I have sut the water off to the house and am attempting to install a new valve but for some reason the new valve doesn't look the same but it the right size I am not sure how to install it. I went to Lowe's with the old one and they sized it up buti guess my valve is older it has a brass ring in it and the new one has a copper one and the new one has some washers that the old one doesn't please help

Can you post some pictures of the valves?

If you can't post a picture , go to Lowe's.com and see if you can find a pic like the valve you purchases.

What type of piping do you have?

If you have a brass ring it is probably a compression ring. Make sure the valve is marked 1/2 or 5/8 compression. See if they thread together. If they do, put a little pipe dope on the compression ring and tighten fully. Perhaps a picture would help too as we are guessing as to what you mean by copper ring and washers.

We where able to get it on thank you so much

If my answer helped, please click on the geen thumb. Thanks, Brian

Hi Guys,

Brian, you said, "If they do, put a little pipe dope on the compression ring and tighten fully"...

You CANNOT use pipe dope on a compression ring... says it right in the instructions. Here, the problem actually arises when pipe dope works its way in between the inner surface of the compression sleeve and the tubing. Now the compression ferrule that is intended to grip the tubing and resist pullout forces has just been lubricated.

Further, now that the threads of the fitting have pipe dope they are also lubricated and people have a tendency to overtighten them which can result in cracked compression nuts and explosive type leaks.

Finally, for what it's worth I am sure there are thousands of people using pipe dope on these every day and very few blow off or anything, but the fact is that they should't use it... only reason I posted on it, OK?

Thanks guys!

Mark

Thanks for the heads up Mark. I only suggested this since the fitting is old. I only sparingly put dope on USED fitttings where the ferrule is tight and constricted to the pipe. The old ferrule is shaped to the old seat and doesn't always fit a new valve. Hopefully it will stay.