Soldering ball valves

A lot depends on how well you can solder (fast) but still have 95%+ coverage. I do it daily and just close them and then just crack it back a little, and cool the valve as fast as I can. Over heating the valve can cause the plastic seat to melt, which makes it useless. The most important things are 1) remove water 2) clean the copper 3) proper flux and solder.
If all else fails use compression ball valves, which we do sometimes due to time limits, water issues. :fing32:

Remeber the old timers trick of a piece of white bread up in the pipe to absorb any water--if doing a job quickly?

Again--clean and prepare is the key--

Also--glad to see you post again--Mr. Cadman!!:thThumbsU


glenn

glenn27 said:

Remeber the old timers trick of a piece of white bread up in the pipe to absorb any water--if doing a job quickly?

Again--clean and prepare is the key--

Also--glad to see you post again--Mr. Cadman!!:thThumbsU


glenn

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Funny you should say that, P.S. it does work (most of the time)

I remember a job years ago that just wouldn't drain out, just when things were right for solder water would hit :banghead3
I asked the woman of the house for a piece of bread to do what you said, she looked at me and said,
O'dear I can make you a whole sandwich!
once I explained why I needed it she said ok and gave us the bread, about hour later she brought us down some home made cookies :fing32:

Thanks guys for all the replies. I've soldered copper fittings and globe valves before but never a ball valve. I'll do as you have suggested. I was all set up to do this job next weekend but was informed yesterday that we will be getting company next weekend so I'll have to postpone the job for another week or so. Thanks again everyone. :trink39:

I have followed a guy that used the bread trick, and it worked fine for him, but I then spent time cleaning it out of toilet fluch valves and ice machines.
The hottest thing on the market is Shark-Bite fittings that just slip on to copper, pex, cpvc, etc, and come in valves, couplings, els, tees, etc and can be install without tools and in wet conditions. I love them if price is not the issue and time is.

Yea, I heard with bread you should remove the strainers on your faucets and run the water for a while to flush out the bread. I'm not sure but I thought I read or saw somewhere, they have gel balls that fit into copper tubing. You put one of these in the tube and shove it back away from the solder joint. These things would hold the water back while you soldered. Once water pressure hit them they would explode and the gel would dissolve. Anyone ever heard of these things?