welding

[eng2d2]

Is this hard to do or can I learn this myself? I have a pinhole leak on my outdoor pipe. I just need to braize the pipe. I tried welding before but I cannot get it done. I know how to solder on a circuit board.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Probably don't want to weld it.

But if you solder, solder will probably work. Or just put some JB Weld on there. Or cut the pipe and thread in a new section.

I'd at least try all of the above before I went to welding.

To answer the actual question: welding is one of those simple, easy, do-it-wrong-and-die things, where you could probably teach yourself with a manual and a youtube video, but you should learn from somebody who knows what they're doing. Either one-on-one or taking an extension class at a local trade school.

 

[Greenman]

Is the pipe copper or steel?

 

[eng2d2]

Its a copper pipe and I guess I need to braize it. Is that the same as welding? I Jb weld it and it worked for 4 days now I can feel some water drips. I cannot cut it because it is close to the stucco.

 

[PottedMeat]

soldering/brazing/welding are 3 different things, copper pipe you can solder with lead free solder and a propane torch

 

[OutHouse]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvXEDRS1Neg

 

[Greenman]

soldering/brazing/welding are 3 different things, copper pipe you can solder with lead free solder and a propane torch

Don't forget the flux, soldering won't work without flux.
Beyond that, I'm not sure soldering over the hole will work. My guess is the piece of pipe has corroded, you may have to replace it.

 

[paperfist]

Don't forget the flux, soldering won't work without flux.
Beyond that, I'm not sure soldering over the hole will work. My guess is the piece of pipe has corroded, you may have to replace it.

Do they make silver solder for pinholes anymore?

 

[Greenman]

Do they make silver solder for pinholes anymore?

They still make silver solder. I use use often because it flows so nice.

 

[pcgeek11]

The pipe should also be dry inside as the steam will cause pinholes in the solder.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

If its a straight run could try a repair clamp

 

[eng2d2]

Is there an easy DIY video. I tried doing it myself and the solder just balls up and rolls off the pipe. I can't use the clamp as it is too close to the stucco.

 

[jdobratz]

Sand the area around hole with fine grit sandpaper and use flux, solder won't stick to a dirty surface.

 

[Paperdoc]

Solder that beads up and rolls off means one or all of three things.

1. The metal surface must be clean. Use a fine grade of emery cloth to polish the metal in that area to a shiny new copper finish.
2. You MUST use acid soldering flux. Since this is copper water piping, probably the common brown paste type that plumbers use is OK. But be sure to use that. Put some on the pipe before heating, but as you heat the pipe the paste may drain off, so be prepared to wipe more on just before applying the solder.
3. Not enough heat. The solder metal itself melts at a relatively low temperature, so it's easy to melt - it flows well before the pipe material itself is hot enough. Although you obviously don't try to melt the copper pipe, having it hot enough is important to get the solder to bond to it when it melts. Heating a large piece of copper can be tough because the heat flows away from the work area easily. So use a fairly big propane torch - the common kind that uses a disposable tank of gas is OK if you use a large nozzle - and spend some time heating it so that it really is hot.

All of this is so that the melted solder actually will "wet" the copper. When it does that, the solder will not run off. It will spread in a film over the hot copper surface and down into the crack, bonding to the metal surfaces. Keep the pipe hot while you apply the solder, but you do not need to aim the torch flame right at the solder. Let the hot pipe melt the solder. When you think it has spread out enough and sunk into the crack enough to cover the whole job, that's when to stop heating and let it cool. My jobs like this often end up looking rather messy, so after cooling I need to file or emery-cloth the area to remove excess solder and junk, When completely done, WASH the accessible areas to remove the acid flux past so that it does not remain and start corrosion.

If the pipe is close to a wall, you will need to protect that wall from all the heat and flame. A sheet of metal - aluminum flashing or galvanized steel, maybe - can be inserted between the pipe and wall, then removed later. CHECK the wall for any sign of damage or especially of actual smouldering fire.

 

[Rifter]

Grind/sand away any corrosion, use proper flux, and solder it. Make absolutely sure the surface is totally clean down to bare metal.

If that fails id probably try JB weld as mentioned above.

And finally if all that fails i would try and weld it, specifically i would use a TIG welder with a fairly thick silver solder.

see this video for TIG welding on copper technique, its possible, but has to be done right.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-QqKPCqX6o

 

[Darwin333]

You should preferably have a fire extinguisher on hand or bare minimum a water hose since you are using a torch so close to the house.

