How do I replace ball shut-off valve?

[dragonballz]

This valve drips one drop occasionally when I shut it off. The drop comes from the rusty nut area. It's bound to fail soon.

The pipe is fixed at both ends so I have no play to insert the new valve after I cut the old one out. How do I do this?

At 3:43, Is this the best way to go at it?

 

[rlitman]

Take off nut and handle. Tighten packing nut. Replace handle. Call it a day.

 

[cowboy73]

You could try tightening the packing nut first, if that doesn't work I would do like in the video and using the sliding couplers. But I would make the cuts a little farther apart than they did so the heat wouldn't affect the solder joints at the ends of the valve.

 

[Alchymist]

If the valve is bad ..... couplings are your friend in this situation:

 

[dragonballz]

Okay I will try tightening the packing nut first. Thanks. Do I have to shut off the water before this valve before I do anything?

 

[brewchief]

One or two drips wouldn't bother me as long as that's it.

To replace cut the pipe 6" or so from one side, let water drain, pull it down a touch and heat the joints and unsweat it, clean the pipe and reassemble using a repair coupling where you cut it, resweat it.

 

[NUTTSGT]

If the valve is bad ..... couplings are your friend in this situation:

Yep, this is what I would do. Cut it apart, sweat in new ball valve and sweat a union on one side.

 

[Techie1961]

It's not likely to "fail" but only drip a bit worse over time. You have a lot of choices such as those shown and you can also look at Sharkbite fittings. They make a slip coupling as well that you can put on and the move down. Put a Sharkbite valve in and ten minutes of work and you're done.

If want to solder it in, use a Union like Alchymist has shown. Put it on one end that has been cut and the ball valve on the other end. A short piece of tubing in the middle.

 

[Dick in Wisconsin]

I would try tightening the packing nut first. That usually solves the problem for me. Doesn't take much of a turn, don't go too far.

General question to the audience (probably plumbers): Do ball valves fail?

 

[rlitman]

I would try tightening the packing nut first. That usually solves the problem for me. Doesn't take much of a turn, don't go too far.



General question to the audience (probably plumbers): Do ball valves fail?

I've never seen a ball valve fail in normal use, though I've seen them damaged while soldering.

 

[rayra]

Take off nut and handle. Tighten packing nut. Replace handle. Call it a day.

That.

 

[PoorOwner]

I think I had the same problem once, adjusting the packing nut made it worse, but give it a try.

the picture shown is a union, you do not really need that.. You need a coupler called repair coupler, it's the same as a coupler but without the dimple/stop so it can slide anywhere on the pipe.

Cut valve, but you can actually unsolder the valve from the pipe and clean the pipe and reuse without losing any length, but that's up to you. Because pipes are so expensive now, if you choose to unsolder, you only need the new valve and a coupler from home depot. It should be under $10.

Solder the new valve on, then slide the repair coupler to the middle of the disjoint and solder it.

watch this video

 

[CNGsaves]

I think I had the same problem once, adjusting the packing nut made it worse, but give it a try.

the picture shown is a union, you do not really need that.. You need a coupler called repair coupler, it's the same as a coupler but without the dimple/stop so it can slide anywhere on the pipe.

Cut valve, but you can actually unsolder the valve from the pipe and clean the pipe and reuse without losing any length, but that's up to you. Because pipes are so expensive now, if you choose to unsolder, you only need the new valve and a coupler from home depot. It should be under $10.

Solder the new valve on, then slide the repair coupler to the middle of the disjoint and solder it.

watch this video

^ ^ ^ This. The key is the REPAIR coupler that SLIDES.

Looks like whoever added that shutoff did crappy job in solder sweating, and may have overheated valve damaging it.

Get copper cutter and CUT that puppy out. Build your "segment replacement" which will be full-flow 1/4 turn ball valve and stub of copper on one side. That will go in space you cut out (completely fill space). Ahead of time, you'll slide on the repair coupler on copper pipe which will be your final sweat joints.

Another key to doing this right . . . . get ALL water flow shut off upstream. You want the copper pipe completely empty of water. If necessary, do the bread technique upstream so you have completely dry copper pipe. May want to try blowing out line with compresses air first before trying the bread technique.

