Galvanized plug in copper pipe?

ecoops · Oct 24, 2006

I have copper pipe in my walls where I removed the bathtub and am building a Kerdi shower stall. I want to plug the spigot from the old bathtub with a plug as it will no longer be used.

I went to my local Home Depot but they didnt have any threaded copper plugs, so I purchased a galvanized plug. I was about to install the galvanized plug but my brother in-law (who is no plumber) says that the contact between glavanized and copper will cause the pipe to corrode and fail.

Is this true or can I just go ahead and use the plug?

Thanks in advance.

Plumber1 · Oct 24, 2006

Get a brass plug. They are not hard to find.

Sponsor · 2022-01-29T12:20:58-0800

Master Plumber Mark · Oct 24, 2006

galvanized plugs

I beg to difer.......
either one will work ok...

the galvanized plug will last about 35 years

the brass will last about 55.........

so how long you gonna be in the house???

humorazz · Oct 27, 2006

electrolyisis

Anyways doesnt matter if u are isolating that line, cut the half inch pipe ,that is copper u have explained and sweat a half inch cap on it, problem solved.

hj · Oct 28, 2006

plug

Put the galvanized plug in the opening, and then in a few years, after the galvanizing deteriorates and the steel is exposed to the water, write back here and ask why you get red or brown water as soon as you turn on the shower.

Shacko · Oct 28, 2006

Brass plug

ecoops said:
I have copper pipe in my walls where I removed the bathtub and am building a Kerdi shower stall. I want to plug the spigot from the old bathtub with a plug as it will no longer be used.

I went to my local Home Depot but they didnt have any threaded copper plugs, so I purchased a galvanized plug. I was about to install the galvanized plug but my brother in-law (who is no plumber) says that the contact between glavanized and copper will cause the pipe to corrode and fail.

Is this true or can I just go ahead and use the plug?

Thanks in advance.

Go with the brass, it won't cost that much more and it will save you mental anguish. Lots of luck.

...............................................................................
"If all else fails, read the directions"

Master Plumber Mark · Oct 28, 2006

mental anguish???

when a decision llike this gives you mental anguish......

maybe you better get yourself on some Prozac.........

I see both brass and galvanized used all the time, with no big issues
------------------------------------------------------------------

Now Occasionally I run into

something that LOWES has installed I even see

BLACK iron pipe fittings used on the inlets of the water heater

thats where I draw the line

Plumber1 · Oct 28, 2006

I've seen galvanized plugs deteriorate to the point of leaking.
A brass plug will never rot out.

Kordts · Oct 28, 2006

? for Master Plumber Mark

If you know that the galvanised plug would rot out in 35 years, why would you even recomend it? Brass will last for the life of the valve. Steel pipe should never be mixed with brass valves. My favorite example is the clod who installed back to back fiberglass tub/showers using a copper drop into a st.90 with a female adapter. Then a galvanised nipple for the tub spout. It's running rusty now, when I tried to back the nipple out, I could feel the drop start to give. I told them to fix it I would have to pull one of the showers and then they would have to go with a tub and surround or tile. They wouldn't bite, I said, "call me when it finally rusts through and you notice the water damage."

Master Plumber Mark · Oct 28, 2006

we are splitting hairs here....

Yes , it will

Master Plumber Mark · Oct 28, 2006

We are really splitting hairs here

Yes, ULTIMATELY the brass plug would be the better
plug to use . If I have one with me.

Its simply a matter of economics here..... if you want to drive
20 miles to the nearest hardware store burning gas and time
its your decision

I KNOW that a galvanized plug will last at least 35+ years
and I personally simply will not piss away my whole work day

nit picking and fretting over something as petty
and insignificant and to wether to
make a fools errand to the nearest hardware store or supply
house over something like this......

35 + years is a very long, long time, and I dont think my customers
are going to be dis-satisfied with my job in 35 years, ,,,
if they are still alive.........LOL......

now if I charge them $$ for that fools trip to the store
and give them a lame excuse like this for my time,
they might whine and cry...about that brass plug....

and they probably will "bad mouth my name" till the day they die....

so in my opinion .....either path you take will work fine......

now I am going to pour myself a JACK DANIELS and COKE

I suggest everyone else do the same too or
try some that prozac

hj · Oct 28, 2006

plug

IF you have a half way decent stock on the truck, you may not have a brass plug, but you should have a 1/2" male adapter that you can connect to a solder cap and screw that in.

Master Plumber Mark · Oct 28, 2006

out of jack daniels

Dam ....out of jack, had to switch to Segrams.7

I have a great supply of junk in my truck....thank you.....

but of course when you need that special fitting you never can find it.....

and their are many creative ways to plug that hole up.........

why not increase it to 3/4 then put a female adapter on the end then
put in that brass plug....????? or a 3/4 sweat cap???

their are so many ways to skin a cat,

you skin yours , I will skin mine.....

twatson7991 · Feb 22, 2015

I beg to differ on the comment of 35 years for galvanized and 50+ years for brass. Just today I replaced a galvanized plug that rusted out inside a copper threaded fitting. It was 11 years old. And the rust left in the copper threads was a pain in the a** to remove. Only use brass.

Dj2 · Feb 22, 2015

It's not even worth discussing...use brass and that's it.

hj · Feb 23, 2015

10 years, or 25 years, it is immaterial. It WILL eventually deteriorate and leak inside the wall, or cause brown water sooner than that.
Home Depot has brass plugs in the area where their copper compression and flare fittings are located.

Reach4 · Feb 23, 2015

Their website shows they carry Charlotte Pipe 1/2 in. PVC Sch. 40 Plug in at least some stores at as well as 3/4 and other sizes. I guess that would be forbidden by newer codes.

Guy48065 · Feb 23, 2015

Reach4 said:
...PVC Sch. 40 Plug...I guess that would be forbidden by newer codes.

As I understand it's against code because the PVC will burn in a fire and release poisonous fumes (I guess other combustibles don't...). So by my way of thinking if you DID use PVC and it caught fire & burned up, once it melted the water would be released to help put out the fire.
How is that a bad thing?

Reach4 · Feb 23, 2015

I think the objection to PVC vs CPVC indoors is that it can deteriorate when subject to heat over time. So rather than try to distinguish which pipes will get hot, they just decided to require CPVC rather than PVC indoors. Non-expert opinon.

hj · Feb 23, 2015

quote;
So by my way of thinking if you DID use PVC and it caught fire & burned up, once it melted the water would be released to help put out the fire.
How is that a bad thing?

IT would NOT be a "bad thing" because the only water that would come out is in the shower riser and that would not put out the fire, but neither would that bit of PVC kill everybody in the house, assuming they did not leave when the fire started.

Galvanized plug in copper pipe?

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