Joining PVC to Copper

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B

Brewer

0
Oct 2, 2012
42
Southern California
I looked at the construction sub-forum for insight, and did an "open forum" search for answers to my question, but drew a blank. I am contemplating an "upgrade" to my pump-house, to get rid of all the old brass valves, iron unions and excess 90* bends in the plumbing. To accomplish this I will have to remove a 1-1/2" iron union from the MD 1-1/2" copper suction line ( connection is pipe-thread ). The skimmer suction line will not be a problem, as I will be isolating ( plugging ) the old leaking copper line at the skimmer well, and replacing it with a 2" PVC line, running directly from the well to the pump-house.
The process of removing the MD union gives me the heebie-jeebies, as I am afraid I will be unable to back-up the hex-flange on the copper pipe sufficiently, to avoid twisting the pipe and ruining it. There is only about 6" of pipe protruding from the concrete slab. If I simply cut the copper pipe off at the threaded flange, I will have to then join the bare pipe with a 1-1/2" or 2" PVC fitting with Blue-Glue or other suitable cement. I am afraid that the normal tolerances of the elements in question will not allow for a satisfactory joining of the parts.
All experiences & suggestions will be appreciated.
 
Here's what I used. This is the 2" one I had to use, also used one 1.5". In the second picture, you can see them soldered to the copper lines. Then you use threaded PVC fittings with pipe dope to make it all secure and leak proof.

Don't go to Home Depot for those fittings, they don't have anything that big. You have to go to a commercial supply. The two fittings cost me about $70.

copper.jpg


fittings.jpg
 
RobbieH said:
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb7/ ... copper.jpg

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb7/ ... ttings.jpg
Click to expand...


Norton DNS blocks these websites - sigh. I'm sure they are not in fact malicious - but some fool probably posted something that was on one of the photobucket sites that started with i207 and that screwed everyone on the site.

EDIT: I was right! I changed to i208 and they work.


http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb7/ ... copper.jpg

http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb7/ ... ttings.jpg[/quote]
 
RobbieH said:
My career is in information security, I assure you they are not malicious.

But then, how many times have we received an email that said just that? :)
Click to expand...

LOL - IT architect and former IT Security guy here too. Norton DNS blocks at the site level - something got stuck there on that server at some point that triggered them to block it - I'll bet a LOT of people complain over time.
 
I know we are off subject, but you know how that goes. A site, company, etc., gets blacklisted. At first they may not even know, then when they figure it out they don't know how to resolve it.

Good for us though, job security! :)
 
Back on subject, I found some reasonably priced copper sweat-to-NPT adapters at Pexsupply.com. Although I have already joined my 1" return line with a FNPT PVC fitting, I will buy a new fitting for the 1" return line as well, as that pipe stands about 4' above the slab, and I want to lower it so it is closer to the junction with the heater outlet and the booster-pump outlet. Since it is only a couple of bucks, I will also buy a 1-1/2" cap for the existing skimmer suction pipe, which is to be replaced with a new 2" PVC line.
 
Don't worry about it too much, if all else fails you can always use a rubber coupling to connect metal to pvc. I will admit that having a proper fitting will look better but the rubber coupling will hold up just fine.
 
Since the old skimmer suction pipe will be sealed off Friday, when the leaking pipe is replaced with a new 2" PVC pipe, I will only have to deal with the plugged up MD pipe. Whether I decide to un-plug it & incorporate it into a new "complex" that includes the skimmer and a "selectable" suction-side cleaner ( with the current pressure-side cleaner as an option ) or cap it off permanently, I nevertheless intend to remove the old skimmer & MD gate valves. To prevent the MD pipe from oozing water onto my equipment pad, I will get a 1-1/2" expansion plug from a pool supply house, to drop into the open MD line.
 

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Thanks for the input. That connector looks like just the fitting I need, to resurrect the MD suction line, in case the new 2" skimmer line is inadequate. I tried to remove the iron unions from the old MD & skimmer lines with an 18" pipe wrench + 20" extension, and they won't budge. In order to get them out out of the way of the new plumbing, I will have to hack-saw both 1-1/2" pipes off 3" above the floor.
 
that fitting is designed for what you are trying to do. Rubber couplings work fine, they do flex and expand depending on if it's on the suction or pressure side but that's basically it. they are pretty sturdy.
 
We had copper waste piping in an old house and ripped it all out to re-work the drains with PVC. Some of the patches had been done with those sweat on NPT adapters but they did cost a fortune. The plumber who did our work spliced pvc to copper drains with the rubber boots. Basically the pvc and copper butt against each other and the boot covers the splice. Outside the boot is a stainless clamp that covers all the rubber. As noted above - seemed sturdy.
 
The only thing I would worry about in the first post is the fact that you have a salt water generator very close to copper piping. I have a feeling the electrolosys in the cell will leak out a little and eat away at the copper. Just one pool man's opinion.
 
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