i break down motors and trannys, somewhat anyway
but yeah im the same way. i try to be a pro at everything, and usually i do just as good as a pro it just takes me 10x longer.
i break down motors and trannys, somewhat anyway
but yeah im the same way. i try to be a pro at everything, and usually i do just as good as a pro it just takes me 10x longer.New pipe and fittings do not require to be sanded when use flux. Flux isn't needed for brazing or soldering, but it is much easier to work if flux is use.
Make sure the tubing is clean and dry, heat the tubing up evenly at the joint and gently apply the solder as the heat just dry up the flux. Molten solder will flow into the fitting/tubing joint.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDGMoYXrWTk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpHQ0WCDlF
Add:
You will need lead free or 95/5 solder for potable water service. 95/5 require a bit more heat to melt than lead free and is a bit harder to use, but is stronger (use 95/5 if you can't find lead free).
Make sure the tubing is clean and dry, heat the tubing up evenly at the joint and gently apply the solder as the heat just dry up the flux. Molten solder will flow into the fitting/tubing joint.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDGMoYXrWTk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpHQ0WCDlF
Add:
You will need lead free or 95/5 solder for potable water service. 95/5 require a bit more heat to melt than lead free and is a bit harder to use, but is stronger (use 95/5 if you can't find lead free).
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if you dont clean new pipe and dont use flux either, it will almost never work. unless your solder has flux in it..
you should clean it anyway even if its new pipe. you dont know what got on there from the time it was made to the time you installed it.
you should clean it anyway even if its new pipe. you dont know what got on there from the time it was made to the time you installed it.
Perhaps for newbies, but I can assure you, I and most if not all of the refrigeration mechanics out there regularly solder/braze with out flux. The reason is that you can't have contaminates in/on refrigeration lines, and flux introduce contamination if use.
New tubing/fittings doesn't need cleaning because it have coating to prevent oxidization.
<-- plumber/gas fitter/pipe fitter/refrigeration mechanic
You don't need anything special to solder a ball valve onto the tubing if the heat is correct.
It is very easy to over heat/burn the valve if you haven't solder before. Therefore wrapping a wet towels over the valve (leave joint and heated area free for soldering) and evenly heat the joint and apply solder just as the flux dry up. Heat the tubing first to ease the heating on the valve, then move the heat to the valve at joint for solder.
Get a few couplings to practice before you solder so you have a feel for it before you do the final soldering.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9n3DEMwWjY
Not the best soldering video, but good enough for a homeowner.
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It's not too hard, the kit to do it is like $20 at HD. There are already great descriptions in this thread so I'll add one small suggestion, buy a small piece of pipe and and a few elbows and do a few practice runs, that will give you the "feel" of how long to heat the pipe and you will have more confidence for the real work. I bought my replacement water heater at HD for $210 and two plumbers I called wanted $200 to install it, fuck that, I wound up having to increase the height of the in/out lines and I also installed a new inlet valve, no problems...
disappoint
Lifer
- Dec 7, 2009
- 10,132
- 382
- 126
iguess you missed post #17 in this thread.
http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=34756388&postcount=17
It's easy, now stop sweating it and start sweat soldering it.
Silver solder tend to be use for underground and where you need more strength. It is more difficult to silver solder due to higher temperature requirement, and it cool quicker so working time is shorter than regular soldering. Silver solder is similar to brazing.
You will need acetylene gas or the very least MAPP gas (methylacetylene-propadiene propane) for silver solder, while regular lead free or 95/5 can easily be done with propane gas or higher temperature MAPP/acetylene.
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My first job I did perfectly. One joint leaked because I forgot to sweat it altogether.
I don't think OP is doing refrigeration lines. Potable water can handle the flux, I'm sure.
Call local plumber service companies and ask for a quote.
Or, hire/bride a handyman/friend with a flat of beers.
dud
Diamond Member
- Feb 18, 2001
- 7,635
- 73
- 91
OP, sweating copper is a breeze if you do the prep work right. Check out the videos on Youtube then go down to HD or Lowes ... the guys down there usually know what they are doing.
If I can do it ... you can do it better.
