I getting ready to attach the shut-offs (14 of them) to the 9-1/2″ pre-formed copper stub outs connected to PEX, like these View Image
The two options I see are: compression, and sweat on. I’ve never been a great fan of the compression method and while I have done it in the past it seems like a hack. While I like to sweat copper, the heat makes me a bit nervous. If I went the sweat route, should I use a heat sink to slow the heat transfer to the pex connection?
What do the pros do?
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Replies
I've never had a problem with soldering to the stubs. I do like to hit the joint and valve with a wet rag to cool it as soon as it's soldered, just to be sure. You can also usually wrap a piece of wet rag around the stub between the joint to be soldered and the PEX end -- that helps too. Also, be sure your joint is well prepared so you don't have to take too long messing with the torch and overheating things.
Mike Hennessy
Pittsburgh, PA
I agree with Mike, and you can also use the compression fittings with no problem.
FWIW I don't let plumbers use those copper stubs anymore. PEX terminates to a drop-ear elbow on a piece of blocking, and a brass nipple from there.
"FWIW I don't let plumbers use those copper stubs anymore. PEX terminates to a drop-ear elbow on a piece of blocking, and a brass nipple from there."
I actually prefer the stubs. Leaks happen at threads more often than soldered or PEX joints. Bury the threads in the wall and, in my experience, for some reason unknown to modern science, the chance of a leak goes up about 1000%. Go figger! ;-) (And it's harder to spot, to boot.) Also, I can sweat a stub joint quicker than I can dope, tape & screw two ends of a nipple.
Mike HennessyPittsburgh, PA
I agree with Dave on the Lug elbows. But on the stub outs I usually sweat on the valve with the chrome nipple attached that slips right over the stub. They get solderd far enough back that the eschucheon covers it, and have never had any problems with the heat.
Compression fittings are only a "HACK" job when a "HACK" puts them in, lots of luck.
Didn't mean to offend ya here...I've just had less than favorable results...Have a good one!
No offense taken. Most hack jobs I'm refering to are caused by someone that dosn't know how to hook up compression fittings and dosen't care. Compression is easier than solder, I never use solder unless I have to in your situation; your call. BTW I started using compression fittings in 1962. Lots of luck.
Check this out. Brasscraft Sure Connect. http://www.brasscraft.com/Default.aspx?Page=WhatsNew.aspxhttp://www.etherhuffer.typepad.com
Some one makes a roughin box for plumbing supplies.It consists of a plastic box with a stop valve that is installed during rough in. It was available with connects for PEX, copper, etc.After the DW is installed and cut out there is a snap on trim ring.I thought that it was a Watts product, but could not find it..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
Here they are.http://www.oatey.com/apps/catalog/showskus.asp?ctg=5&subctg=0&prodgrpid=507.
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
What Mike said. Tightly wrap the stub, as far from the torch as possible, with a sopping-wet rag. Use Acetylene or Mapp, not Propane.
Brooks
Well it wasn't at all as difficult as I thought it would be...clipped the end off the stub, soldered the shut-off on and it worked surprisingly well (at least to me).
In case anyone is following this thread, here's some specifics:
Wrapped the stub out with a slopping wet rag, and immediately cooled the fitting when done.
After I got a set finished, pressure checked each pair. The PEX lines are not permanently attached to the manifold so to improvise, I attached an air valve and gauge to a shark bite T, and attached the hot and cold pair I just worked on to the T. Checked with 20# for 20 minutes. While one set had pressure, I'd go work on another. Remove the tested set from the sharkbite grab the next pair and check again. For $4.85 the shark bite really save time by not having to attach to a manifold, possibly move later, and no wasted fittings.