Hi,

I recently tackled my own project of replacing a hot water heater with a
new one (electric). The heater used 3/4" copper pipe. I had no
problems except with a new water gate valve on the inlet side. I
replaced the old with an exact new one but now I have a leak that drips
one drop of water about every two minutes.

Question:

1. Should these gate valves be dissembled prior to soldering so the
heat won't affect the o-rings inside ? Mine is leaking at the solder
connection, not from the top or the valve stem, but I wouldn't want to
chance damaging the o-rings.

2. Should I try heating the fitting up again and apply more solder to
stop this very tiny leak or just cut it out and install another new one ?

3. I used the proper soldering techniques (cleaning, flux, dry pipes,
etc.) but any pointers will be appreciated. This fitting was the only
problem I had.

Thanks very much in advance.

Joey

Joey wrote:
Hi,

I recently tackled my own project of replacing a hot water heater with a
new one (electric). The heater used 3/4" copper pipe. I had no
problems except with a new water gate valve on the inlet side. I
replaced the old with an exact new one but now I have a leak that drips
one drop of water about every two minutes.

Question:

1. Should these gate valves be dissembled prior to soldering so the
heat won't affect the o-rings inside ? Mine is leaking at the solder
connection, not from the top or the valve stem, but I wouldn't want to
chance damaging the o-rings.

2. Should I try heating the fitting up again and apply more solder to
stop this very tiny leak or just cut it out and install another new one ?

3. I used the proper soldering techniques (cleaning, flux, dry pipes,
etc.) but any pointers will be appreciated. This fitting was the only
problem I had.

Thanks very much in advance.

Joey

Joey-

1. Should these gate valves be dissembled prior to soldering so the
heat won't affect the o-rings inside ? Mine is leaking at the solder
connection, not from the top or the valve stem, but I wouldn't want to
chance damaging the o-rings.

Yes, disassemble but gate valves do not generally have O-rings just
stem packing.

2. Should I try heating the fitting up again and apply more solder
to
stop this very tiny leak or just cut it out and install another new one
?

No, at this point you're SOL. MAYBE you can do a reheat & resolder but
it's not the right way to fix it. You need to get the water away from
the joint, you will not be able to get the joint up to heat with water
in it. You need to get back to clean fluxed joint & start over.

3. I used the proper soldering techniques (cleaning, flux, dry
pipes,
etc.) but any pointers will be appreciated. This fitting was the only
problem I had.

Sounds like you have it covered sometimes you just get a bad joint.

Too much heat can be a problem just as not enough. I still worry over
upside down joints but nearly always work for me. I have an air
breathing acetelyne rig that really works for me. I never had prefect
luck with the small Bernzomatic type w/ propane esp outside in the wind
(inside ok)

When ever I do a water heater change out I use threaded ball valves. I
sweat on male threaded adapters. I follow them with the threaded ball
valves w/ close nipples & finish the connection to the water heater
with the flex copper connector lines.

Using threaded fittings & the flex adapters gives me something to
tighten if anything leaks

I put valves on both the hot & cold water lines...........makes water
heater changeout next time a REAL short job w/o the water leaking all
over the utility closet, garage or basement.

cheers
Bob

It sounds like just a bad solider joint, happens. Sweat it apart, heat the
pipe wipe of the solider best you can, Put flux on the pipe when it's hot.
Clean the inside of the valve, once it slips on the pipe fairly easy reflux
and solider. Heat the pipe first then the valve you should be able to see
the solider suck into the cup of the valve. The valve is either brass or
bronze so let it cool on it's own no wet rag.




"Joey" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I recently tackled my own project of replacing a hot water heater with a
new one (electric). The heater used 3/4" copper pipe. I had no problems
except with a new water gate valve on the inlet side. I replaced the old
with an exact new one but now I have a leak that drips one drop of water
about every two minutes.

Question:

1. Should these gate valves be dissembled prior to soldering so the
heat won't affect the o-rings inside ? Mine is leaking at the solder
connection, not from the top or the valve stem, but I wouldn't want to
chance damaging the o-rings.

2. Should I try heating the fitting up again and apply more solder to stop
this very tiny leak or just cut it out and install another new one ?

3. I used the proper soldering techniques (cleaning, flux, dry pipes,
etc.) but any pointers will be appreciated. This fitting was the only
problem I had.

