AdrianMariano
New Member
I am redoing my utility sink, which affects the hookups for the laundry. I got hose bib valves (the 1/4 turn type) and soldered them to the end of pipes using street 90's. Now I'm no expert at soldering, but I've done it a bit and I think I do OK (maybe not real pretty) on regular pipe junctions. But it seems to me like these big heavy hose bib valves make it a lot harder because they are so heavy it's hard to heat them up. It seemed like maybe some of the flux was burning. (Little black specks.) But I swear I kept my small torch on it only until the solder would melt and flow into the joint. (The flux that was burning might have been just the excess flux that wasn't inside the joint.) There also seemed to be more space in the joint than with a regular pipe connection. Before I connect these to the rest of the system I'd like to test them.
So what is the simplest way to connect these pipes that have a valve at the other end to pressurized water so I can check for leaks? I left extra length. I've heard the idea of soldering on a threaded hose connection and then using a hose. Is that the easiest way?
What if I discover that one of my valves is leaking at the solder joint? The usual advice in cases like this for regular pipe junctions is to start over with new parts, but in this case the parts are not 50 cents. Is it reasonable to clean out the valve and try again?
So what is the simplest way to connect these pipes that have a valve at the other end to pressurized water so I can check for leaks? I left extra length. I've heard the idea of soldering on a threaded hose connection and then using a hose. Is that the easiest way?
What if I discover that one of my valves is leaking at the solder joint? The usual advice in cases like this for regular pipe junctions is to start over with new parts, but in this case the parts are not 50 cents. Is it reasonable to clean out the valve and try again?