Which statement best describes a flare fitting?

Which statement best describes a flare fitting?

• A. A clamp-on joint
• B. A threaded pipe coupling
• C. A flare fitting requires no soldering; designed to tightly fit against the tubing and mating parts
• D. A compression sleeve joint

Answer: (C)

The key idea here is how a flare fitting creates a seal. A flare fitting forms a precise flare on the end of the copper tubing with a flaring tool, then mates it with a corresponding seat using a flare nut. As you tighten the nut, the flare is pressed against the mating surface to form a tight metal-to-metal seal. Because the seal comes from the shaped flare and the seat, there’s no need for soldering or brazing to make the joint. This is what makes flare fittings a convenient option for many HVAC refrigerant and piping applications: they’re strong, reusable, and rely on a mechanical seal rather than a soldered joint. The other descriptions don’t fit the typical flare joint. A clamp-on joint sounds like a different mounting method that doesn’t rely on forming a flare and seating it. A compression sleeve joint uses a ferrule and ferrule nut with a compression ring, not a pre-flared tubing end and a conical flare seat. A threaded pipe coupling describes a different type of threaded connection that doesn’t involve forming a flare on the tubing.

The key idea here is how a flare fitting creates a seal. A flare fitting forms a precise flare on the end of the copper tubing with a flaring tool, then mates it with a corresponding seat using a flare nut. As you tighten the nut, the flare is pressed against the mating surface to form a tight metal-to-metal seal. Because the seal comes from the shaped flare and the seat, there’s no need for soldering or brazing to make the joint. This is what makes flare fittings a convenient option for many HVAC refrigerant and piping applications: they’re strong, reusable, and rely on a mechanical seal rather than a soldered joint.

The other descriptions don’t fit the typical flare joint. A clamp-on joint sounds like a different mounting method that doesn’t rely on forming a flare and seating it. A compression sleeve joint uses a ferrule and ferrule nut with a compression ring, not a pre-flared tubing end and a conical flare seat. A threaded pipe coupling describes a different type of threaded connection that doesn’t involve forming a flare on the tubing.