3/4 ball valves.

[hammerslammer]

I'm still preping for my 4 unit water heater conversion from lowboy gas to electric. I want to add some shutoffs while I have the plumber out and i'm looking to buy 24 3/4" ball valves. The plumber doesn't care but i prefer threaded in case i have to mess with something in the future... Is there an online source that i can buy 24 valves and is it a good idea to buy them this way. Thanks again... Any general advice on buying valves??

[Marlin336]

You're not going to save a lot of money shopping online but www.grainger.com carries a ton of plumbing, electric, and other industrial items. Get 1/4 turn ball valves.
I'd also to with regular sweat valves, you're not making anything easier using threaded valves. You would still need to un-sweat the pipe from the male adapter or cut the pipe to change the valve since trying to loosten one end would just tighten the other. All using the IPS valves is going to do is cost a few dollars more in labor and materials.

[cwhyu2]

You're not going to save a lot of money shopping online but www.grainger.com carries a ton of plumbing, electric, and other industrial items. Get 1/4 turn ball valves.
I'd also to with regular sweat valves, you're not making anything easier using threaded valves. You would still need to un-sweat the pipe from the male adapter or cut the pipe to change the valve since trying to loosten one end would just tighten the other. All using the IPS valves is going to do is cost a few dollars more in labor and materials.

Also ball valves last longer than standerd valves.If you used ips valves,
would put unions on at least one side of the valve.That way you could
at least twist off. But I would sweat valves on and if they go bad 10 yrs
cut it out and use slip couplings.

[Marlin336]

I didn't even think of unions as I rarely see them on copper, that would work. But you have to buy 24 unions and 24 brass shoulder nipples as well, it would probably cost another $150 in material and an extra hour of labor to install them. For that money buy a cheap torch, some basic plumbing stuff, a piece of pipe, some fittings, and learn to solder.