Plumbing advice needed

[Dan Mages]

Good evening!

My house has copper waist. The basement bathroom has a blunt end... no threading to connect the waist line to. What is the best way to couple the PVC waist line to the copper? I was thinking of using a PVC or neoprene coupler, but I am not sure if either is a viable solution.

Thanks!!

Dan

[Ben Grunow]

You could use a rubber "Fernco" adapter or cut off the cap and sweat (solder) on an adapter with female threads and get the matching adapter in PVC with male threads on one side and female (for glue up) on the other side. I would just use the Fernco as it is much quicker and they are mad in various sizes (you will need an odd one if the PVC and copper dont have the same outside diameters). Make sure the pipe is supported so there is no stress on the fernco that will make it move over time.

A trip to a good plumbing supply store is in order if you have never done this before.

Good luck.

[Dan Mages]

one other thing.. I can't sweat pipes if my life depended on it.. I learned that lesson already.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

With about the same problem I went to my plumbing supply guy. He's got the odd combination of being a shop owner a plumbing service owner a plumber and a mechanical engineer all in one. He handed me a neoprene coupler.


one other thing.. I can't sweat pipes if my life depended on it.. I learned that lesson already.

Yes you can.
1.) Use something to clean the pipes (the little red plastic wire brush pipe cleaners they sell at the borg are great)
2.) Use an acid brush to apply the flux top both components to be joined.
3.) assemble the joint
4.) heat the joint
5.) touch the solder to the joint When it flows it's time to touch the solder to the gap between the pipe parts and it'll flow in to the crack filling and sealing it.

That's it.
For years I was using the old school technique of "tinning" the parts before sweating. That is a totally dumb and difficult way to do it.
Just clean flux assemble and sweat.

[Jim Becker]

One of the real tricks to sweating pipes is...a "real" torch. My plumber 'splained that to me one day. It was an eye opener. Most of us "amateurs" don't get the pipe/fittings hot enough fast enough and the sweating suffers for it with poor flow, etc.

[Lee Schierer]

Since you are talking waste lines, they will require more torch than your standard propane torch from the home center. Copper pipes that size will not get hot enough with a standard homeowners torch to solder properly.

When soldering, you have to use clean parts. Scrub the inside of each fitting and outside of each pipe with fine emery paper, scotch brite or steel wool beofre soldering. Coat the surface with flux, asemble the joint, apply heat all the way around, test the fitting by touching the solder to the part that has been the farthest from the torch, if the solder starts to flow, remove the heat and apply solder until it drips out or quits flowing. You may need to add a touch more heat if it stops flowing before it starts to drip out.

[Jeffrey Makiel]

You should be able to solder up to a 2" pipe with a regular propane torch on wrought copper DWV fittings. If you plan on buying a new torch, buy one that uses MAPP gas. They are offered at any hardware store where the propane is sold.

MAPP gas has a colder flame, but a much higher heat transfer than propane. Overall, MAPP givs a hotter and faster result.

If you go with the hubless adapter, I recommend using one that sports a outer metal sleeve. Some building codes will not allow a rubber or neoprene adapter without the support of an outer metal sleeve.

cheers, Jeff :)

[Kyle Kraft]

My plumbing contractor buddies tell me that I should use a Prestolite torch (air/actylene) on anything bigger than 1". Heck, I just use my gas welding outfit with the biggest tip I have, one step down from the rosebud.:D

[Dan Mages]

I stopped by the borg to grab a couple of new valves for the sink and picked up a Fernco rubber gasket.

There are two reasons... it was quick, and it was easy. Hopefully I should be done with the bathroom this weekend!!

Dan

[Jerry Olexa]

Dan, I hope you didn't buy those new valves where you got that new engagement ring...:) :D

[Dan Mages]

Dan, I hope you didn't buy those new valves where you got that new engagement ring...:) :D

To my knowledge, jewelers only sell shut up valves, not shut off valves. Shut up valves tend to be much more expensive and have a rather short effective lifespan. I don't think they are necessary for this project. ;)

Dan

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

One of the real tricks to sweating pipes is...a "real" torch. My plumber 'splained that to me one day. It was an eye opener. Most of us "amateurs" don't get the pipe/fittings hot enough fast enough and the sweating suffers for it with poor flow, etc.

Indeed. When I switched from propane to MAPP It noticed a BIG difference.