DOT Push-to-Connect Configurations Explained: The PT10–PT29 Series
Table of Contents
The DOT push-to-connect PT series covers every common air-line connection — straights, elbows, tees, unions, bulkheads, and a press-in cartridge — in tube sizes from 5/32" through 3/4". Plan the route, count the nodes, and there's a PT configuration for each. This guide walks the series by function so you can match the fitting to the job.
How to Read the Series
Each configuration has a PT number. Threaded fittings use NPTF (Dryseal) threads; bulkhead unions use a metric panel thread; and unions plus the press-in cartridge are threadless. All are brass and designed for PA (nylon) tubing complying with SAE (DOT). "Male" means the fitting threads into a port; "female" means a threaded port threads into the fitting; "swivel" means the tube outlet can be rotated after the thread is tight, which helps clock a line in tight routing.
Straight Connectors
| PT | Configuration | Tube OD range |
|---|---|---|
| PT11 | Straight, male (NPTF) | 5/32"–3/4" |
| PT13 | Straight, female (NPTF) | 5/32"–1/2" |
The workhorses — a tube-to-thread connection in line with the port. PT11 threads into a male port; PT13 receives a male thread.
Elbows
| PT | Configuration | Tube OD range |
|---|---|---|
| PT14 | Fixed elbow, male (NPTF) | 5/32"–3/8" |
| PT15 | Swivel elbow, male (NPTF) | 5/32"–3/4" |
| PT15-45 | 45° swivel elbow, male (NPTF) | 1/4"–1/2" |
| PT17 | Swivel elbow, female (NPTF) | 5/32"–1/2" |
Elbows turn the line 90° (or 45° for PT15-45). Use a fixed elbow (PT14) where the orientation is controlled by tightening; use a swivel (PT15, PT17) where you need to aim the tube outlet after the thread is home — the more forgiving choice in tight spaces.
Tees
| PT | Configuration | Tube OD range |
|---|---|---|
| PT20 | Swivel tee, male taper (NPTF) | 5/32"–1/2" |
| PT20-F | Swivel tee, female (NPTF) | 1/4"–1/2" |
| PT23 | Lateral run tee, male taper (NPTF) | 5/32"–1/2" |
| PT29 | Union tee (threadless, tube-to-tube) | 5/32"–5/8" (incl. reducing) |
Tees branch a line into two. PT20/PT20-F and PT23 combine a threaded port with tube ports; PT29 is an all-tube union tee, including reducing versions (for example, a 1/2" run with a 1/4" or 3/8" branch).
Unions and Union Elbows (Tube-to-Tube)
| PT | Configuration | Tube OD range |
|---|---|---|
| PT26 | Union, straight (threadless) | 5/32"–3/4" |
| PT28 | Union elbow (threadless) | 5/32"–5/8" |
Unions join two tubes with no threaded port — PT26 in line, PT28 around a 90° turn. Useful for extending or repairing a run.
Bulkhead Unions (Panel Pass-Through)
| PT | Configuration | Tube OD range |
|---|---|---|
| PT27 | Bulkhead union (metric panel thread) | 5/32"–5/8" |
| PT27-F | Bulkhead union, female (NPTF + metric panel) | 5/32"–1/2" |
Bulkhead unions pass a line cleanly through a panel or frame plate, secured by a metric panel thread and nut. PT27 is tube-to-tube through the panel; PT27-F adds a female NPTF port on one side.
Press-In Cartridge
| PT | Configuration | Tube OD range |
|---|---|---|
| PT10 | Press-in cartridge, for SAE J2494-4 aluminum cavity | 5/32"–3/8" |
The PT10 is a threadless cartridge designed to press into an aluminum cavity built to SAE J2494-4 — used where a push-to-connect port is machined directly into a valve body or manifold.
Choosing Among Them
Work the route: identify each connection as tube-to-thread (straights, elbows, some tees), tube-to-tube (unions, union elbow, union tee), a branch (tees), a panel pass-through (bulkhead), or a machined cavity (cartridge). Then match the tube OD and — for threaded fittings — the NPTF size to the port. For the full selection sequence, see How to Choose the Right DOT Fitting. For exact tube-OD and thread combinations per part, check the individual product pages.
📚 Related Reading
→ How to Choose the Right DOT Fitting
Educational information only. This article is provided by PneumaticPlus for general educational and informational purposes only. It is not legal, engineering, regulatory, or compliance advice. Product configurations and sizes are based on current manufacturer information and may change; confirm the exact part, tube OD, thread, and application against the product page and the manufacturer's datasheet before purchase or installation. PneumaticPlus makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy, completeness, or currency of this information and disclaims all liability for reliance on it.
