Water Temp Gauge Install --- Copper Tee?

[Grimm]

I'm looking into installing a temperature guage for next year and am having some thoughts on fabricating an adaptor tee to accomodate the sending unit for the guage.

I am not comfortable in spending upwards of $25 for a custom made unit, especially when the whole guage/unit only cost me $10.

After reading through several posts, I have not come across an idea using a copper tee that plumbers use. I purchased a 3/4 X 3/4 X 1/2 copper tee for $2 which seems to do the trick. I am a bit leary at the durability of my system and my concern is that it may burst/leak where I have screwed in the adapter. I had to cut the threads with the adapter, as I don't have a tap large enough to cut threads into the copper.

Has anyone tried using a copper tee with success/failure?

Here is a pic of the setup:

 

[Grimm]

Anyone?

 

[LazyBastard]

Is that sending unit just PRESSED into the tee? I would definitely want it soldered. If soldered, there would be no question about durability.

 

[Grimm]

In the pic, it wasn't, but I have soldered it since.

 

[culvert]

When I was looking at the temps gauges some guys where using brass t-fitting and just adding a couple of inches cooper pipe to the ends. With the brass T, I think they were able to thread the sending unit right into it.

It was on the TY site. Have to look it up again.

 

[Grimm]

I haven't found a brass fitting that I thought was good enough. What I found was was a 3/4 X 3/4 X 3/4 inch brass tee and then I would have to buy another 3/4 to 1/2 inch reducing coupler to accomodate the sensor. I felt that the whole setup would have been too cumbersome and heavy to mount.

This copper tee is much lighter and I'm gonna give it a try.

 

[Grimm]

Well, it passed the leak test...so far.

 

[LazyBastard]

Remember that copper plumbing can handle the temperatures coming out of a hot water tank, and the much higher pressure of water supply. You won't have anything to worry about, as long as your soldering job is good.

 

[Len Todd]

The discharge line on mine is 1" (vs. 3/4") It seems to me like 3/4" is a fairly significant restriction in the line. By the time you get that element in the flow and include the line size reduction, I would be worrying about causing an excessive flow restriction.

I ended up using a 1" metal underground sprinkling tube coupling with a 1/8" half coupling brazed on. Those metal sprinkling couplings are very thin and don't restrict things much at all. Worked good all last year.

 

[Grimm]

Todd, I measured the actual inside diameter of the copper tee and it was larger than the 3/4", more like 7/8".

A lot of guys here have done similar mods and I haven't heard yet that it has affected their coolant flow, but I will definately keep an eye on things, for sure.

 

[Len Todd]

That's a bit more than I expected. It is about what I have. It will most likely be just fine.

 

[maxdlx]

Familymans rx1 turbo had that exact same setup, and it worked fine. I may try and steal it from him now that I am thinking of it. Maxdlx

 

[SnowBandit]

Works fine on my sled... Worked good on my viper too.