I have a bad shower valve and need to replace it. 1/2" copper pipe comes into the bottom but is not a straight shot. It curves up to the valve and not a straight shot to cut off and use couplings. I was thinking about unsoldering the old one and resoldering it back on the old pipes cleaned up the best I can. Some have said this is asking for problems ? Anyone have success doing this ?
- Thread starter Mike M
- Start date
rusty6
Well-known Member
- Location
- East central Sask.
Yes, I have successfully re-used copper pipe and fittings. As long as you shine up the joints good as new it should solder just fine.
Everything needs to be BONE DRY. Any moisture will turn to steam and screw up you joint. Also every thing needs to be surgical clean. I use that Oatley solder past that they sell at home depot. Use just enough heat to get solder flow. If you over heat it you will burn the copper and have huge problems. If you are REALLY unsure get a plumber to do it. Lots and lots of peace of mind. Get the point????
Stephen Newell
Well-known Member
I would rather go back with all new. You can get soft copper pipe which can be molded to the shape you need. If you are going to do like you plan repeatedly heat the pipe and wipe the old solder off with a rag. Might keep a bucket of water handy in case you set fire to the rag. The solder hardens up pretty quick when you wipe it with a rag so it takes several times to get enough off you can slip another joint over it. I would leave the wall open for a couple days to be sure it doesn't leak.
Janicholson
Well-known Member
Do it as you want to. Replacing it will be easy if you drain that pipe back at least 2 feet of dry. Open both the exosting faucet, and a faucet lower in the system. Hot and cold. If it steams when the heat is applied, it will not work. (It will steam for a minute or two as it drys. Heat the pipe for at least the top one foot. Clean as noted with a damp rag while heating the joint. When it looks like chrome, and no lumps, it is clean. Let it cool, and trial fit a new coupler or elbow, to assure it will go on easily. clean (220 paper) the new fitting as well. Wipe the melting lead free solder around the fitting at the point of entry from the roll of solder. Jim
Steve@Advance
Well-known Member
I've reused copper that has been soldered, not my favorite thing to do.
I clean all the old solder off. Heat it, wipe it quickly with a rag. Then finish cleaning it up with 80 grit Emory cloth down to bright metal.
Then use the flux. The solder will only flow where the flux is, so be sure the entire surface, pipe and socket, are covered.
The pipe needs to be emptied of water. Usually opening an outside faucet that is lower than where you are working will empty it. If it's a hot water line, open the T&P valve on the water heater to break the siphon on the line. I've had to vacuum water out with the shop vac, blow it out with the compressor, whatever it takes to stop the steam from blowing the solder out or the water chilling the connection.
I clean all the old solder off. Heat it, wipe it quickly with a rag. Then finish cleaning it up with 80 grit Emory cloth down to bright metal.
Then use the flux. The solder will only flow where the flux is, so be sure the entire surface, pipe and socket, are covered.
The pipe needs to be emptied of water. Usually opening an outside faucet that is lower than where you are working will empty it. If it's a hot water line, open the T&P valve on the water heater to break the siphon on the line. I've had to vacuum water out with the shop vac, blow it out with the compressor, whatever it takes to stop the steam from blowing the solder out or the water chilling the connection.
RedMF40
Well-known Member
You may want to look at "gator-bites." I've sweated old cleaned up fittings with some success but recently have become a believer in this new coupling technology (not so new now). If you have room to work with them they'll provide a strong, durable fitting and will save a lot of time. Plenty of info on them out there. Good luck, hope a hot shower is coming soon 
Ken Macfarlane
Well-known Member
It's easy to reuse pipe, just clean it up as folks stated. I've personally had good luck with coarse emery cloth to get the dull colour off old solder and flux it up. Never bothered getting to bare copper.
What isn't as fun is reusing used fittings. Just a lot harder to clean the dirt out.
What isn't as fun is reusing used fittings. Just a lot harder to clean the dirt out.
A friend of mine working for a plumber needed to do a repair on a copper pipe with water in it. He cut everything he needed to cut and fit. When he went to solder the joints as others have said it needs to be dry or you'll have issues. He asked the lady that owned the house for a piece of bread. He took some of the center of the bread and pushed it in the pipe both directions from where he was going to solder. This works as a dam to keep the water away from the solder joints. After he was done before you turn the water on take the screen out of the faucet and the water will flush out the bread.
Steven
Steven
K Effective
Well-known Member
Step 1: get Shark Bite fittings to reassemble system
Step 2: Install in about 5 minutes, wet or dry, relatively clean
Step 3: Throw away torch and solder, etc.
They really are the thing for these small repairs. I would not want to buy them to do a whole house. Bought some online recently to replace the saddle valve supply to my furnace humidifier. Supplyhouse.com. They had all the fittings I needed, on my doorstep the next day.
