Street Elbow

A street elbow is a directional fitting that steps down from female to male in a single piece, letting you change direction without adding extra length. The female end accepts a threaded male stub or nipple, while the male end threads into a female fitting downstream. It saves space on runs where a standard elbow plus a nipple would stick out too far or jam against framing.

You'll run into these constantly on supply lines, especially under vanities, in walls, and anywhere you're threading into a valve or tee and need to turn 90 degrees without eating up real estate. They come in all materials—brass, iron, PVC, CPVC—and in NPT sizes from 1/2 up to 2 inch. A 45-degree street elbow works the same way but turns half as sharp and shows up less often.

Make sure you've got the gender right when you order. A street elbow 1/2 inch female by 1/2 inch male threads into a fitting and accepts a nipple or male stub coming at it. Get the threads sealed tight—street elbows are high-stress fittings because they sit at direction changes where pressure and vibration concentrate.