Female Pipe - Nipples - Pipe Support

Chefwong

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How suspectiable is copper to leaking once soldered on.
For bathrooms and such, I generally solder on a cast female pipe stub flush with the tiled wall. Then a chrome nipple, angle stop, etc.

However, when putting on the nipple, I don't get to put a wrench on the female fitting to *support* the fitting as I am tightening the nipple down...any issues I should be concerened about if a copper fitting was to go leak ?

Knock on wood this has not happened to me yet...but I'm curious is this a issue to be concerened of.
 
The problem will not be with the soldered joint if it is a good one. The tin/antimony solders are quite strong. The weakest link is the copper tube, which will buckle due to the torsion. I use a short piece of L grade in situations like that, and where it must support a tub spout.
 
That's the reason for drop-ear ells, I think. Properly attached to framing, you can put a lot of torque on them with no worries. I manufactured an extra-deep socket to do that, but I've since bought a set of plumber's sockets (see https://terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8325, post#9), and the 27/32" socket fits the 1/2" copper male adapter OK.
 
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