Re-using Moen Valve Body

[ianjt88]

I am repiping my house to PEX from polyb. I have a bathtub (tub only) with a valve body that has polyb connections soldered in (see pic). I don't want to get a new valve body, but removing the connections is impossible because of the solder. Any options on reusing this valve body without buying a new one?

 

[Terry]

Wow! Just toss that old valve. They don't make good trims for that anymore. You can't use the PolyB connections either .

If you repiping with PEX, you will want to run PEX to the new valve, making sure that the tub spout remains copper if you using a slip fit spout, or if it's a threaded spout, perhaps a drop ear 90 with a nipple pointing out for a spout. Brass and not galvanized.
Galvanized gives you a little bit of rusty water every morning, brass doesn't and a copper slip fit doesn't either.

The old Moen valve you have hasn't been a legal valve in decades. The new ones are either pressure balanced or Thermostatic to prevent temperature swings.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

What Terry said..

But if you want to keep polishing a turd... You could remove the cartridge out and heat up the threaded adapters with a torch and thread them out.. then maybe if you're lucky the solder would be out of the threads you could thread in new.. or perhaps you could get a very small wire brush and while the solder is still wet, wipe it out... a few times cuz it won't be. Then you can try to thread in new adapters for PEX and pressure test that to see if all that work paid off..

 

[ianjt88]

Thanks for the responses. Any suggestions on a replacement valve that doesn't break the bank?

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

A new Moen Positemp or Delta Universal are both great valves with many economical trim kits.