"John Rumm" wrote in message
...
Andy wrote:

As you mentioned in your previous reply though, actually removing the
valves could be a bit tricky if (as I suspect) there's no movement in the
22mm pipes either side of the valve. You mentioned cutting the valve

Removing will be dead easy, rather than bothering to unscrew the nut, just
cut the pipe above and below the valve. One of the small pipe cutters
should fit in between the pipes ok. Having said that you may find there is
play in the pipes anyway, especialy as the top section of each pipe has a
dog leg in it.

out and joining the two pipe ends with new pipe and solder connectors.
Wouldn't I have the same issues with pipe rigidity when assembling such
a connection setup i.e somethings got to give to allow the pipe to be
fitted
inside a solder connector....

You you are right, the key word in my original suggestion however was
"slip"... as in solder "slip connector". These are like ordinary solder
fittings except they don't have the depression in the centre that stops
them sliding right over the pipe. Hence as long as you can get a pipes
thickness of lateral movement out of at least one pipe, you simply flux
it up, slide it right onto the pipe so that it does not overlap the end,
re-align the pipes, and slide it half way back again before soldering. You
can achieve the same result with a compression fitting if you want by
drilling out the stop in the middle of it so it will pass right onto a
pipe (tricky without a big drill bit and a drill press mind you!) If you
really don't fancy that, then you could use a couple of push fit elbows
and a short section of flexible plastic pipe instead.



Cheers again John, I worked out what you meant by slip connector
about 15 mins after posting my last message :-) Simple solution
really! I think I might do some practice solder joints on a spare pipe
and connectors first.... How do you keep the copper slip peice in
place when applying heat and then solder to a vertical installation
(assuming only one pair of hands are available!) ? Presumably
gravity will make it slide down the pipe ?


Andy.