Just a follow up to another older thread.

[www.plbg.com]

Quick recap of the existing.









Galvanized 3/4" with a female elbow pointing up, then a PVC male adapter, then a ball valve, then a galvanized tee, then threaded to a copper male adapter on the wall.

My plan of attack is to remove everything from the galvanized elbow at the bottom, and replace with all copper or brass to the wall connection.

I got all the parts, copper male adapter, copper pipe, full port ball valve, new hose bib, a brass tee with a FIP branch for the wall connection etc...

Took everything apart and no incident.

First issue, the galvanized elbow does not align with the male adapter at the wall, it's about 3/8" off laterally. Also, the distance of the galvanized elbow from the wall is a bit further out compared to if I thread in the brass tee at the wall, off by about 3/16" or so. I guess the existing PVC fittings gave a little, will I be able to get away with it with copper?

In any event I went ahead and soldered a piece of pipe to a copper male adapter, cleaned the galvanized threads as well as I could, used GREAT WHITE dope, and threaded it in. I was able to turn about three full revolutions and no more. I put a John Guest cap on top to just test that joint before I put together the rest of the assembly.

Turned water back on and it's leaking.







After drinking some Gatorade I turned another 1/4 turn with all my might, and being mindful I don't want to break that galvanized, turned water back on and it still leak, just not as much.

Ideas?

It started to rain so I stopped for now.

More dope and tighter. If it breaks it was too far gone anyway.

I'd use a few wraps of thread tape, then the pipe dope.

Will WAITING overnight, to allow the dope to "set" or "cure" a bit before pressurizing that joint help?

I think I asked this before the dope does not need time to set, right?

Sum, did you run a tap into the elbow to clean the rust out of the threads? Why the copper male into the elbow and not a brass nipple?

All of above/previous ---

Except next time try Permatex (Non-hardening type) with a little tape

( Example: Form a Gasket Sealant 2 Non-Hardening -- The brown sticky stuff ) --- Not the silicone type



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as steve said, chase the female threads with a pipe tap and use a nipple with a female adapter. big wrench on the nipple not the adapter. also, few wraps of teflon tape with dope ontop...

Sum, I've had really good luck for many years with TU555 pipe dope.
I'm not saying that it might help a lot with your current leak as you might have some threads that are basically "shot" however I am saying that the next time you go to a "real" plumbing supplier (I've never seen it at any home center) in your area you might ask for some.

I will get some TU555 next time vic. I have a tooth paste tube of this Oatey Great White from the big box store.

steve and packy,

why is a brass nipple preferred over a male adapter? Is a brass nipple harder?

I am going to try a MacGyver maneuver, wish me luck



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too much force and the copper male adapter might crush.

That's you, I never use TPFE tape on metal joints.

correct. If it is going to leak, it will leak immediately. We cannot wait around or come ack the next day to see if the repair is going to hold.

Unless he has a "bottoming tap" it will NOT go into an elbow far enough to be effective, and since a pipe was removed from the elbow, the threads are not damaged, unless the pipe was cut out, in which case all bets are off.

I see, so a brass nipple is better for this situation. I used the male adapter because it has a hex shaped part I can bite onto with an adjustable wrench and turn, where as a brass nipple is round and thinking I would have a hard time to torque it without slipping.

Here is a picture I forgot to attach earlier showing how the galvanized elbow was actually "OFF" a little, by about 3/8" of an inch laterally and 3/8" of an inch depth wise from the wall. I hope IF(ONCE) I resolve the leak issue this will not be the next issue.





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Finally.

I backed out the male adapter. I think one assumption that the PVC male adapter there previously and didn't leak, does not necessarily mean all the female threads in that galvanized iron elbow are in good shape.

I have an old water heater I have not yet thrown away, so I removed the 3/4" nipple from the top of the heater, looks like a stainless steel nipple and may do what I need. I cleaned one end of that nipple really well, then used an angle grinder with a diamond blade to cut across the threads, I made about four such cuts, just to create some sharp edges like they have in tapping bits. Some WD40 spray, and I threaded the nipple in. I used a plier to keep turning it clockwise. When I met resistance I increased the force, but as soon as I advanced a little I turned backwards, kept on this two steps ahead, one step back I was able to turn five full revolutions (instead of three). Backed out the nipple, cleaned the female elbow again, and doper up the copper male adapter again, and this time I can thread in much further, and no leak.









It is not a perfectly straight shot from the elbow to the wall, they are not perfectly aligned and I had to push the copper pipe into place a bit. Is that all right? Will the strain cause a premature failure down the road?

Someone mentioned Nibco USA made fittings. I used two brass tee by Nibco and they said MEXICO.

of the copper in contact with the steel elbow. Same reason you're not suppose to connect copper directly into a water heater tank.

Congrats on no leak! One correction for you though regardless of how it was before. A ground strap or clamp should always be placed on the supply side (streetSide if you will) of the main shut-off valve. What you have is already better since it's not trying to pass through PVC!

As old as that galvanized pipe is, it will need replacing LONG before galvanic action becomes a problem.

I thought about that. I was also considering a dielectric union.

The house was built in 1955. So that's a 59 year old galvanized pipe. I didn't know brass will inhibit galvanized action better than copper. But right now I am just happy there is no leak and I am really scared to try and redo that joint.

It is a good thing you only "considered" a dielectric union. It would not be much more effective than your copper adapter. In addition it would have created an "electrical break", (just like the PVC did previously), and I am sure, given the age of the building, that the water line IS the "ground wire" for the electrical system, and if so you would have needed a "jumper" across it, which would have negated any benefit of the union.



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nice job Sum

it passes the BERNABEU inspection !



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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

I hope it holds.

The galvanized elbow and wall connection didn't align 100%, off by 1/4"-3/8". I had to shim the pipe over a tad so I can solder without stressing the joints, then I pulled off the shims afterwards.