Problem replacing electric shower re water supply pipe

Joined
28 Nov 2010
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Edinburgh
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Help pls?!!

I was just about there with no problems then an ancient compression bend started leaking that was 50% set into the tiles/wall. It wasn't something I'd touched but I presume I disturbed it tightening the compression fitting onto the shower 2" above it.

Couldn't get a tighten on this leaking fitting at all and of course it's the side most set into the wall that was leaking (I've cut awat some tile). I removed the fitting, My plan was to to replace it and if that didn't work solder a bend on. I prefer new olive if possible but of course getting the old one off was a total 'mare. Did it though. With some scrapes to my pipe :(

So I've got a scratched up bit copper not even exiting the wall. Tried a new comp bend but no great surprise even with some PTFE it was dripping. I think the old compression bend may have been well overtightened as the copper pipe seems indented around it's circumference by the fitting

Soldering a bend seemed the best plan now (and should have been done originally I'd have said) but an average solder bend is going to mean the copper pipe will sit too close to the wall to meet the shower.

This is a total PITA. Anyone got any pearls of wisdom? Obviously cutting a huge hole in the wall is a last resort and there's no access to the void behind otherwise.
 
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Any chance of a pic ?

Sorry, no not my house and I'm away now. I wish I'd taken one to post here

Think a bit of straight copper coming directly into a wall from behind for a shower but the copper pipe stopping about 10mm short of exiting the wall.
 
OK ,so the pipe comes horizontally out ,stops short 10 mm from the tiled surface ,and your compression elbow then goes on . does the elbow then connect directly to shower inlet ,or a length of copper pipe and a further compression fitting to the shower inlet ?
 
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That's correct. There is about 2" of copper pipe required to go into the elbow and up into the shower inlet.

Really awkward to get a decent tighten on the elbow concealed in the wall a bit and this connection now isn't helped by the fact the pipe itself is slightly scored by me removing the olive.
 
OK here's the suggestions ... Clean copper pipe with abrasive strip ,solder on a coupler / street elbow/ length of copper . if you can't achieve the desired measurement from the tiled surface to align with shower inlet/ compression fitting ,you could fit shims between the back of the shower and tiles. Option two would be to solder a Yorkshire fitting onto the pipe ,but at the moment the solder starts to appear at the fittings end ,pull it off the pipe. That will leave a coating of solder on the pipe. You may then be able to fit the compression elbow / new olive. The increased diameter created by the solder should facilitate this.
 

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