Plumbing copper pipe coupling question

[mtnbluet881]

I have 2 limed up copper coupling that I have to disconnect. They are the bottom ones below the kitchen sink. We have some friends that replaced the sink and counter area but they did not know plumbing as they tried to mix the new and the old pipes and the water pressure was too much. So now I have to take the 2 copper water tubings off the water pipes, so I can connect the new flexible water lines to the new sink. Then the water pressure should hold just fine.

However, the couplings are limed up and I'm not sure if the top fitting is actually lefty-loosy or if it is the opposite. I do not want to be trying to crank with the cresent wrench the wrong direction.

Any suggestions? I am using Lime-away to take off the lime, but it is slow going.

[Nevada]

The threads on copper pipe & tubing fittings won't be left-handed.

But I'm not understanding why the pressure is too much. You weren't clear about exactly which fittings were used, but I can't imagine that they wouldn't hold 50 psi.

[mtnbluet881]

Beneath the kitchen sink is the two copper hot and cold pipes. Well they stuck them up into the fittings meant for flexible tubings and of course they did not hold.

Reason they did this was because they could not disconnect them on the bottom from the main hot and cold water pipes –limed up!

So, after shutting off our water, I am now trying to de-lime these bottom copper couplings so that I can screw on the flexible hot and cold water lines that originally came with the kitchen sink.

Need suggestions for the fastest way to decouple them without stripping the threads.

Would a propane torch work?

[Nevada]

Originally Posted by mtnbluet881

Beneath the kitchen sink is the two copper hot and cold pipes. Well they stuck them up into the fittings meant for flexible tubings and of course they did not hold.

Reason they did this was because they could not disconnect them on the bottom from the main hot and cold water pipes –limed up!

So, after shutting off our water, I am now trying to de-lime these bottom copper couplings so that I can screw on the flexible hot and cold water lines that originally came with the kitchen sink.

Need suggestions for the fastest way to decouple them without stripping the threads.

Would a propane torch work?

If you've got a reasonable amount of copper pipe exposed, it would probably be fastest and easiest to just make a fresh cut into the copper pipe with a tubing cutter. You can get a "compression fitting to flex line coupler" at the hardware store that's easy to install. That way everything will be new and fresh.

I'm thinking that with the amount of lime you are complaining about that you may have a difficult time getting the rubber gasket in the flex hose to seal to the old fitting.

[mtnbluet881]

Wow! Somehow I always think of the most complicated way to do things----which are of course the most difficult to do. Thanks, Nevada! We are headed down to the Home Depot now with the flex tubing in our hands....

What is the tool called that actually cuts the copper tubing?

I was thinking a hacksaw, but that probably would destroy the round of the pipe.

[Nevada]

Originally Posted by mtnbluet881

Wow! Somehow I always think of the most complicated way to do things----which are of course the most difficult to do. Thanks, Nevada! We are headed down to the Home Depot now with the flex tubing in our hands....

What is the tool called that actually cuts the copper tubing?

I was thinking a hacksaw, but that probably would destroy the round of the pipe.

You could use a hacksaw, but you'll need to rub it quite a bit with emory cloth to get it clean enough to slide the compression fitting on. You'll be making a lot of work for yourself with a hacksaw.

Tell the guy at Home Depot that you need a tubing cutter that can cut copper pipe. That makes a clean cut.

[mtnbluet881]

Thanks for all the info.

It takes us around 30 min turnaround time to get to Home Depot and back,
so I will post my results after we get back.


Thanks again,
Cathy

[Nevada]

Good luck. I'm headed out to visit a friend in the hospital. I'll be back later, but there's lots of plumbing experience around here if you need more help.

[Beeman]

You should install shutoff valves onto the copper pipe you cut. Then you install the flexible lines from the cutoffs to the faucet. If you're not much on soldering you might be able to get Shark Bite fittings that will slip right over the copper or compression fittings. Clean the end of the copper with steel wool or fine sand paper or emery cloth.

[mtnbluet881]

Thanks Nevada and Beeman!!!!!!!

We went to Home Depot and spoke with...you guessed it, Joe the Plumber, literally. At first he gave me a compression valve....but as he saw the way I strangely looked at it, we conversed and he said we had to do something different since I have 3/8th inch copper tubing. He gave me 2 new metal flex tubing along with 2 shut-off compression valves. He told me that these flex tubing will allow me to step it down, as the original ones did not.

I ended up going back for white pipe thread tape as I did too good a job of sanding down the copper pipes in order to get them clean.

I do not envy plumbers as they probably spend most of their time chasing leaks!

Finally, we have the water back up in the house!!!!! Thank you, thank you and thank you!

[Beeman]

Where do you have 3/8" copper? Where did you use the white teflon thread sealer tape?

[Micahn]

Originally Posted by Beeman

Where do you have 3/8" copper? Where did you use the white teflon thread sealer tape?

3/8 copper would be from the stop (the valve) to the faucet.

[texican]

If you haven't left yet, I'd recommend getting 'extras'. The cost of gas is more than the flex hose... and if you have problems in the future, you'll have the parts on hand. I stock replacement parts for everything... it's an hour to an afterhour or weekend hardware store. I like having the parts in hand.

good luck...