Sharkbite VS Soldering

[Kiko]

I needed to replace some bad 1" plumbing coming off of the irrigation pressure vacuum breaker on the side of my parents' house. The winterizers didn't shut off the valve tight enough, and the elbow coming down from the PVB split. Since it was soldered, I had to cut the 1" copper to unscrew this bad elbow. I soldered on a 1" stub to the new elbow and screwed it into the PVB. The pipe ran very close to the house, so, instead of trying to solder on a coupler, I used a 1" shark coupler. There was almost no play in the pipe, so getting this push fitting over both ends was VERY difficult. I ended up cutting away more pipe than I would have liked, but it doesn't leak.

1. Is there a push fitting that retracts about 1/2" to help get it over pipes with no play in them?

2. If I were to have soldered on a 1" coupler without stop, how do you keep the coupler from slipping down on this vertical pipe? I was thinking of using some bailing wire to keep it in place, or does the flux itself keep it from slipping down?

[johnjh2o1]

Just put the slip coupling in place and using a pair of pliers pinch the coupling slightly.

John

[Terry]

Like what John said, dang he was quick, and after the squeeze, you can give the coupling a twist to snug up.

[jadnashua]

An alternative would be the Sharkbite U3020 slip fitting. As long as you have enough length on at least one side, this fitting is designed to slide onto one leg, position it, then slide it to mate up with the other pipe (thus the name slip fitting). http://www.cashacme.com/prod_sharkbite_pushfit.php Sort of like a repair coupling, but longer with the Sharkbite seals.