It is common to have leads on old valves, but there are ways to get around that, such as shut off the main water valve that is within the first 3' of piping that enter the house and/or shut off the water main valve at the water meter, or sweat in a tee, or wet solder, or sweat an 18" copper leg from hot water tank then use Pex for the rest of the run, or use Shark Bite fittings.
skyking
Lifer
- Nov 21, 2001
- 22,764
- 5,925
- 146
You forgot pro press fittings
Did a water heater for a friend of the family, and after listening to her talk about sinks leaking and wearing out, I decided to check pressure. Had about 90 PSI !
I went under the house to put in a PRV and was able to borrow a propress tool. That was the bomb, no worry about wet lines, burning down the house, etc.
Did a water heater for a friend of the family, and after listening to her talk about sinks leaking and wearing out, I decided to check pressure. Had about 90 PSI !
I went under the house to put in a PRV and was able to borrow a propress tool. That was the bomb, no worry about wet lines, burning down the house, etc.
Red Squirrel
No Lifer
I recently soldered copper pipe for my first time, what I did is I bought some fittings and pipe to practice on first, and an attachment to put a hose. I hooked it up to the sink and applied pressure to make sure nothing leaked. It's actually easier to do than it looks.
Basically what you want to get is this:
- flux
- wire brush for the size of pipe you'll be working on - this brush fits snugly inside the pipe fittings and you just twist it around to sand it
- sand paper for the pipe itself (sand on the outside)
- propane torch
- solder
- flint and steel (hand held thingy that makes sparks, to start the torch)
- safety glasses
- gloves are ideal, you WILL get burned pretty badly if you touch the pipe. Did it by error without thinking I went to move the piece I was working on... took like 2 weeks to heal.
Basically sand the outside of the end of a pipe, sand the inside of the fitting, apply flux on both, fit them all the way. I like to give a little twist to spread the flux more evenly.
Then heat the fitting itself, and the pipe a bit, and keep trying to apply solder until it melts on contact, then try to get it all around, but it should wick around on it's own.
This was my first practice project, no leaks!
First real project (just adding a cap)
And another recent project:
Adding humidifier drain (used to use a bucket before)
Oh and for the ball valve, if it's one where one end is twist and the other end is solder, do the solder part first then twist after. I'm not a huge fan of those I rather just solder on both ends. Leave the valve open while soldering as to not melt it internally. Let it cool before you do the other side, or see if you can do it right away without applying too much more heat. Most valves will have instructions. Some may require you to take it apart.
The trick with anything that has to be twisted is if it does not work the first time you sometimes have to cut the pipe upstream so you can twist it more and redo it.
Basically what you want to get is this:
- flux
- wire brush for the size of pipe you'll be working on - this brush fits snugly inside the pipe fittings and you just twist it around to sand it
- sand paper for the pipe itself (sand on the outside)
- propane torch
- solder
- flint and steel (hand held thingy that makes sparks, to start the torch)
- safety glasses
- gloves are ideal, you WILL get burned pretty badly if you touch the pipe. Did it by error without thinking I went to move the piece I was working on... took like 2 weeks to heal.
Basically sand the outside of the end of a pipe, sand the inside of the fitting, apply flux on both, fit them all the way. I like to give a little twist to spread the flux more evenly.
Then heat the fitting itself, and the pipe a bit, and keep trying to apply solder until it melts on contact, then try to get it all around, but it should wick around on it's own.
This was my first practice project, no leaks!
First real project (just adding a cap)
And another recent project:
Adding humidifier drain (used to use a bucket before)
Oh and for the ball valve, if it's one where one end is twist and the other end is solder, do the solder part first then twist after. I'm not a huge fan of those I rather just solder on both ends. Leave the valve open while soldering as to not melt it internally. Let it cool before you do the other side, or see if you can do it right away without applying too much more heat. Most valves will have instructions. Some may require you to take it apart.
The trick with anything that has to be twisted is if it does not work the first time you sometimes have to cut the pipe upstream so you can twist it more and redo it.
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JEDIYoda
Lifer
- Jul 13, 2005
- 33,986
- 3,321
- 126
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