copper pipes and angle stops

[Dean Swinger]

Were having our bathroom repiped with copper pipe and my question is which type of angle stops should be used? The person sweating the pipes put in 1\2" female copper fittings then a galv. close nipple then the 1\2" female angle stop and they all seem to leak. would it not have been better to use a 1\2" compression angle stop on the copper pipe instead?

 

[cm]

Galvinized fittings???? You have got to be kidding!

Get the compression angle stops. I have only had one fail in 25 years.

AZCRAIG

 

[SQLit]

Were having our bathroom repiped with copper pipe and my question is which type of angle stops should be used? The person sweating the pipes put in 1\2" female copper fittings then a galv. close nipple then the 1\2" female angle stop and they all seem to leak. would it not have been better to use a 1\2" compression angle stop on the copper pipe instead?

Copper and galv. pipe will eat away at each other. Basic chemistry. The galv. nipples MUST come out.

 

[Ken (archive)]

Were having our bathroom repiped with copper pipe and my question is which type of angle stops should be used? The person sweating the pipes put in 1\2" female copper fittings then a galv. close nipple then the 1\2" female angle stop and they all seem to leak. would it not have been better to use a 1\2" compression angle stop on the copper pipe instead?

Are you sure it's a galvanized close nipple? If so, it sounds like the plumber didn't have the right parts at hand and used whatever he happened to have with him. Never mix copper and galvanized.

My personal favorite way is to have the female fitting behind the wall (either copper or brass), then connect a 3" or 4" chrome plated brass nipple, then either a straight stop or angle stop, whatever you need. Use teflon tape on all threaded fittings. Put on a chrome escutchion, and you're all set, looks real nice.

Ken

 

[Ken (archive)]

Were having our bathroom repiped with copper pipe and my question is which type of angle stops should be used? The person sweating the pipes put in 1\2" female copper fittings then a galv. close nipple then the 1\2" female angle stop and they all seem to leak. would it not have been better to use a 1\2" compression angle stop on the copper pipe instead?

Are you sure it's a galvanized close nipple? If so, it sounds like the plumber didn't have the right parts at hand and used whatever he happened to have with him. Never mix copper and galvanized.

My personal favorite way is to have the female fitting behind the wall (either copper or brass), then connect a 3" or 4" chrome plated brass nipple, then either a straight stop or angle stop, whatever you need. Use teflon tape on all threaded fittings. Put on a chrome escutchion, and you're all set, looks real nice.

Ken

 

[Speedy Jim]

Copper and galv. pipe will eat away at each other. Basic chemistry. The galv. nipples MUST come out.

The galv nipples ensure that the installer's son will
have a job. Takes about 40 Years to disintegrate...

Jim

 

[Dean Swinger]

Thanks for the input thought it was odd to galv w/copper I removed the copper fitting and replaced it with a 3" long piece of 1\2" copper pipe and put a compression angle stop on it and it worked great. ! question though if you have a female fitting behiend the wall how do you tighten the angle stop without twisting the copper joint apart?

 

[evodawg]

Were having our bathroom repiped with copper pipe and my question is which type of angle stops should be used? The person sweating the pipes put in 1\2" female copper fittings then a galv. close nipple then the 1\2" female angle stop and they all seem to leak. would it not have been better to use a 1\2" compression angle stop on the copper pipe instead?

1/2" compression, Period. Never had one fail. Hmmmmmmm copper and galv. two different metals in contact with eachother, bad news. Electrolysis!!!

Rich

 

[Ken (archive)]

Thanks for the input thought it was odd to galv w/copper I removed the copper fitting and replaced it with a 3" long piece of 1\2" copper pipe and put a compression angle stop on it and it worked great. ! question though if you have a female fitting behiend the wall how do you tighten the angle stop without twisting the copper joint apart?

Behind the wall I like to use a cast bronze elbow with the ears on it, like this:

http://tinyurl.com/cypty

That elbow is nailed to blocking between the studs. You can crank on a nipple of whatever length you need, then crank on a angle stop, should be no problem with twisting.

Ken