Plumbers debate the quality of Viega fittings versus soldered joints
11 posts across 3 communities in the last 30 days; 82% from r/Plumbing.
“I just got this frostless faucet and I noticed this pin hole in the solder. Is it going to be a problem? Or should there be more of a seal deeper in the fitting?”
“Going to attempt to swap out this old PRV but cannot figure out what adapter I need. I've only soldered copper once before but purchased all the tools to do the job. It's the copper adapters I cant seem find the exact one the previous installer used. I labeled the 2 pieces in…”
“Were we talking about using our finger??? It's a good thing solder bonds to copper a HELL of a lot stronger than your finger. I've got a nick in a copper line that's had solder over it for 15 years....and that was a nick that went all the way through. This guys issue has metal…”
A discussion revolves around the comparison between Viega (press) fittings and traditional soldered copper pipe connections, with some plumbers advocating for Viega’s longevity and reliability. The conversation includes references to specific materials like 1.5” PVC and mentions of “big-solder.”
SOURCES (53)
“I just got this frostless faucet and I noticed this pin hole in the solder. Is it going to be a problem? Or should there be more of a seal deeper in the fitting? submitted by /u/PrintNo8154 [link] [comments]”
“Going to attempt to swap out this old PRV but cannot figure out what adapter I need. I've only soldered copper once before but purchased all the tools to do the job. It's the copper adapters I cant seem find the exact one the previous installer used. I labeled the 2 pieces in the pic 1 & 2 , the top copper piece I know is a 1" to 3/4" reducer. It's the 3/4" male adapter coming from the top of the PRV I cant figure out what it is. I thought it was a male 3/4" a”
“Sweet I’ll check them out - do you have any experience with the Prima ones? MTM”
“And you never want to solder just one side of the fitting, like how you have it shown in the pic. Now just practicing, that's fine. But in real life you want to have pipe in all the outlets of the fitting, and solder them all at one time. Not solder one side of the fitting, then wait till tomorrow and then solder the other side.”
“Those socket saver things are for American waste pipe, not British. We call a pipe like that 1½" but it isn't the same as US 1½". It's called 40mm but the ID is usually around 36mm (a little under 1½"). US 1½" drain pipe is a little over 1½" on the ID, which is more like 40mm, and almost 2" on the OD. You've shafted yourself by cutting it at the fitting and leaving no beef to get a fitting on. There is a trick to using hole saws, if you're desperate.”
“Brass nipples kinda work, but dielectric nipples or a dielectric union would be better. I would personally go with dielectric unions so when the unit eventually goes bad, or a leak pops up it's easier to service.”
“https://preview.redd.it/h2h1ao52kush1.jpeg?width=1320&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=abe55d1112f27fc9cd1d85460fea07f126b27834 WOW ! The solder worked better when applied to the joints on the pipes”
“So long as you can see solder all the way around. Doesn't matter what it looks like otherwise. In commercial soldering we don't give a shit, it's not on display, you make sure it's not going to leak.”
“Plumbers today do not solder , It is becoming a lost art . What you are doing is 👏. It looks great from my end . Keep up the good work.”
“Looks pretty good. But it’s worth noting that as the size of the pipe goes up, the difficulty goes up. 1”+ is a BITCH with just a single blue bottle torch.”
“Im serious. You dont want to beat on it with all your might but a couple whacks sure. It sounds crazy but its a good test of solder joints. Been a plumber for over 25 years”
“the second picture coupling on top looks bad. if you dont see the solder catch then always rebrush with flux then go with solder again. if you see the top of your solder joints looking bad then most likely the bottom will be even worse without a mirror to double check. plus always wipe down your solder joints with a wet rag to get rid of the access flux so it doesnt turn green and look like its corroding overtime.”
“Were we talking about using our finger??? It's a good thing solder bonds to copper a HELL of a lot stronger than your finger. I've got a nick in a copper line that's had solder over it for 15 years....and that was a nick that went all the way through. This guys issue has metal, it's not leaking, it just needs a little extra support just to help secure it.”
Solder by itself has no strength. It needs to be cut out and replace.
“That’s the fault of the previous generation, this superiority complex on soldering is still ridiculous”
Ok. Solder your copper gas line joints. I give zero fucks.
“2" hub & spigot lead & oakum or 2" threaded steel takes too long. Despite copper being expensive, it saves a lot on time. When the union labor costs as much as it does per hour, it works out. 3" DWV or larger we do lead & oakum cast iron. But we do 4" DWV copper often when we have a tight elevation to work in. A 4" copper DWV combo is much smaller than a hub & spigot cast iron combo.”
