Do drop ear elbows have to be oriented vertically?

[Sokolq55]

vs

I’m trying to eliminate an extra elbow. Any reason I shouldn’t mount a drop elbow in an orientation that helps me do that. See pics. Thanks

 

[JohnCT]

I've done it, but I'm not a pro LOL. I can't see any disadvantage.

John

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

Horizontal is fine.

Some have 3 ears. That may be more relevant with pex. Solder type seems to only have two. Copper adds some rigidity.

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

Water doesn't care which direction it flows when its pressurized. Not in any meaningful way when it comes down to a tub spout or shower head. An elbow increases restriction, but not enough to notice one 90.

If its going to be used for a tub spout or shower head, Its more important that the nipple be checked for square and level to the finished wall.

An example of a job where someone didn't bother to check their work.. brand new tile over a sheer wall that had just been repaired.

 

[Sokolq55]

Damn thats some lift-off action on that spout.

 

[JohnCT]

Water doesn't care which direction it flows when its pressurized. Not in any meaningful way when it comes down to a tub spout or shower head. An elbow increases restriction, but not enough to notice one 90.

If its going to be used for a tub spout or shower head, Its more important that the nipple be checked for square and level to the finished wall.

An example of a job where someone didn't bother to check their work.. brand new tile over a sheer wall that had just been repaired.

View attachment 70543

Unless it was a homeowner DIYer, I don't know why the tile guy didn't say something. I mean, that's more than a few degrees off.

John

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

Homeowner supposedly was hiring their own plumber to install the valve and my client the general contractor was responsible for installing the trim fixtures. It easily could have been done by the carpenter too after the plumbing if they didn't align their holes properly and or attempted to make the holes too small not allowing for wiggle room. But, I gave the homeowner the pic of the blue stub out that I found and was told to proceed. I did my due diligence.

Hopefully water doesn't follow the tub spout back into the wall.. but.. even not under pressure. Water does what it wants to do.

 

[Jeff H Young]

Tuttles , some poor workmanship there, it happens for numerous reasons.
So it boils down to how much time to try to make that look good. or just install spout , I run into that sometimes I hate leaving something but need to be paid for my work

 

[Reach4]

I wonder if there is a way to bend the pipe to work around this. Can you bend regular copper pipe a bit?
Maybe solder some soft copper near the wall, and bend. Depends how big the hollow in the spout is.