Help Me Be A Plumber

[Mar]

I have this pipe on top of my hot water tank and it's leaking at the knob:



I plan on replacing it but just got the idea if maybe I can cut out both of these pieces and replace them both with a single valve:



I was told by an employee at Rona that I should use this shark bite valve. You just push both ends of the copper pipe into it and somehow it's solid.



I was told I would need slack in the copper line to push it down into the valve, is this enough? The plastic pipe that joins the copper is pretty flexible.

[Skidro]

Good luck

[speedog]

Bottom valve appears to be unused, was probably meant for a humidifier. As far as the main valve replacement, I'd put in a forged ball valve and one that I'd have to sweat in just so I'd have the ease of mind of no future leaks from the joint areas.

As far as replacing both valves with one and pulling down the supply pipe to make up the difference, I wouldn't recommend this because I suspect it would put undue stress on the plastic pipes.

I wouldn't consider this a difficult job at all even if you do it with a valve that'll need to be sweated in.

[StreetRacerX]

Pretty straight forward, you can probably cut both the saddle valve for the humidifier and leaking gate valve and have enough play with the pex piping to use the hackbite shut off, just make sure the pex won't be within 6" of the venting for the HWT, ensure that when you install the valve the handle falls to the off position, and if you do feel that there is stress on the piping, you can always throw in a chunk of 3/4 type L copper and a hackbite coupling to take the stress off.

[Mar]

Bottom valve is unused, I removed the humidifier from it and replaced the saddle valve last year. It was leaking as well before I replaced it.

The valve I bought is a ball valve but it has some sort of shark bite connection system, I'll give it a try. If it leaks I can try something else, I guess I'll leave the saddle valve there.

[ExtraSlow]

Mar Thread: Help me be a plumber.

I can't see how this could go wrong . . . .

Mar, before you do any of this, have you verified that your floor drain in that room works. Somehow I suspect you'll be needing it . . . . . .

[StreetRacerX]

Originally posted by Mar
Bottom valve is unused, I removed the humidifier from it and replaced the saddle valve last year. It was leaking as well before I replaced it.

The valve I bought is a ball valve but it has some sort of shark bite connection system, I'll give it a try. If it leaks I can try something else, I guess I'll leave the saddle valve there.

If I were you I'd return the hackbite ball valve and put in a 3/4 compression ball valve, I don't know if the plastic in those are fire rated and its going to be awfully close to that venting.

[Nufy]

You should just be able to replace the internals on the valve in question.

No soldering needed.

[speedog]

Originally posted by Nufy
You should just be able to replace the internals on the valve in question.

No soldering needed.

Should, maybe but it is probably cheaper and possibly easier to just replace the whole valve - finding the individual required parts is probably not that easy.

[C_Dave45]

Just a thought: When you cut the old valves out, remove/replace the diptube going into the HWT at the same time. Unless it's in perfect shape. Dip tubes often break down and are a common cause of running out of hot water before your shower's finished.

[The_Rural_Juror]

What could go wrong?

[FraserB]

Subscribed.

[BokCh0y]

Originally posted by FraserB
Subscribed.

x2

[dj_rice]

in b4 he sets up a GoFundMe page for what happens after install

[DustanS]

.

[legendboy]

I replaced my hot water tank diy, took me about an hour + one trip to home depot to buy a few gas line nipples

soldering copper pipe is very simple, I think the kits are about 30 bucks and will last you forever. You will also need a quality pipe cutter, maybe 20?

just post your technical questions here and we will get you thru it

[mr2mike]

Originally posted by StreetRacerX


If I were you I'd return the hackbite ball valve and put in a 3/4 compression ball valve, I don't know if the plastic in those are fire rated and its going to be awfully close to that venting.

Sharkbites need to be a certain distance from the HW tank inlets. Mar knows this, the Rona guy told him how easy it is to do.
Serious. This is a major water line, it lets go, there is no TRY except TRY to keep the basement water below your ankles. cut the line close to the PEX, disconnect from tank. Build your new line then solder in at top and connect at tank. Solder will either leak instantly and you know or it never will. Sharkbites, who knows.

Originally posted by C_Dave45
Just a thought: When you cut the old valves out, remove/replace the diptube going into the HWT at the same time. Unless it's in perfect shape. Dip tubes often break down and are a common cause of running out of hot water before your shower's finished.

He's not removing the notoriously leaky saddle valve. El Cheapo isn't going to replace the $10 dip tube.

Originally posted by legendboy
I replaced my hot water tank diy, took me about an hour + one trip to home depot to buy a few gas line nipples

soldering copper pipe is very simple, I think the kits are about 30 bucks and will last you forever. You will also need a quality pipe cutter, maybe 20?

just post your technical questions here and we will get you thru it

You must be new to Mar threads.

[carson blocks]

Originally posted by dj_rice


in b4 he sets up a GoFundMe page for what happens after install

Werd. In before flood of biblical proportions. Also in before 'Can I retroactively buy flood insurance?' thread, the 'How to drain my basement?' thread, and the 'How do I haul home reno supplies on a Veloster?' thread.

I suggest building an ark before you start, or calling a competent plumber.

[jwslam]

Originally posted by carson blocks
or calling a competent plumber.

He IS a competent plumber. We gave him so much advice he's upgraded from mar to MARio

[01RedDX]

.