Plumbing question - converting copper to CPVC

[Mosey]

My 25 year old house was originally all plumbed with copper. I need to replace the bathtub control valve and spout. Rather than use copper again, which is a pain and I'm not very experienced at it (I have done some sweat soldering, but that was a long long time ago in a galaxy far far away), instead I got a fitting at Menards that will fit onto the 1/2" (approx 5/8" OD) copper pipe with a ring (ferrule?) that tightens down onto the copper pipe (I forgot what this type of fitting is called) which converts to a 1/2" male pipe thread, then I can screw a plastic1/2" female pipe thread to 1/2" CPVC pipe adapter onto it. Then I can do the plumbing with CPVC. Has anyone done this? If so, how tight do I need to tighten the nuts for the fitting?

[lblair]

Ive gone from copper to PVC. With a compression fitting on the copper then the plastic threaded piece with thread tape on it. Make it tight, but dont break the fitting and youll be all set. Ive never had no problems with leaks or blow outs. I keep my pressure at 35-40lbs and my hot water at 150 degrees. Use PVC thats for hot water side though. There is a difference i guess. Ive sweat fitted too ,but im more confident in the plastic myself. Ive had copper leak, plastic never!
Larry

[egon]

For the compression copper fitting it should be finger tight and then about one and a half turns.

There is flexible plastic type tubing available that would install much easier than the PVCP.

Egon

[Mosey]

Thanks to both of you. Yeah, "compression fitting" is what I was trying to remember it was called. I'll go ahead with it, since you both agree it should work.

[Pat]

The current favored water pipe is PEX in rigid (semi-rigid?) or flexible. It requires a crimp tool at about $100 but after that you are good to go for 1/2, 3/4 , or 1 inch. There is another style of crimper that requires a separate tool for each size at $160 each. Not a good idea. You can tell the difference by looking at the rings that you crimp on. If they are smooth they are for the fits-only-one-size tool. If the rings have two ears on them they are for the "universal" tool. Brass fitings are used and all connections are crimped. The tool is made to ratchet untill the proper crimp is made and then it releases so you don't have to develop a "feel." It is faster than soldering or gluing and is ready for full pressure immediately. I have had only one leak in this style of connection and that was due to a cow shoving a frost free spigot over flat on the ground.

This is what the plumbers are using on my new house and used to connect up my mom's house 3 years ago. It is real easy to work with and goes fast. This is the style that my HVAC contractor is using for my in-floor hydronic heat as well (No crimps burried in the slab.)

I recently helped a neighbor who had a leak in his copper in-slab bathroom plumbing. There was a pinhole in the copper tubing inside the slab. The copper was run in a plastic sleeve so there was no copper to cement contact. We cut the copper and pulled it out and slid PEX through in its place. The only problem we had was not understanding which pipe of two to pull (got wrong one first) and tried to pull the copper out with a "T" still on it (did not work.) Had it all fixed and in service in less than an hour. Still don't know why the coper tube developed a hole in it inside a plastic sleeve inside a slab but it was sure making a mess in his bathroom as it filled the plastic sleeve and overflowed inside the wall. He will fix the hole we cut in the dry wall as a separate project, not part of the less than an hour, I reported.

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]