it is not in a wall: please fix me:
My original main water shut-off valve is leaking about 12oz./minute. I purchased a B&K 3/4" Ball Valve with compression fittings which I want to install in a vertical stretch of 3/4" copper tubing JUST AFTER the horizontally mounted Trident Canada/Neptune water meter.
In order to fit the new valve into the ¾" vertical tube run I have bought a wheel-type mini tube cutter. The installed valve will be about 3-7/8" from end to end. I have measured both sides for the distances from the outer edge to the bottoming point (1.404" & 1.272"), and subtracting from the 3-7/8", the valve will displace approximately 1.282" of 3/4" vertical copper tubing, which I have to cut out, after I wash but not sand the outside. This method requires me to disconnect the pipe/tube with elbow at the water meter thread boss "out"-end connection with the nut.
The other method of installing the valve is not to disconnect the pipe/tube at the water meter "out"-end and to cut the gap larger than the calculated
1.282", so I can slip the nuts then sleeves on both end pieces of cut Vert. tubing, and slide on one end of the valve up to the bottoming point, then align and slip on the other end of the valve, and center it all for equal but not bottoming connection on each side. I am not sure how much to cut out in this case w/r/t engagement lengths.
Are the sleeves tight, should I pre-heat them in boiling water to expand them, and make a wooden sliding tool.
To take the pressure off me, I may be able to stop the flow instead of using just buckets/trays rags while Liters flow. I bought a 3/4" galvanized cap in the plumbing dept of HD which seems to have the same thread as the thread on the "out"-end connection of the water meter. I am out of my depth w/r/t the thread types, like NPT vs. NC, but on the meter I viewed 4 threads (5 crests) in 4-1/2 or 4-2/3 sixteenths on a steel rule and a major diameter of
1.044" using a dial caliper, which is an estimated 1"-14, regardless of thread type. The cap I got has a similar visual distance between 5 crests (4-1/2+), and a minor diameter of .934". That's a .110" (1.76/16ths) diff b/t meter's max thread and nut's min thread diameters, and a visual equality of tpi,+/- 0.1/16". Still I am in no way sure if this cap thread is designed to fit the thread on the water housings boss, or even if I SHOULD disconnect the water meter "out"-end connection in the first place, since it may not re-seal correctly or require seals . Also, the HD guy said to use Teflon tape to seal the cap, but what about re-assembly and whether to clean or add Teflon tape, with or w/o seals or fittings. There are no visible signs of tape or dope now on either side of the water meter.
QUESTIONS:
1)How to finish the old 3/4" copper tube cut ends I'll be putting into the valve bores after using the tube cutter. I am not sure about inside burrs breaking away and floating into fittings downstream.
2)Which of my two valve assembly methods to use for sliding the valves' bores onto the tubes' cut ends, and what about ease of sleeve manipulation
3)Will I disconnect/re-connect at the water meters "out" connection and if there are any seals or fittings of any material I need to obtain, and if I can (safely) use a galvanized cap temporarily to stop the leaking water flow, with or without Teflon tape or plumbers dope
4)Is a compression fitting Kosher, especially since its a shut-off valve? I have it because there will be water flowing through if I don't disconnect at the water meter "out"-end connection, and I am a diy'er and not sure of my Vertical soldering anyway