismmilar materials and temperatures, if you need to change fittings in the future you may damage the fitting threads, then have an issue with re sealing again.

Just sayin!!!!

[CGW]

Bring some liquid teflon with you, very hard to find here, if you use it along with tape you have a fair chance of getting a seal! as stated Thai threads are cut to a "strange" profile that resists sealing!!

Edited December 4, 2015 by CGW

[malt25]

Get your self a thread gauge

http://www.threadcheck.com/

To be sure check the size and gauge of your shower head and check your new one also, that way you will not make a mistake.

Also when sealing use loctite 567 and you wont have any issues

http://www.loctite.co.uk/loctite-4087.htm?nodeid=8802627092481

If you can't find any Loctite 567, use Araldite or similar epoxy, 2 pac adhesives. I find the Araldite is far better on Thai fittings that teflon thread tape.

just sayin.

Loctite 567 is like toothpaste and only seals when the fitting is tightened, but allows you to undo the fittings at any time.

Araldite does not seal it a cementing agent that is rigid and is prone to heat e.g expansion and contraction of dismmilar materials and temperatures, if you need to change fittings in the future you may damage the fitting threads, then have an issue with re sealing again.

Just sayin!!!!

Wrong on the comment about Araldite, sorry. If you are at all interested PM me & I'll give you the reasoning behind using Arildite or other epoxy products.

[sappersrest]

Explanation of the difference in threads here,

https://www.valvesonline.com.au/references/threads/

[kannot]

bleeding eck, buy some of this stuff and slap it round yer male member..........so to speak, its available in Thailand in BKK certainly

[Artisi]

bleeding eck, buy some of this stuff and slap it round yer male member..........so to speak, its available in Thailand in BKK certainly

Works much better if the female component is accepting- just saying.....

[kannot]

bleeding eck, buy some of this stuff and slap it round yer male member..........so to speak, its available in Thailand in BKK certainly

Works much better if the female component is accepting- just saying.....

That would depend on your persuasion

[petermik]

bleeding eck, buy some of this stuff and slap it round yer male member..........so to speak, its available in Thailand in BKK certainly

Works much better if the female component is accepting- just saying.....

That would depend on your persuasion

Some old femail (internal) components after a time become corroded (especially in older joints) and need cleaning and lubrication before being used again

[lopburi3]

Having used 50-60 psi here for the last decade there has been no issue of leaking from just using normal teflon tape on connections (yes you may need a bit but it does work and makes it very easy to replace).

[kannot]

bleeding eck, buy some of this stuff and slap it round yer male member..........so to speak, its available in Thailand in BKK certainly

Works much better if the female component is accepting- just saying.....

That would depend on your persuasion

Some old femail (internal) components after a time become corroded (especially in older joints) and need cleaning and lubrication before being used again

Would a good rodding help?

[kannot]

Having used 50-60 psi here for the last decade there has been no issue of leaking from just using normal teflon tape on connections (yes you may need a bit but it does work and makes it very easy to replace).

Ive found the half inch females even with Brass inserts can often split when using ptfe as the amount needed is horrendous to stop a drip, i get no problems at all with 3/4 females and ptfe tape, but now i also slop ina bit of that gunk and leave it to go thick and sticky before ptfe tape

Edited December 11, 2015 by kannot

[lopburi3]

All my taps are 1/2" brass insert (more than 20) and have never had any fail or drip once tightened with tape - did have some blown 90 elbows where contractor did not also make tight when using solvent when first switched to 60psi Grundfos pumps however.

[petermik]

Works much better if the female component is accepting- just saying..

Some old femail (internal) components after a time become corroded (especially in older joints) and need cleaning and lubrication before being used again

Would a good rodding help?

Definately but as mentioned lubricate well beforehand

[puuchaibaa]

Common household fittings here are 1/2" which Thais refer to as size 4 (as in 4/8"). I believe the common size in the US is 5/8", or at least that's what came with the bidet hardware I bought in the US and brought over. I looked all over for an adapter but couldn't find one here. Hard to find even on Ebay or otherwise really expensive. The in-laws ended up cutting the US hose in half and wedged into a Thai hose also cut in half and clamped them together.

I'd advise you to buy the adapters in the US before you come over.

[mogandave]

5/8" is not a common pipe thread in the US.

[billd766]

UK 15mm pipe fittings are the same also as Thai half inch although Thai threads are sloppy poorly manufactured needing tons of ptfe tape

1 inch UK is 25.4 mm so a 1/2 inch thread would only be 12.7 mm which is 2.3 mm smaller than 15 mm.

Yes you would need lots of ptfe tape to fill that gap.

[mogandave]

1/2" refers to the ID of the pipe.