This sounds like a job for a Sharkbite connector. Cut off the pipe behind the ring using the bare blade of a hacksaw, clean the stub of the pipe then push on a Sharkbite angle stop. Worst case, you might have to cut around the pipe enough to push the case of the Sharkbite connector into the hole. This video will show you how they push on. The difference is that you’ll be pushing it into the hole.
If you can handle Tinkertoys, you can make a Sharkbite type connection. No torch, no solder, no wrench. The only problem is that the parts cost a lot more than threaded or compression parts.
One other thing. Whenever you work on old plumbing, run water through the system out of the new connector or the hose into a bucket for a minute BEFORE connecting and operating the faucet. Otherwise, and crud stirred up by working on the pipes can clog the valves and aerator of the faucet.
I replaced a bunch of iron pipe, and before I could do that, my jackass brother-in-law turned on the main supply to test it and thoroughly clogged the brand new kitchen faucet.
Why is it so much work ? Why does this inlet pipe connect have to be replaced ?
This is not typical.
Perhaps the copper pipe was flared with a flaring tool ? That flaring is the bit he wants to cut off.
The copper pipe is weakened by the all bending that went on in use…and then there is the effort to break the corrosion when undoing the nut to disconnect it…
The plumbers tip is to hold the nut on the copper pipe still and turn the valve body… And in general, hold the nut at the wall side still and turn the side that is easily replaced.
I’ve never seen a toilet stubbed with a flaring tool. Ever. Old toilet stubs are either threaded 1/2" iron pipe or 1/2" copper with a ring compression fitting. Newer stuff might be plumbed in with Pex or Sharkbite style fittings.
I’ve seen plenty of situations where the compression ring has fused to the copper pipe with lime, and any attempt to pull it off will result in destruction of the pipe and a lot more work. As I said, use the blade of a hacksaw (wrap rags around the ends as handles) and saw the pipe off right behind the ring. Deburr the inside and outside of the pipe, widen the hole enough for the outside of the push-on valve and you’re there.
Sharkbite has their own video on YouTube, and starting at 39 seconds, they start snapping them together. Seriously, it’s as easy as a Tinkertoy.
That’s not the situation. There are three components to the type of connection the OP is dealing with:
The nut threads onto the body and compresses the ring between the flared well of the body and it’s own flared interior. The ring, if over-tightened, gets radially compressed into the soft copper pipe. Once this happens, nothing will get that ring off. In theory, he could replace just the body of the valve, using the existing ring and nut, but as Rocky said to Bullwinkle “That trick never works.” Besides, any valve that matches would probably be a crappy old packing nut style valve, and I can’t recommend that anyone install anything other than a 90 degree ball valve.
I have been able to cut off the compression ring by using a small “Tiny Tim” hacksaw. A short piece of broken hacksaw blade will also work. Just cut the ring slowly and carefully in order to not cut into the copper pipe. Once you have the cut started, it’s sometimes possible to grab hold of the ring with a pair of needlenose pliers.
If there is only a short stub of copper through the wall it’s a good time to be patient and work carefully unless you want to open up the drywall.
The problem is that the ID of the ring is less than the OD of the pipe - it is crimped onto the pipe.
HD (yes, I did keep the receipt sold me a 2-bit puller the dude swore would pull the ring off.
As I still haven’t replaced the main shutoff (also broken), this will require (again) shutting off the water at the meter, so it will wait.
I haven’t replace more than a dozen of these, but every one of them required a cut-off - the ring was fused.
As for keeping the compression nut and ring - I did that with the lavy set - they were:
High enough above the floor not to have thoroughly rusted.
Behind the vanity cabinet, never seen
This is about 3" above the floor and connected to a toilet in a house apparently occupied exclusively by male with very poor aim and no desire to clean the mess.
Both the valve and the backing plate are disgusting looking.
I have a Dremel with various cutters, in the almost-certain case this Mickey Mouse tool from D doesn’t work.
If I can remove the beauty ring, I can probably get the tiny tubing cutter on it, then sweat a connector and stub.
try heating the ring up with a torch while keeping the pipe cool with a wet rag.
It should free it up and you should be able to slip it off. You may have to repeat a couple of times.
The ferrule (ring) is best taken off carefully with the hacksaw if the ferrule puller didn’t work.
Make sure you clean the copper with a wire cleaner before attaching the new valve. You want a 5/8" OD x 3/8 comp quarter turn angle stop.
Make sure your local codes allow flex supply lines, here in Chicago you are required to use the solid supplies which are malleable but not like the braided ones.
Sharkbites aren’t legal in a lot of places. If you go that way make sure it’s SUPER clean and the end is an exact 90 cut with a tubing cutter. If you hacksaw it you’re guaranteed a failed joint.
I’ve used plenty of them. They are perfectly fine if you hacksaw and then deburr the ends. Bad Sharkbite connections are due to:
[ol]
[li]Not having the pipe in far enough[/li][li]Not having a clean end[/li][li]Pipe scrathed due to previous, failed attempts at other types of connectors[/li][/ol]
I’ve been in dozens of situations where they have been a total lifesaver, especially where there is enough stub to put one on, but not space enough to use either a compression connector or a Pex crimper.
I saw something at HD that looked like a cheap imitation of some kind of push-on valve. I take it this Sharkbite is what they were imitating?
I always use 180 grit emery on copper to clean - I have finer, if I’m going with some kind of push-on (why do I not trust that idea)?
While we’re here:
I’ve seen 2-piece “splices” for steel and for PVC - two halves of tubing/pipe which clamp/glue to the outside of a damaged pipe to fix a hole without replacing the pipe. Real lifesavers when that saw got a bit too close…
Do such devices exist for (1 1/4") copper?
I have a real mess with the failed main shutoff (world’s cheapest gate valve. Unless either they do exist or that length of steel going down for the sprinklers is a left-right or whatever the term for that cute nipple which connects 2 systems without taking either apart.
Q: How do I tell if that is what I’m looking at? Just put a pipe wrench on it and start turning - if it goes on/comes off both ends, I’ve got one, right? can I tell (without straining brain) by looking at the exposed threads?
Why didn’t I think of this - there may not be splices, but there are unions.
I can heat the T on the upper section and swing it out of the way while the valve is screwed onto the adapter, re-heat to align parts, connect via union.
Slowly tighten the old compression fitting until you hear a pop, take off compression nut, the compression ring will have a straight line break in it allowing you to slip it off.
…or just leave the old nut and ring in place and reuse them with the new cut off. I’ve done this many times and haven’t had a problem. If it works, great, if not then go to any of the other Plan B’s.
Not sure which problem is worse, the one in the OP or the one I ran into a few weeks ago. I was installing a new faucet in a vanity at my Mom’s house. Shut off the water at the valves under the sink, then removed the old faucet and solid copper supply lines (new faucet fittings were not as long). I was kneeling in front of the vanity preparing to put on the new supply lines when I was hit in the chest by a water cannon - a hot water cannon at that. I rushed downstairs and turned of the water at the interioir main the went back up to investigate. The shut off valve had blown completely off the end of the pipe! The compression ring was pristine - it had never been compressed. Whoever put it on didn’t do it right. The most amazing thing was that the joint had not leaked a drop in the who knows how many years since it had been installed. SMH
Unrelated to the OP, but I had a auto A/C that had a ‘crimp’ in the line. That crimp would hold back the ozone depleting F-12 unless you tried to ‘unbend it’ just a bit then the F-12 detector would register off the scale, but then go back to zero when you let it back.