Tip on soldering a valve

[chopped]

I searched and couldnt find much info but wondered how many people remove the 'guts' of a water valve when they solder it .I assuem its better overall as the heat wont bother the 'guts' ?? Any TBN tips?
Thanks

 

[nybirdman]

It is standard practice to remove the inside of a valve when soldering.Damage may result if you don't.I have seen gate valves soldered shut.Put in vice and use a sharp hit to remove.Some globe valves will have a rubber/teflon seat.

 

[DannyDeere]

When I was first learning I didn't know any better and never removed the guts. You'll know better pretty quickly when the rubber seat starts to smolder. If it worked in you application, you could get a compression valve and avoid soldering and removing the guts all together.

 

[chopped]

Thanks , I think sometime i overthink things lol, but I was thinking of the compression fitting so as I would have a sor of union to disconnect in the future. (This is on a water heater end.)In my area ived looked around and only found the compression on both ends. which is ok but then Id be adding some other fittings to it.Which I dont like.Im a bit surprised that they dont make a valve with either 1/2 or 34 female pie and then go to compression.That would be faily universal for water heater installs.De-Soldering isnt all that bad. So i might just solder,thanks for the tips so far.
On another note I was wondering if copper is a good choice for a shop air pressure line?
.

 

[Raspy]

It's not common practice to take a valve apart and you don't need to.

Ball valves are the most common valve these days and the best for most uses. The proper way to do it is to move the handle to the 45 degree position or fully open, but not closed.

Use flux sparingly! You don't want it trickling down into the valve past the socket. Very little is required and mainly on the pipe itself.

Heat the joint aggressively, but not the whole valve, just the joint you will sweat. Heat the pipe and the socket at the same time. As soon as the socket, where the pipe enters, is warm enough to melt the solder, start feeding it in and keep the heat on it until you get a good flow of solder feeding in. Take the heat away and run the tip of the solder wire around the socket too make sure it has fed in all the way around, knock off any drip. Do not use excess solder, and remember the solder flows toward he heat.

If the pipe is vertical, solder the top first and be careful not to use too much.

Don't get it too hot. If you see black you are way too hot.

Now do the other side.

Now wait until it solidifies, leave it alone a few seconds until it does, (it becomes less reflective) and then spray it with soapy water from a spray bottle until it doesn't boil the spray and wipe it with a wet rag.

It's really very quick and easy.

Use lead free solder if this is for drinking water. Silvabrite is an excellent brand. Use water soluble flux too, if you can. Use emery cloth to clean the pipe and a socket brush or emery cloth to clean the valve. This can be done casually as they don't have to be real shiny.

Do not take the valve apart. Just get in there, do it and get back out without blackening the pipe. Mapp torches are very good because they are hot and you can really get the energy on the spot you want it.

 

[murphy1244]

good post^

 

[Raspy]

For water heater connections you can go with flex lines if you wish. These can be sweated onto the pipe or screwed onto a male adapter that is sweated onto the wall pipe, on one end and the water heater nipple on the other end. Best to put valves on both the cold and the hot lines and they are best on the wall pipes. So, just sweat two valves on, adapt to flex with male adapters and screw on the flex lines. This is the easiest, works very well and allows for complete shutoff for service or water heater changeout later.

Copper is a good choice for air lines in a shop. Plus it would give you some practice on sweating copper.

 

[forgeblast]

Great post raspy. I would also add dont over sand the pipe and the valve. I have seen people sand off so much copper that the pipes dont fit anymore. Once you do have it sanded flux it keep to keep it 'clean". Ball valve is what we used that way you dont melt anything. Just make sure the valve is open.

 

[kenmac]

You can also purchase a paste to put on the valve to cut down on heat transfer. I use it and never have problems with damaging valves ,etc., due to over heating

 

[JD40MO77]

I was taught to keep a small bucket such as a red plastic Folgers coffee can with water and a shop towel and wrap the soaked rag around the valve body then heat and solder and quickly re-wet the rag with water and rap it around the joint after you get it soldered................ we never had problems and I got into the habit of doing this on nearly every joint..........