Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

Hi fellas,

Total amateur here when it comes to plumbing, so laughing is expected.

How do you join a 1/2" copper pipe to a female 1/2" BSP threaded ball valve? The only way I can think of is by using a kinco nut/olive, but I can only find brass ones.

Cheers,

Hsv8

If its only for cooling water brass is ok :handgestures-thumbupleft:
that's how I did it on the liebig

Unfortunately not for cooling; looking at doing this at the top/side of the column on a VM 2".

You may have to buy a stainless ball valve designed to be welded then use a flux suitable for ss to copper... I asked at reece plumbing about a stainless or copper threaded fitting that can be soldered they said there was only brass...

DOUBLE FERRULE TUBE FITTING MALE CONNECTOR 16 MM ODx1/2" BSP STAINLESS STEEL 304
About $8.00 on eBay, all SS double ferrule so no brass or plastic

Thanks for the replies Bluc and Magnus.

Bluc: Thanks for asking Reece for me. I also tried Tradelink but again, only copper.

Magnus: Beautiful! Thanks for this.

I've been going over my design/looking at others, and it seems that a lot of fellas are running 1" pipe off their columns, into the gate/ball valve, then onto the PC. I had a look for a 1" ss double ferrule fitting (similar to your suggestion Magnus) but didn't have much luck. Didn't have any luck with other plumbing stores either...

VM seems a very popular design, so there must be a simple enough way to join a valve into the system without using brass!?

Cheers,

Hsv8.

I hear if you have a moveable condenser in your column that moves over the take off opening you don't need valves...

Thanks cb_j. From what I have read on the subject, I think you're right. Unfortunately, I think that level of build might be a bit bit beyond me though, being a first-timer...

Cheers,

Hsv8.

If you have a 1/2" die it will put a thread on 3/4" copper pipe just dont use the normal cutting fluid as its carcenogenic i used olive oil on my parrot worked well bit of ptfe tape and your done :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Very clever whiskeyshiner! So if you cut a 3/4" pipe with a 1/2" die, does that mean it'll screw into a 1/2" BSP thread? I get really confused with pipe OD's and thread sizes.

Yeah a 1/2" bspt thread needs a 17.5mm minor diameter.
19.05mm = 3/4"
Wall thickness of copper pipe is about 1mm.

Just be carefull not to cut too deep by making the thread too long.

hsv8 wrote:Very clever whiskeyshiner! So if you cut a 3/4" pipe with a 1/2" die, does that mean it'll screw into a 1/2" BSP thread? I get really confused with pipe OD's and thread sizes.

Yeah i found the thread is actually shallow and you need a bit of ptfe tape to seal it properly. The trick is put the thread on while the 3/4" pipe is long so you can grip it then cut it to size after you have threaded it :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Thank you for clearing that up Scythe, that's really helpful! Will look around for a 1/2" BSP die today, which I now know actually works on a 3/4" pipe, not 1/2" as the name would suggest. Not confusing at all for a beginner!

Thanks for the tip Whiskeyshiner, will do. Nice work there!

Cheers,

Hsv8