How can I plug copper plumbing tubing without a cap?
Question:The tubing is a water supply line in my cabin, seems to be a non standard size, not 1/2" or 3/8, somewhere in between. I think I will just pinch the end and soder the seam, will this hold?
Also, I bought a valve with couplink connections but was not able to slip the threaded cap or the inner ring onto the tubing, was close but could not get it to work.
Bottom line is that I need to cap this line, however possible!
Answers:
Sounds like a good solution to me.
Pinch it, fold it and solder it.
Solder binds well to copper. It should be fine.
It's best to make sure the pipe is 100% dry (warm it up first) and clean (sandpaper).
It's not elegant, but it'll work.
yes to answer question, you can pinch and solder seam together long as your not talking pressures that are high, water pressure should not be more than about 70 psi probably.
I don't know where you would of got odd sized tubing at. You do mean tubing not copper pipe? At any rate the valve you bought should have a compression fitting inside the joint that the nut tightens against to compress fitting over tubing. You might just try getting a file and cleaning the end of the tubing up and try fitting again . If you can get the fitting on the compression Ferrel will tighten up and stop a leakage.
Sometimes people stretch tubing to make it more rigid but that usually decreases the outside diameter a bit but compression fittings still work . Yours sounds larger it may just be messed up on the end.
If all else fails cut off a piece of tubing and take with you to hard ware store and ask if you cannot seem to get something that will work for you . Many ways to plug a line but the valve I believe is the better way leaves you options.
The fitting is probable brass if you cannot clean up tubing enough to get the Ferrel over it you can take a pocket knife and scrape the interior of the compression Ferrel out some and try that approach. As long as you get the compression Ferrel over the tubing the nut will tighten it up and stop a leak if any when you put assemble together.
If you do decide to solder it use a small propane torch and resin core solder, like for electronics use, it has a flux inside the solder to help it bind with the copper.
Sometimes pipe that has been frozen at some time in the past gets enlarged, I have encountered this problem myself. Your idea is fine.
Someone probably used refrigeration tubing which is between the standard rigid copper sizes used in water service. It's most likely 1/2 " o.d. and you can get fittings at an air conditioning / refrigeration supply store.
what you probably have is ac tubing but to answer your question sand the end of the pipe put flux inside of the pipe then hammer it shut and bend it over and hammer it shut again then solder it.
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