“ALSO: Soldered fitting below slab need to be silver solder. The typical tin solder will corrode. Generally, propress fittings are fine under the slab, but I haven't been plumbing long enough to see the negative effects of that.”
“That is not a Union, is it? In any case, the point is to not stress the joint with the green oxide pipe walls going through the foundation wall. An old soldered joint can become a real problem if it is structurally stressed by torsion.”
“It has to do with how the copper is made into its final form. With our rigid pipe, you're right it would kink if we attempted to shape it. The soft copper goes through a different annealing processed when it's being manufactured, which allows for it to be bent as it creates a softer final product. It's my understanding, and I've heard and read it many times but have never seen it, that you can anneal the rigid copper by heating it first, which would then allow for the shaping of”
“He could put some flux on the dimples then add some solder. In the end they will out last the warranty anyways. Also doesn't really matter when its time to go home.”
“https://preview.redd.it/851dg1i27dlh1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=18790384cd6e99617f34b565953b1d57e4299b2c”
“I didn’t realize I missed the top of these overhead pipes when I was adding solder. Should I reheat them and add more solder or are they good? submitted by /u/_heso [link] [comments]”
“I’m just curious what sort of damage soldering flame can really do? If you’re careful you can use a small propane torch, and with a shield cloth it’s quite safe. Even soldering directly next to wood was done frequently in the old days and it just leaves char marks.”
“https://www.supplyhouse.com/Sioux-Chief-972-3RA-Repair-Adapter-Extension-5-Pack?srsltid=AfmBOorPmrBF8gfKRjIUvHdSGQx1MkhqTgeHrDD71uYD2eM0sifr1ddB Still have to solder, but it's an easy solder job outside the wall”
“You can with a propress fitting, but I’m in agreement that switching to a Delta is the better solution.”
“Now's your chance. Pack the hole in the wall with a moist rag. Sweat your coupling on, and put a sharkbite valve on the end. Turn the water on, close the valve, and then you'll know for sure if you have a leak before you put the spout on”
“As long as the plug is a brass one, either is fine. Obviously soldering is the more for-sure option, but a fully-inserted plug with thread sealant would have to have been made wrong in the factory to leak. I'd go with the plug, way easier.”
“Definitely not allowed. 18" of copper before PEX in Ontario. But it's that 90 even crimped?? https://preview.redd.it/b8g6m2zm2tkh1.png?width=1008&format=png&auto=webp&s=f0d4216aa4f305ddf593a54942ca786e3cd1a892”
“Hi all- I'm converting my old 1/2 bath into a laundry room, and because there's already a cold water supply at the back wall, I'm going to plug/cap and bury the old supply lines that fed the wall-mounted sink. The question is: Should I cut & cap the old supply lines, or just use thread sealant and a male plug in the existing elbow (red arrow)? Thanks! submitted by /u/Scuzmak [link] [comments]”
“How big of an issue is this? Why would a professional defend using copper on galvanized? submitted by /u/StumpytheDog [link] [comments]”
“Did you know that the “rubber o-ring” in press fittings is not natural rubber like you’re commonly used to using. Its a synthetic man-made material designed to last unlike natural rubber”
“Wut? You know all of those 50+ year old valves in your basement, attached to copper? They’re brass. OP, wrap the joint in self-adhesive silicone tape and bury it, you won’t be alive to see it fail.”
“Everything has its life time and the rubber o-rings in the press fitting will not outlast either of the materials. The connection is too risky in my opinion to leave inside an inaccessible void. Why not have a small cut-out in the cement boards and the battens at that location for a service hatch? I mean, you can always cut it in later when and if it leaks.”
“It's a press fitting involving 2 dissimilar materials - it is most definitely not fine to be buried in concrete. Either go with full copper braised at the joints then wrapped with lagging, or go full PEX in a corrugated sleeve - copper will probably outlast us, and you can just replace a whole run of PEX by pulling a new one through the corrugated sleeve. Full PVC is also an option, but dissimilar materials should be accessible at the joint - that is the point of failure. If you insist on us”
“Man found the shill for big-solder. I promise you it’s not crap. Viega makes some very solid fittings that will last just as long as those joints.”
“No kidding. Plus the strut which is >1.5" wide and is only slightly further away looks smaller than both pipes. Weird perspective indeed.”