CPVC in stud wall

[Mike Richardson]

Hi Guys,
Had a 1/2" CPVC shutoff go bad in stud wall to outside faucet. It was sandwiched between 2 studs 7" apart. I replaced the shutoff but had to bring in an 8" piece from the adjacent stud opening. My predicament is that I don't know the correct way to join the two pieces. There is not enough flex to simply bend in a straight union. I found several ways to connect the 2 ends: 1.) I could use an inline coupler but I really don't want to have a coupler with gaskets behind my wall. 2.) Using 4-90 degree elbows and a short (3") piece to essentially make a "U" to connect the 2 pipes. 3.) Dremel out an ordinary coupler and then try to slide it down after applying the glue. None of the above seems like the professional method. Surely people run into this problem all the time. "Connecting 2 cpvc pipes (not flexible) in a stud wall." No option to go downline and run a long piece in...no room. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance... ~mike

 

[Arizona CJ]

I am *NOT A PLUMBER*, so please take what I say with a huge dose of salt. I'm just a DIY guy, and I'd also advise taking the advice of any regular here over mine.

I've had that issue (having to insert a piece when there's not enough flex). In my case, I've run into it sweating copper pipes and also in ABS drain lines. I used the method you mention, dremel out the stop ring on the ABS straight connector to create a repair coupling, so it'll slip. A real repair coupling (just a connector without the stop) is better, but good luck finding one.

I most recently did this yesterday, on a 3" sewer stack I needed to put a wye T into. The slip coupling I made was the only way I could figure to do it, short of rubber mission coupling (which I don't like).

However, for CPVC pressure lines, sharkbite makes a repair coupling that works on either copper of CPVC. They do have them at my Home Depot, no idea on other stores or chains. If it was me, that's the way I'd go.