Edit: Soldering and brazing are one thing but if it comes down to needing to be welded, which it doesn't sound like but if it does, I HIGHLY suggest you hire a pro to do it. Your homes plumbing isn't where you want to learn how to weld from scratch.

 

[BD231]

You can do it but, you may develop a crippling heroin addiction and die of an overdose shortly after.

Do it at your own risk.

 

[SearchMaster]

Brazing is sort of a combination of soldering and welding. I had an occasion where I needed to basically weld two pieces of metal where the weld had broken, but I don't have welding equipment. So I picked up a kit like this from Home Depot (though it was no more than $40 as I recall, but it was many years ago) and gave it a shot...it has held together ever since.

For your situation I'd recommend soldering in a replacement piece of pipe if possible but I'm no plumber.

 

[eng2d2]

Solder that beads up and rolls off means one or all of three things.

1. The metal surface must be clean. Use a fine grade of emery cloth to polish the metal in that area to a shiny new copper finish.
2. You MUST use acid soldering flux. Since this is copper water piping, probably the common brown paste type that plumbers use is OK. But be sure to use that. Put some on the pipe before heating, but as you heat the pipe the paste may drain off, so be prepared to wipe more on just before applying the solder.
3. Not enough heat. The solder metal itself melts at a relatively low temperature, so it's easy to melt - it flows well before the pipe material itself is hot enough. Although you obviously don't try to melt the copper pipe, having it hot enough is important to get the solder to bond to it when it melts. Heating a large piece of copper can be tough because the heat flows away from the work area easily. So use a fairly big propane torch - the common kind that uses a disposable tank of gas is OK if you use a large nozzle - and spend some time heating it so that it really is hot.

All of this is so that the melted solder actually will "wet" the copper. When it does that, the solder will not run off. It will spread in a film over the hot copper surface and down into the crack, bonding to the metal surfaces. Keep the pipe hot while you apply the solder, but you do not need to aim the torch flame right at the solder. Let the hot pipe melt the solder. When you think it has spread out enough and sunk into the crack enough to cover the whole job, that's when to stop heating and let it cool. My jobs like this often end up looking rather messy, so after cooling I need to file or emery-cloth the area to remove excess solder and junk, When completely done, WASH the accessible areas to remove the acid flux past so that it does not remain and start corrosion.

If the pipe is close to a wall, you will need to protect that wall from all the heat and flame. A sheet of metal - aluminum flashing or galvanized steel, maybe - can be inserted between the pipe and wall, then removed later. CHECK the wall for any sign of damage or especially of actual smouldering fire.

Thanks this might be my instruction for doing it.

 

[BoomerD]

Hi! Phil Swift here for Flex Seal...home and plumbing repair in a can!


https://www.flexsealproducts.com/product/flex-tape/

 

[mindless1]

Don't forget the flux, soldering won't work without flux.
Beyond that, I'm not sure soldering over the hole will work. My guess is the piece of pipe has corroded, you may have to replace it.

This. Pictures of what you're dealing with might help, but I'd expect that the best long term solution is replace as much of the pipe run as possible.

I cannot cut it because it is close to the stucco.

If after cutting the pipe on the other side you cannot get it out, then you need a new hole for a new piece of pipe. I can understand not wanting to do all this, especially if you don't have access to the pipe on the other side of the wall without removing part of the wall, but it may be necessary.

As a shorter term solution, one thing you can do to keep solder in place, including more of it while the torch is heating the pipe, is drill out the hole to the diameter of a piece of solid core copper wire, just long enough to plug the hole and a tight fit. Then you're just sealing the contact points between the wire and the pipe.

You might not even need "solder" per se, could just use plumber's tinning flux which has the tin in it already. Afterwards run a faucet without an aerator screen on it to flush out the pipe shavings from when you drilled it.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Outdoor copper pipe? I'm assuming this is for an A/C? You don't want to go messing with that because of the gas inside the line (it's not really flammable or anything but it is dangerous, ex: you don't want it to just release in the air). I'd call an HVAC company to do the braising. There's more to it, such as ensuring system is at the right pressure. It will need to be discharged and then recharged.

 

[Greenman]

Outdoor copper pipe? I'm assuming this is for an A/C? You don't want to go messing with that because of the gas inside the line (it's not really flammable or anything but it is dangerous, ex: you don't want it to just release in the air). I'd call an HVAC company to do the braising. There's more to it, such as ensuring system is at the right pressure. It will need to be discharged and then recharged.

It's a water pipe, he said so in the first post. Exterior copper water pipes are common in places that don't freeze.