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bdesena · Mar 20, 2011, 01:19 PM

Question, just had to replace a water stop under toilet and had to take off valve step after removing nut at handle to drain out water so to heat up the existing solder connection, I have a new brasscraft sweat quarter turn to install, however, I am concerned because this valve has no nut to take off handle if I ever need to replace it and get water out of the line. There is a screw in the middle of the handle but I can't budge it so am not sure I want to install this in the line. What do you think.

mygirlsdad77 · Mar 20, 2011, 02:55 PM

I would suggest using a new compression stop. You can get them in the 1/4 turn also. The 1/4 turn ball stops I have seen, do not have a packing nut, so you can't dissasemble them.

bdesena · Mar 20, 2011, 06:51 PM

Thanks, I was able to get the handle off and looks like you are right, no way to get stem out of the valve. So if I want to go with the quarter turn sweat on valves, how would I remove water from the line if I ever need to replace this valve, or do you just suggest never using these for this reasons, thanks.

mygirlsdad77 · Mar 21, 2011, 03:33 PM

You could suck the water out, then boil the rest out with your torch, or you can open a fixture lower than the toilet stop to drain water out of stop, or just cut the stop in half with a sawzall to drain water. I never personally use sweat valves, just easier to use compression valves. I don't know of to many plumbers that use sweat valves anymore. Compression is pretty standard anymore.

bdesena · Mar 21, 2011, 06:19 PM

Thanks again, I actually got a call from brasscraft after I posted this question and they confirmed that their quarter turn valves , you cannot take out stem. Thanks for the tips about boiling, sucking and/or cutting the valve, would cutting it risk breaking the pipe, seems quite violent. I have lines that seem to be pitched toward the valve so the problem. I personally have been doing diy stuff for a lot of people and always liked to sweat the valves. Old fashioned view, I guess.