Joining unthreaded brass pipe

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jsavell

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I have a 3/4" unthreaded brass pipe protruding 4" above the water level in my fountain, for use as a future autofill. I need to attach a brass pipe fitting or extension to the protruding pipe, but don't want to thread the pipe as any slight rotation of the pipe while threading it could cause fountain water leakage around the opening where the pipe comes out of the concrete fountain base. Is there a solder type fitting that can be used on brass pipe, which has a larger diameter than copper pipe? This joint will be under high water pressure.
 

Gary Swart

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I expect some pros will respond to this question with more knowledgeable answer, but my thought is you need to have it brazed. This is more or less like welding. Copper pipe that is underground is supposed to be brazed, so I am applying the same logic to this pipe.
 

hj

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It would be "RARE" for someone to install a "brass" pipe without threads, unless it was in a position where it could be unscrewed and the proper piece installed in its place. There are no "socket" fittings that could be brazed or soldered to it, and brazing is not the easiest thing to do with brass.
 

jsavell

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Thanks for your advice. It is not "RARE" when I am the jerk that cut off the threads a year ago when I built the fountain! This was a 16" long threaded nipple, which threads to a coupling below which is sched 40 PVC. I don't remember whether I used pvc or brass for the coupling. The coupling is embedded in the 6" thick concrete pour which is the base of the fountain. I cut off the threads because I thought the control unit for the autofill would be separate from the pipe, and water would then rise from the pipe controlled by a separate sensor. Someone clued me in to the Hudson valve, which is self-regulating and threads to the pipe itself.

If I attempt to thread the brass, if I don't apply perfect counter-torque with a pipe wrence I could tighten the pipe and snap the fitting, or rotate the pipe slightly and break the thin layer of epoxy sealer that lines the fountain. This would allow water to leak out the fountain and would be a pain to correct, since there is tile above the epoxy layer.

The brass nipple is 1.06" in diameter. I don't believe there are compression fittings for this size pipe. I found a 9" long brass fitting at Home Depot that fits loosely into the nipple, that might allow an epoxy seal, but I don't know if that would hold. Can you solder brass to brass if the fit is loose?
 

Doherty Plumbing

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The brass nipple is 1.06" in diameter. I don't believe there are compression fittings for this size pipe. I found a 9" long brass fitting at Home Depot that fits loosely into the nipple, that might allow an epoxy seal, but I don't know if that would hold. Can you solder brass to brass if the fit is loose?

Not if they're too lose but yes you can solder brass to brass.
 

Doherty Plumbing

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On another note these fittings fit on the OD of IPS piping.

short-galvanized-repair-coupling.jpg


Galvanized compression couplings. Not sure what you're calling "high" pressure though.

You'd have to check the rating but I would think these couplings are rated for somewhere around 150 psi.
 
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jsavell

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Thanks for your suggestions

I found a 3/4" brass compression fitting at Grainger which should do the trick. Thanks to everyone who wrote.
 
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