Soldering a shower faucet: Use special fittings?
#1
01-07-06, 06:48 AM
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: USA
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Soldering a shower faucet: Use special fittings?
Howdy-
$275 for a plumber to sweat a few pipes is too much for me, unless I fail. I'm going to do it myself. I have read the link about soldering that one of the mods gave me, which was very helpful.
I'm planning my attack for installation but I have two option:
1) insert the 1/2 copper directly into the delta faucet and sweat it that way, or
2) I could buy a copper piece that's female on one end for the 1/2 pipe and threaded female on the other end so I could screw it to the faucet (with teflon tape, of course).
For the first option, is this possible? Can you sweat copper pipe to a brass faucet body?
If I did the second option, I realize I would have to plan my order of actions carefully; my buddy didn't consider, for example, that the teflon tape can get funked up if it's close to the joint you're sweating.
Which route should I take?
Thanks,
Chris
$275 for a plumber to sweat a few pipes is too much for me, unless I fail. I'm going to do it myself. I have read the link about soldering that one of the mods gave me, which was very helpful.
I'm planning my attack for installation but I have two option:
1) insert the 1/2 copper directly into the delta faucet and sweat it that way, or
2) I could buy a copper piece that's female on one end for the 1/2 pipe and threaded female on the other end so I could screw it to the faucet (with teflon tape, of course).
For the first option, is this possible? Can you sweat copper pipe to a brass faucet body?
If I did the second option, I realize I would have to plan my order of actions carefully; my buddy didn't consider, for example, that the teflon tape can get funked up if it's close to the joint you're sweating.
Which route should I take?
Thanks,
Chris
#2
01-07-06, 08:10 AM
Member
If you are worried about messing up the teflon tape, sweat the adapter that screws into the valve onto a 6 or 8" piece of copper and attach it to the valve. Then use a coupling that does not have a "stop" in the center to connect to the rest of the piping. You slide the cleaned and fluxed coupling up onto the piece you screwed into the valve and then bring your water supply piping up to the same height as the end of that piece. Slide the coupling down to center on both pipe ends and solder.
The valve is threaded so you can't just sweat the copper into the valve. If you tried, you would probably melt the seals in the valve and have leaks also.
Note: If this is a shower or tub installation, this would be the time to think about an access door for future use. Also installing shut-off valves. I read a lot of posts here where the member needs to work on the plumbing or shut off the water to tubs and showers. This makes it a lot easier that tearing into a wall. Good luck.
The valve is threaded so you can't just sweat the copper into the valve. If you tried, you would probably melt the seals in the valve and have leaks also.
Note: If this is a shower or tub installation, this would be the time to think about an access door for future use. Also installing shut-off valves. I read a lot of posts here where the member needs to work on the plumbing or shut off the water to tubs and showers. This makes it a lot easier that tearing into a wall. Good luck.
#3
01-07-06, 07:10 PM
Delta shower valves are made with male fittings so a DIY can use female adapters, and the inside of the fitting is machined to allow sweat connection of copper pipe. Yes, copper solders to brass, no problem. Do you have a teflon frying pan? No problem with the heat. Yes, you must disassemble the internals of the valve.