Thanks very much in advance.

Joey

Joey wrote:
Hi,

I recently tackled my own project of replacing a hot water heater with a
new one (electric). The heater used 3/4" copper pipe. I had no
problems except with a new water gate valve on the inlet side. I
replaced the old with an exact new one but now I have a leak that drips
one drop of water about every two minutes.

Question:

1. Should these gate valves be dissembled prior to soldering so the
heat won't affect the o-rings inside ? Mine is leaking at the solder
connection, not from the top or the valve stem, but I wouldn't want to
chance damaging the o-rings.

2. Should I try heating the fitting up again and apply more solder to
stop this very tiny leak or just cut it out and install another new one ?

3. I used the proper soldering techniques (cleaning, flux, dry pipes,
etc.) but any pointers will be appreciated. This fitting was the only
problem I had.

Thanks very much in advance.

Joey

This is definitely a hack, but before you go tearing the valve out, if
you can spot where the leaking water is exiting, try peening the exposed
solder there with something like the end of a screwdriver blade tapped
with a hammer, as though you were trying to push the solder into the joint.

It won't take much to seal off a leak that slow, it will probably plug
itself with chemical sediment in a few weeks anyway.

If a few seconds of peening doesn't work, it won't leave you any worse
off than you are now.

--
Jeffry Wisnia

(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)

"Truth exists; only falsehood has to be invented."

Another option may be to just replace the valve with a compression type
rather than a solder. They have both valves that have compression
fittings, and also fittings that have pipe threads on one end and
compression on the other that you can screw into a threaded valve. Good
luck Larry

On Tue, 28 Feb 2006 22:19:19 -0500, Jeff Wisnia
wrote:

Joey wrote:
Hi,

I recently tackled my own project of replacing a hot water heater with a
new one (electric). The heater used 3/4" copper pipe. I had no
problems except with a new water gate valve on the inlet side. I
replaced the old with an exact new one but now I have a leak that drips
one drop of water about every two minutes.

Question:

1. Should these gate valves be dissembled prior to soldering so the
heat won't affect the o-rings inside ? Mine is leaking at the solder
connection, not from the top or the valve stem, but I wouldn't want to
chance damaging the o-rings.

2. Should I try heating the fitting up again and apply more solder to
stop this very tiny leak or just cut it out and install another new one ?

3. I used the proper soldering techniques (cleaning, flux, dry pipes,
etc.) but any pointers will be appreciated. This fitting was the only
problem I had.

Thanks very much in advance.

Joey

This is definitely a hack, but before you go tearing the valve out, if
you can spot where the leaking water is exiting, try peening the exposed
solder there with something like the end of a screwdriver blade tapped
with a hammer, as though you were trying to push the solder into the joint.

It won't take much to seal off a leak that slow, it will probably plug
itself with chemical sediment in a few weeks anyway.

If a few seconds of peening doesn't work, it won't leave you any worse
off than you are now.

Yeah, and not only that, but if the leak is that small, a little JB
Weld should take care of it. But the water must be drained and that
pipe very dry and clean. They sell a 5 minute dry JB Weld. Use that,
but leave the water pressure off overnight. BE SURE to shut off the
electric to the water heater when you drain it. This is not an ideal
solution, but your leak sounds very minor.

Mark

gate valves tend to be heavier requiring more heat to sweat. the next
time MAPP gas might be better

On 1 Mar 2006 04:38:57 -0800, "
wrote:

gate valves tend to be heavier requiring more heat to sweat. the next
time MAPP gas might be better

I never use solder in valves. Either they dont get enough heat, or
they get too much and the heat ruins them. I always solder on
adaptors and use threaded valves.

In article , wrote:
On 1 Mar 2006 04:38:57 -0800, "
wrote:

gate valves tend to be heavier requiring more heat to sweat. the next
time MAPP gas might be better

I never use solder in valves. Either they dont get enough heat, or
they get too much and the heat ruins them. I always solder on
adaptors and use threaded valves.

It's less trouble -- a *lot* less -- to disassemble the valve before
soldering, and reassemble after it cools, than to use adapters and threaded
valve bodies. And if you use a MAPP torch, you don't need to worry about not
having enough heat. They're about double the cost of a propane torch, and
worth every penny.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.