For experienced plumber/HVAC guy . . . . that is 5 minute fix !!

 

[JunkYardDawg]

General question to the audience (probably plumbers): Do ball valves fail?

I married a plumber's daughter, does that count?

Hey, I'm recently retired as an industrial mechanic and repair machinist. The systems we employed for carrying machining coolant were all plumbed in copper pipe and ball valves a-plenty. Never seen one fail or ever need replacing other than getting extremely grossed-up with the typical factory gunk.

 

[Rookie2]

For those of you that don't like red wrenches (torch):
for a 1/2 copper, and any valve you can use a 3/4 threaded ball valve with two 3/4 male pipe to 1/2" copper sharkbite adapters (1/2" sharkbites have a stop inside that prevent the copper from passing through). I've had to replace valves inline that the copper lines captured the valve , you just have to clean the copper before you cut the valve out and assemble one sharkbite first to the valve then slide the other sharkbite on one copper line and thread together after the valve with sharkbite is slid on the other.

Mark both sides of the origional copper pipe with a line at 2 or 3 inches to help center the valve, you can use a 1/2 open end wrench or buy a sharkbire release tool to move the assembly bach n forth.

 

[404]

Use a slip coupler. These have no *** or line to stop the tube half way. Make some mark on the tube or measure so you know when the slip coupler is centered over the cut.

 

[Kaizen]

as a hack homeowner plumber I'd cut to the left 6inches and to the right about the same. new shutoff on one of these leftover pieces. add new pipe to the right and a coupling. if still doesn't move use a slip coupling.

 

[rlitman]

I hate slip couplers. You always need to worry about getting them positioned just right. A better option is to buy a pipe repair sleeve (it's basically a longer repair coupling), so you don't have to worry so much about exact positioning.

But once again, I'll say that I have never seen a ball valve leaking at the stem that couldn't be fixed by tightening. The only hard part is getting a good grip on the brass nut without tearing it apart.

 

[naturalgas]

If your not comfortable soldering. Get a couple shark bites, 6" piece of copper and a compression ball valve. A little pricey, but works well for a no solder fix. It looks like 1/2" to me.


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[dragonballz]

Thanks all. For the record, I cannot replicate the leak on command. But it only leaks when I shut the valve off, but it doesn't happen everytime. I just tightened the packing nut. I will see in the future if it leaks. I noticed the handle is harder to turn now.

Thanks.

 

[sberry]

Certainly worth a tighten. If this goes to a hydrant that is normally on no big deal if it leaks a drop when off. I havnt seen blowouts but that doesn't mean they all work forever either. A replacement may be inevitable, I am not above replacing a faulty valve.

 

[Dick in Wisconsin]

Can the packing nut on a ball valve be backed off completely? How do they come apart? Can ball valves be taken apart?

 

[Hpozzuoli]

Use a slip coupler. These have no *** or line to stop the tube half way. Make some mark on the tube or measure so you know when the slip coupler is centered over the cut.

Slip coupler. Used one this morning to pipe around a bad hot water heater.

 

[rlitman]

Can the packing nut on a ball valve be backed off completely? How do they come apart? Can ball valves be taken apart?

Yeah, it can be removed, and yes, they can be taken apart, but not fully once sweated to a pipe. One side of the valve body screws into the other.

I think they make the packing nuts on these valves so thin (and hard to get a grip on), because they're not really meant to be tightened outside of the factory. Mainly because it shouldn't be necessary. But what I've seen is that on a valve that was sightly overheated when being sweated in, the teflon can soften and take a set into a new shape. And worst of all, it shrinks as it cools, so now everything fits a little loose. If the handle happened to be at an angle while sweating (NEVER let this happen; the valve should always be fully open when sweating for several reasons), that can leave an impression where the hole drilled through the ball meets the teflon, and it may never seal well fully closed.

I just tightened the packing nut. I will see in the future if it leaks. I noticed the handle is harder to turn now.

Perfect. That's exactly what you want to feel.