Can you attach PVC to Copper for water softener?

[Bodyguard]

I would like to move my water softener closer to the wall, but due to the flexible copper hose that is connected to the water softener, it makes it difficult. I thought about putting a 1" male thread to 1" female thread elbow at the connection towards the house, to allow the flexible copper hose to be bent in a way that would allow me to have the water softener unit close to the wall. The problem is that finding a copper or brass 1" male thread to female thread elbow that is allowed for potable water is becoming challenging. Can I attach a PVC elbow to the copper fittings and the copper flexible hose, or is this not suggested/allowed?

FYI - I am trying to avoid having to cut or solder any attachments or pipes.

Thank you for your help.

 

[Rickyman]

https://www.supplyhouse.com/Bluefin-BRES100-1-Brass-90-Deg-Street-Elbow-Lead-Free-Threaded

 

[MicEd69]

Or use stainless steel.

 

[Bodyguard]

I am by far no plumber, but I read that if you mix metals, it causes a reaction that causes the metals to corrode easily.

 

[MicEd69]

You are talking about the galvanic properties of metals, where one metal becomes the anode and the other the cathode when in the presence of an electrolyte. The anode will corrode before the cathode. That is why you have a less noble anode in your water heater to protect the exposed areas of the metal tank components. Sacrificial anodes are made out of significantly less noble metals like aluminum, magnesium, or zinc.

Stainless is more noble than copper, but the voltage potential between them is relatively small, so there is not an issue using stainless steel in a normal home plumbing environment. You very well may even have a stainless-steel faucet on your stainless-steel kitchen sink.

As such, using a stainless-steel elbow here will not cause you any corrosion concerns at all.

And I'm not a plumber either, I'm a Professional Engineer.

 

[Bodyguard]

You are talking about the galvanic properties of metals, where one metal becomes the anode and the other the cathode when in the presence of an electrolyte. The anode will corrode before the cathode. That is why you have a less noble anode in your water heater to protect the exposed areas of the metal tank components. Sacrificial anodes are made out of significantly less noble metals like aluminum, magnesium, or zinc.

Stainless is more noble than copper, but the voltage potential between them is relatively small, so there is not an issue using stainless steel in a normal home plumbing environment. You very well may even have a stainless-steel faucet on your stainless-steel kitchen sink.

As such, using a stainless-steel elbow here will not cause you any corrosion concerns at all.

And I'm not a plumber either, I'm a Professional Engineer.

Thanks MicEd - I wasn't questioning your credentials or knowledge, just merely posed a potential concern that I read. I appreciate your insight and knowledge.

 

[MicEd69]

Thanks MicEd - I wasn't questioning your credentials or knowledge, just merely posed a potential concern that I read. I appreciate your insight and knowledge.

Hey, no problem at all. I just wanted to put your mind at ease as your comment/question does have some validity, just not in this case. And there are many people on the internet that appear to spout what they think are facts, which can lead people in the wrong direction, so you can't trust everything you read, even on forums like this.

And while I for one am not at all concerned about having to use regular old brass in my water service, it is actually illegal to use anything but lead-free brass for water service from which one will be drinking or cooking with. All of my older copper lines were soldered with lead-based solder, which I'm sure exposes me to a LOT more lead than a few brass fittings that are not lead-free.