Problem sweating a shut off valve

[nexus73]

I replaced the shut off valve to my water line that leads to the outside tap and now I'm having trouble sweating the new valve. I cleaned and fluxed each connection but its in a somewhat tight spot and its hard to get the torch in to heat the top side of the valve so the soldering didn't take very well and now I have a small leak on both sides of where the valve body joins the copper pipe. I've even tried reheating and adding a little more solder and that didn't work.

What I'm wondering is, would JB Weld work in this situation ? I know it would be very hard to remove the valve if it ever needed repair but I'm replacing the old valve with a Ball valve so that should last quite a long time. Just to make sure the weld compound did not get into the valve I was planning on only putting a small amount on the inside lip of the valve body and then some where the edge of the valve body meets the pipe when its fully seated.

I guess if thats not adviseable I'll have to try sweating the valve in again with solder.

Thanks

 

[hj]

leak

It is not only a bad idea, but it could cause other problems. You have to remove the valve and redo the joint. You cannot just try to resolder it because the joint has been compromised and the solder will no longer flow into the joint, regardless of how hot it gets or how much flux and solder you use.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[nexus73]

I was afraid someone would say that. So much for the easy fix.

Looking at my B&D plumbing book it says to heat the valve body .. but like I mentioned its impossible to get at the top of the valve to heat it. I understand that the heat will travel to the top of the valve body but if I heat just the bottom and sides of the valve to the point where the solder melts at the top .. I'm thinking this will make the bottom and sides too hot and cause sealing problems.

Is there any other way to seal the valve to the copper pipe ?

I saw a pre assembled shut off valve with compression fittings but this won't work because its too long and I would not be able to tighten the far and of the fitting properly .. since it would be impossible to get a wrench in there.

 

[Mikey]

Can you unfasten the hose bib from the wall and wiggle the whole bib/pipe/valve combination around to allow you to get at the valve on all sides? Could you replace that section of pipe to allow the valve to be placed in a more accessible location? Are you using propane or MAPP gas?

 

[nexus73]

Nope .. that part of the pipe is about 10 feet away from the section I'm working on. And the way the pipe runs I don't have a straight shot from the outside tap to where the valve is. The way these pipes are layed out is not very condusive to repairs .. heh.

I've thought about just putting the valve in a different location and replacing that section with a straight pipe. But the only place I really have decent access to is where the pipe is vertical and I've only ever seen or heard of water valves installed horizontally. I'm assuming the reason is because once you shut off the supply for the outside line during the winter months, then you'd have water sitting in the pipe on top of the valve after you bleed the outside line and there again more possible problems.
There are other horizontal places but there are other water pipes right next to these spots and since the valve is thicker I thought this might cause other problems.

I'm using propane .. I've thought about the MAPP gas but I'm not sure its would make enough difference to be worth the $40. I've never used MAPP gas .. it says it burns hotter but I'm not sure thats going to help me much in this case.

I'm just going to have to get better at sweating this brass valve in and hope I don't get it too hot.

 

[Garydaplummer]

Pressure buildup

Not sure by your posts if you did, but make sure when you go to solder that valve you have that valve and the outside faucet open. If you're trying to solder a closed section of piping pressure buildup from heating can keep coming through the molten solder. Also be careful not to overheat that valve and blow the seat out of it.