Olives/ferrules for copper fuel pipe

[MikeBz]

Whilst doing some modifications to our fuel system I managed to drop a ferrule into the bilge from where there is no return. My local chandler (the excellent French Marine in Brightlingsea) has some similar but different profile items.

Original is stepped at both ends:

:

Replacement is tapered at both ends and slightly smaller in overall OD:



Does it matter, and why are there different profiles? Is it down to the fitting that it’s supposed to seal in?

 

[Boater Sam]

You should not have any difficulty using barrel olives instead of stepped ones or vice-versa.

 

[PCUK]

Your tube has been overtightened as it has been crushed and will need cutting back to undamaged tube or it will not seal.

 

[MikeBz]

Your tube has been overtightened as it has been crushed and will need cutting back to undamaged tube or it will not seal.

The pic is actually of the pipe which is being replaced, although it has been undone & redone a number of times without leakage. The replacement pipe came with a new stepped olive which is the one which went AWOL.

I’m curious as to why there are different profiles of olive, the stepped ones are much thicker so maybe are intended to be reusable (although the barrel type are very often reused without issue).

 

[plumbob]

The pic is actually of the pipe which is being replaced, although it has been undone & redone a number of times without leakage. The replacement pipe came with a new stepped olive which is the one which went AWOL.

I’m curious as to why there are different profiles of olive, the stepped ones are much thicker so maybe are intended to be reusable (although the barrel type are very often reused without issue).

As with a lot of UK pipe fittings, different mafg. will use different profiles and sometimes different threads to make swoppinf olives even more of a challenge. Why?? because they can. We had Conex, Kuterlite, Wade,Prestex, and lots more. Some interchangeable some not.