How To Join Copper Pipes For Plumbing?
Sunday, May 10th, 2009 at
9:21 pm
I’ve tried to join a copper pipe to a female fitting above it (if that makes sense)
The solder simply ran down the pipe, and didn’t get “up” into the joint at all.
I cleaned both ends, and used a fair amount of flux…what did I do wrong?
Thanks!
Tagged with: Copper • Join • Pipes • Plumbing
Filed under: Articles-Home Repair
You may have applied too much heat!
There’s a trick I learned years ago, from an old master plumber! First, get a wet rag, adn hav it handy! Place flux on the end of the pipe, liberally. Now heat the end of the pipe, and add solder so it pulls around the pipe. Now, quickly grab the wet rag and pull it across the soldered end of the pipe. See? The pipe end has a thin film of solder on it. this is called tinning. I use this process quite often, when I’m installing a new pipe or fitting onto an old exsisting pipe or fiiting.
Now, really clean the fitting well, and apply liberal amount of flux to both the pipe and the fitting. I will assume you have the water or air turned off at the source!!
Line up the pipe, and start it into the fitting. It may not slide all the way in. Take your torch, and heat the fitting at the opposite side you will aplly solder. Youwill notice that the pipe will slip into the fitting quite easily, once it’s heated. Now, just apply a light amount of solder to the joint, until it is properly soldered all way around. Take your wet cloth and wipe the pipe and fitting well, to remove access flux. This access flux will turn your pipe and fitting green, as it oxidizes. Looks crappy!!
you have to have one end of the line open some how or pres. will build inside the pipe and push soider out also make sure no water is in line
It sounds like your torch isn’t hot enough. Clean the end of the pipe and the inside of the female socket. Flux both fittings. It is possible to use too much flux. Assemble the pipe and fittings and heat them evenly. When the joint is hot enough, the solder will get sucked up into the joint. Make sure it goes all the way around the joint. If your soldering copper pipe to a brass or bronze fitting, propane will not get hot enough. You will have to use MAPP gas or acetylene.
use capillary fittings you still clean your tube and flux but the solder is built in the fitting so you just heat up the fitting, they are much easier to use if your not very good at soldering or use compression fittings
You may have applied the torch to the wrong end of the fitting.
Clean your pipe and fitting and re-apply the flux then heat the far side of the female fitting. (Not the end you inserted the pipe into. ) The heat will draw the solder up into the fitting.
good luck
Hi, You have to use a silfos brazing stick,You will need a gas torch,Just put the male and female together,preheat with gas until it starts changing colour(not to hot) then touch the stick of silfos to the copper join and add heat.You will find the silfos will spread around and into the joint just as long as the heat is even and presto one sealed joint.Hope this helps