I replaced a shower faucet and now I see a little rusty water

[Steve]

I took on a project I wish I didn't, but too late. I knocked out my shower tiles and replaced the shower faucet. I practiced soldering copper and soldered the new faucet to the hot/cold copper pipes, then I connected steel pipes (e.g. to the shower head). The problem is now when I turn on the water the first little bit is a light rusty brown color (and smells funny). Then it is immediately fine. I did this less than a week ago. Any ideas? Is it my soldering? Is it because I used steel pipes attached to the copper faucet (the shower faucet instructions said to use iron, but I could not find it and figured who'd notice). Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

[G Henslee]

Yep.

You should have used a brass fitting between the steel and the copper. The rust will get worse. Read this:

[Steve]

Thanks for the info and the article. I did not know this can happen this quick, I just installed it. Is there a difference between steel and iron? I ask because the instructions that came with the faucet said to just screw on iron pipe.

[G Henslee]

Either of them in direct contact with the copper will produce galvanic action when used for carrying water. Iron will rust quicker than galv. steel of course.

[Ashton Crusher]

It's possible iron is much more resistant to the problem. They used iron for city water lines for years, some of them are over 150 years old and still in service. I think they recently changed some of the codes but for years you had to use black iron pipe for gas lines instead of galvanized steel because steel was much less resistant to corrosion from the gas.

[Brad Bruce]

I thought the black pipe was used because of the galvinization flaking off and clogging the ports (Just what I was told )

Iron pipes used for main water supply aren't exposed to air. Pipes on the outlet side of the valve are exposed and only take a few days to start rusting. (Experience speaking here...) I installed a new tub/shower valve and within the week had to remove all of the threaded iron pipe and install copper. It wasn't as big a deal as I thought it would be.

NJBrad