DVMSteve
New Member
Greetings:
I was 'referred' here from reading John Bridge's forum, and I have learned a lot just browsing. I am plumbing my new master bathroom, and have a few questions that have not yet been answered through reading.
I have succesfully soldered many copper/copper pipes, fittings etc, but the shower valve is giving me the willies. I am using a PEX Manabloc manifold system. The American Standard single tub/shower valve has 1/2" sweat connections, and I'm trying to solder male sweat/PEX adaptors into three of the ports.
I've disassembled the valve, so I have just a big, heavy chunk of brass on my workbench. I'm using propane, and yes, it takes a long while to heat up. The joints are pretty loose (when dry fitting), and it seems to be taking a bunch of solder. One joint I already know is bad (it wiggled when I test fit the PEX to it!). Any hints on flux, solder, heat application for this type of connection? My problem may be that the flux is long gone by the time it is hot enough.
Is there a way to test the joints before crimping them all up and putting water pressure to it? If I do crimp the PEX to the adaptor and then find that the soldered joint leaks, how do I take the crimped connection apart? I had thought about 'Dremeling' somehow the crimp ring and then sliding the PEX off. Is the adaptor damaged by the crimping, and do I need to get a new one? It would be difficult to cut the PEX back, an inch at a time, until I got a solid joint.
Thanks for any input,
Steve
I was 'referred' here from reading John Bridge's forum, and I have learned a lot just browsing. I am plumbing my new master bathroom, and have a few questions that have not yet been answered through reading.
I have succesfully soldered many copper/copper pipes, fittings etc, but the shower valve is giving me the willies. I am using a PEX Manabloc manifold system. The American Standard single tub/shower valve has 1/2" sweat connections, and I'm trying to solder male sweat/PEX adaptors into three of the ports.
I've disassembled the valve, so I have just a big, heavy chunk of brass on my workbench. I'm using propane, and yes, it takes a long while to heat up. The joints are pretty loose (when dry fitting), and it seems to be taking a bunch of solder. One joint I already know is bad (it wiggled when I test fit the PEX to it!). Any hints on flux, solder, heat application for this type of connection? My problem may be that the flux is long gone by the time it is hot enough.
Is there a way to test the joints before crimping them all up and putting water pressure to it? If I do crimp the PEX to the adaptor and then find that the soldered joint leaks, how do I take the crimped connection apart? I had thought about 'Dremeling' somehow the crimp ring and then sliding the PEX off. Is the adaptor damaged by the crimping, and do I need to get a new one? It would be difficult to cut the PEX back, an inch at a time, until I got a solid joint.
Thanks for any input,
Steve