Why are toilet/sink shut off valves and braided hoses such crap?

[Sokolq55]

Within a year of installation, it seems if you just look at one of these valves wrong, they start to drip. Even ones that are full brass. Why is that? Is there a better alternative/brand? Same with the braided hoses - even if I hand tighten them plus just a quarter turn pipe wrench, they are 50/50 on whether they start leaking if you so much as gently bump into them later on.

Am I just having bad luck?

Thanks

 

[Terry]

At the stop I use a wrench.
If it's a faucet with 1/2" I use a wrench
If it's a toilet 7/8" I hand tighten
I don't use any tape on these, that can cause leaks.

For this install, a 20" supply line.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[John Gayewski]

Whenever they let me I try to use Chrome / soft copper supply lines. I'm not a fan of the flex, but it seems I end up using them all of the time. I agree they aren't quality.

We use compression stops so they can be changed out fairly easily.

Price is king which seems quality down the drain. Sorry I can help with a good brand.

 

[Themp]

My complaint is that over time the copper pipe(for my house) corrodes and turns green. And you can never trust the valve after a period of time for not leaking if you actually use it to turn off the water supply to the toilet. I actually never use them anymore and just turn off the whole house valve when I have to work on a toilet. And the hose looks ugly(my wife's complaint, it is always to long and twisted like a pretzel), she dislikes the little silver escutcheon they throw on there also. It never fits right. And finally the toilet bolt covers always get knocked off or twisted from the vacuum cleaner. My son's house has PEX coming out of the wall and it is no better as it is half painted or not and is never straight and flops around.

 

[Sokolq55]

Is there a reason to not use a good ball valve instead?

…. it is always to long and twisted like a pretzel

Yes! And I find that the lopsided pressure on the connection part from these twists is the culprit of very slow drips half the time.

 

[Reach4]

Within a year of installation, it seems if you just look at one of these valves wrong, they start to drip. Even ones that are full brass. Why is that? Is there a better alternative/brand?

Dahl mini-ball valves are well-respected.
I am using a Sharkbite valve on pex. Works great.

Same with the braided hoses - even if I hand tighten them plus just a quarter turn pipe wrench, they are 50/50 on whether they start leaking if you so much as gently bump into them later on.

A little lube on the threads can make a given amount of torque on the wrench tighten more. That lube can be silicone grease or oil.

Don't use oil or petroleum grease on rubber. Threads with a rubber washer, such as compression and toilet connections, will benefit with a very light coat of silicone grease on the rubber. That both reduces the friction, and lets the rubber flow into place better during tightening.

Braided hoses are rubber tubes with braiding over the tube.

 

[Reach4]

And the hose looks ugly(my wife's complaint, it is always to long and twisted like a pretzel), she dislikes the little silver escutcheon they throw on there also. It never fits right.

If that is a split escutcheon, you may be able to swap that out.

Yes! And I find that the lopsided pressure on the connection part from these twists is the culprit of very slow drips half the time.

I think that with flex lines it is best to not point the output up to the input to the toilet connection, but to point it to the side. So the connector drapes behind the toilet, rather than making a loop.