Breaking loose a cemented CPVC to brass fitting

[Doug Speiser]

My plumber installed my diverter valve right above my shower valve. I realize it goes above it but they are way to close. Escutcheon plates of each almost touch. Luckily they're is no tile up yet. I want to move it up. My question is. Can I break loose a cemented cpvc fitting off of the diverter valve without harming the valve? They used the orange cpvc cement to make that connection watertight as teflon tape is not acceptable when joining cpvc to brass. I fear having to buy a new diverter valve which I don't want to do. Any help would be appreciated before I tear into it. Thanks

 

[Reach4]

... as teflon tape is not acceptable when joining cpvc to brass

Where did that info come from? OK, looking around, I see some say that. I did not find a definitive statement so far.

Are you saying that you think CPVC male fitting is screwed into a brass female thread, and CPVC cement was used as a pipe compound ("dope")? There are CPVC fittings that adapt CPVC pipe to brass threads, and you glue the pipe to those. But the CPVC cement does not go onto the threads.

For male CPVC threads, I would use Rectorseal T plus 2, or similar compound recommended for CPVC, and ptfe tape both. I am not a plumber.


I suggest that you post a photo of the area you are looking to change.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Doug Speiser]

Where did that info come from?

Are you saying that you think CPVC male fitting is screwed into a brass female thread, and CPVC cement was used as a pipe compound ("dope")?

I suggest that you post a photo of the area you are looking to change.

 

[Doug Speiser]

Just wanting to know if I can break loose the cemented bond on the female cpvc fittings on diverter valve without harming the valve. As you can see, to raise it I have cut the short piece of cpvc between the two valves which is only 1 1/2" long. To get away from having 2 cpvc connectors after raising it I was thinking about replacing the female connector on the diverter valve when I have it out. Sorry for the babbling explanation.

 

[Reach4]

I would not like to have female plastic threads. They need good torque limiting during install.

I can't believe that unscrewing the plastic fitting would damage the valve. but wait until a plumber responds. A big curved jaw locking pliers would be my tool of choice.

 

[Terry]

I don't know any plumbers on the forum here that would have used a female CPVC fitting. Those can crack.
They do make a brass x CPVC female fitting which cost a little more.

 

[Doug Speiser]

I believe those were not available where we went and he (a union plumber) decided on these. Am I in trouble? Thank you for your response.

 

[hj]

CPVC glue does NOT bond to brass, so if you have any problem it is with ANY joints made that way.But the fitting should remove from the brass very easily, possibly TOO easily.

 

[Terry]

I believe those were not available where we went and he (a union plumber) decided on these. Am I in trouble? Thank you for your response.

I was a union plumber once, but I was too quick and the other plumbers didn't want me on their job. I used up all the fittings and pipe and ran them out of work. They liked it nice and slow, so they could stretch things out. Being union doesn't mean much.

 

[hj]

I was doing a job outside our union's area, so the local hall made me hire one of their guys. It did not take long to go through the entire bench, because every one only worked one day, because they said I was working them too hard. Then we could do our job without interference, until the union's business manager got out of the hospital and said they had to have someone on the job. That worker would spend the day telling us how he was the union's #1 "fixer" and how he would leave stuff in the sewer lines to clog them, etc. and then wondered why we would only let him cut and thread pipes all day long.

 

[Doug Speiser]

REPAIRED/REDONE! We'll everyone, I cut both valves out and eliminated the female cpvc connectors to both valves (all 6 unscrewed by hand) and replaced with 1/2" female brass x 1/2" cpvc slip connectors. Feeling much more confident that there will be no leaks. As for unions, it's all about how people are brought up. Pride must be taken in the work you do and you just don't see that as much as you used too. I'm a union cement mason and I always leave my product the way I would want it if it was mine. Not everyone does that and it's a shame. Contractors push and can also be the problem.

 

[Michael Young]

It's just plastic. break it off if you need to. Geeze, CPVC. I don't know about the rest of the country, but plumbers in my area steer clear of it. As materials go, I hate it. To transition from brass to CPVC, use this. That way you can teflon tape the joint and glue cpvc to cpvc. Whoever did that work, CPVC, ugh. Kill him with fire before he has a chance to reproduce. http://www.homeservicestriad.com/

 

[Doug Speiser]

It's just plastic. break it off if you need to. Geeze, CPVC. I don't know about the rest of the country, but plumbers in my area steer clear of it. As materials go, I hate it. To transition from brass to CPVC, use this. That way you can teflon tape the joint and glue cpvc to cpvc. Whoever did that work, CPVC, ugh. Kill him with fire before he has a chance to reproduce. http://www.homeservicestriad.com/

View attachment 44405

Bahaha, yeah I know Michael. If you'd checked my last post you would have known that is exactly what I did. Funny shit though.