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Copper Spa Jets?

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Zman
Zman Member Posts: 7,569
in Pipe Deterioration
I ran into this one the other day. I am working with a client to check the integrity of underground piping and redesign a pump room. They ran copper piping for the jet lines on this tub. They laid a 3/4"x3/4"x1/2" tee on it's back for the air vent and appear to have tied it all together with K copper around the radius (I can see that pipe with borescope). The piping in the mech room is all PVC. Needless to say, I had some trouble pressurizing....
Any thoughts on a fix that does not involve a jack hammer?
"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
Albert Einstein

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  • Intplm.
    Intplm. Member Posts: 1,970
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    Something you can do is gently chip away enough concrete. About a 1/8 inch or less. Just enough to fit a half inch copper coupling on the flush tubing.
    When you do that put a short piece of tubing on the coupling. When you solder the fitting DO Not Heat The Coupling. Heat the short piece of tubing, allowing the heat to transfer down the tubing to the coupling. Then when enough heat has transferred, solder the coupling.

    If you don't like that idea try getting a fitting reducer. The outside diameter of a 3/8 copper fitting reducer will fit nicely inside the tubing that is buried.
    In other words, the outside hub of the 3/8 fitting reducer should fit inside the ID of the buried copper.
    Solder and apply heat slowly.
    If the 3/8 hub doesn't fit try a different outside hub of a copper fitting.
    ( It has been a while but I think the 3/8 is what you will use)
  • STEVEusaPA
    STEVEusaPA Member Posts: 6,505
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    Any chance you can push 1/4” pex thru and sleeve it like they do gas lines?

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,569
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    It is a 3/4" line. Some sort of sleeve would work well. It just needs to seal back in the wall.

    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
  • Intplm.
    Intplm. Member Posts: 1,970
    edited May 2019
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    Will this work? It is offered in different sizes and is available at grainger.

    Are you first trying to test the line?
  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,569
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    I have similar test plug and it will not seal. I intend to get some extended plugs to test the piping that is not visible. If the main pipe holds pressure, I am thinking of lining the exposed pipe and slowing the pumps down. Either epoxy coating or sleeving the 3/4" pipe with 1/2" PVC/Pex has come to mind.
    https://www.leaktools.com/extender-plugs-closed.html
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,569
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    It looks like 5/8" pex is the right size. May have to see if it fits tomorrow.
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,569
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    Was called out to look at another tub in the complex.
    They used a B&G monoflow Tee installed backwards as the venturi tee. This one keeps getting stranger...
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein

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