Step 2: Install in about 5 minutes, wet or dry, relatively clean
Step 3: Throw away torch and solder, etc.
They really are the thing for these small repairs. I would not want to buy them to do a whole house. Bought some online recently to replace the saddle valve supply to my furnace humidifier. Supplyhouse.com. They had all the fittings I needed, on my doorstep the next day.
MarkB_MI
Well-known Member
- Location
- Motown USA
Can you just replace the cartridge in the old valve? That's usually the best way to go.
When soldering a new valve, it's best if you can remove its cartridge to avoid heat damage. And I prefer to not solder directly to the valve, if possible, since the mass of the valve soaks up a lot of heat making it tough to get a good joint. What I do is to solder short pieces of pipe to 1/2 inch male pipe thread adapters, then screw those into the valve. Then you can use sweat couplings to connect to the existing plumbing. It's much easier to solder connections which are a few inches away from the shower valve. (Obviously this won't work if you only have room for street elbows into the shower valve; in that case I'd solder in the street elbows before installing the valve, as you'll have better access to the joints.)
I like to use tees rather than elbows to plumb in shower valves, with stubbed-off pipes a few inches long above the valve. This helps to eliminate pipe hammer in the shower and the rest of the house.
As for resoldering an existing joint, sure you can do it, but you need to wipe off as much of the old solder as possible, then get it very clean with emery cloth. Make sure the pipe is clean well beyond the fitting.
When soldering a new valve, it's best if you can remove its cartridge to avoid heat damage. And I prefer to not solder directly to the valve, if possible, since the mass of the valve soaks up a lot of heat making it tough to get a good joint. What I do is to solder short pieces of pipe to 1/2 inch male pipe thread adapters, then screw those into the valve. Then you can use sweat couplings to connect to the existing plumbing. It's much easier to solder connections which are a few inches away from the shower valve. (Obviously this won't work if you only have room for street elbows into the shower valve; in that case I'd solder in the street elbows before installing the valve, as you'll have better access to the joints.)
I like to use tees rather than elbows to plumb in shower valves, with stubbed-off pipes a few inches long above the valve. This helps to eliminate pipe hammer in the shower and the rest of the house.
As for resoldering an existing joint, sure you can do it, but you need to wipe off as much of the old solder as possible, then get it very clean with emery cloth. Make sure the pipe is clean well beyond the fitting.
farmerjohn
Well-known Member
Install a block of wood to hold it .
I tried a cartridge first. It is a delta valve from 1985. The old one (plastic) was in so tight I had to drill it out and remove in pieces. Lots of green corrosion holding it in. House sat for about 2 years ? Old valve got distorted some. Even put some silicone sealer on the new cartridge o-ring area and let it sit overnight to dry before turning the water back on. As soon as water was back on had a slow drip from it to the outside.
Case Nutty 1660
Well-known Member
I have R&R copper many times like said Clean it Well and it will work every time
Super-H-Mike
Member
I had to do something similar a couple years ago. Clean and dry like everyone says. One thing I can ad is to practice up a little before you go at it. I don't solder everyday so I kind of lose the feel of how hot to get the pipe and so forth. So I use scraps and like fittings and spend some time soldering and unsoldering them til I get confident in how it will go. I assume you won't have a direct shot at it and will probably be kneeling or half standing on your head, so practicing in the position you will actually have to work in helps. Make sure you test fit the unlit torch all around the fitting to be sure you have room to maneuver it to all angles you need to . Someone mentioned anchoring the pipe with a block of wood, that might be a good idea too.
MarkB_MI
Well-known Member
- Location
- Motown USA
> It is a delta valve from 1985.
Are you sure you have the right cartridge? Delta has changed its design over the years, and although they may look interchangeable the new-style cartridges don't fit the old-style bodies. I made the mistake of buying an opened package a while back, only to find that somebody had swapped out a different model cartridge from the one that was originally in the package.
Of course, you can buy the whole valve for not much more than the cost of the cartridge.
Are you sure you have the right cartridge? Delta has changed its design over the years, and although they may look interchangeable the new-style cartridges don't fit the old-style bodies. I made the mistake of buying an opened package a while back, only to find that somebody had swapped out a different model cartridge from the one that was originally in the package.
Of course, you can buy the whole valve for not much more than the cost of the cartridge.
Sure looked correct from what I had left of it ? The brass housing was corroded really bad inside and had deep pits when cleaned up. I really didn't think it would hold but tried it anyhow. Initial problem was that you could not even turn the cold water side of the valve. 2 handle system. Not many replacement choices made either. Walls are ceramic tile and I sure don't want to change them.
Pete in MD
Well-known Member
- Location
- Central Maryland
Same thing, different brand name.
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