Old supervisor told me to stop using compression fittings on outdoor runs

He swore by leaving a drip loop and using weatherproof silicone tape instead. Six months later, none of my connections have corroded like the ones I did before.

3 comments

3 Comments

sam_thomas1mo ago

My buddy down at the hardware store tried the silicone tape method on his own outdoor lights last fall. He said the trick is making sure you wrap it tight and let it cure fully before adding any tension. He checked his connections the other week and they looked brand new, no green crud at all. I might have to give up on my compression fittings after hearing that.

webb.ben1mo ago

Let it cure fully before adding any tension" sounds like instructions for superglue, not a light fixture. But hey, if it keeps the green crud away, maybe I should start wrapping my entire house in that tape.

shanem371mo ago

My neighbor Frank replaced his old floodlights with LEDs last spring and swore by the silicone tape method. He showed me his connections a few weeks ago and I was honestly shocked. No corrosion, no green crud, nothing. I had been using compression fittings for years and always had to redo them every six months or so. I switched over to the tape on my own garage lights and now those connections look cleaner than anything I've ever done with compression. The key is definitely wrapping it tight and letting it sit for a full day before you even touch it again. I'm never going back to compression fittings for outdoor stuff, that tape is just way more reliable in my experience.