Table of Contents
Can you solder vertical?
If the joint is horizontal, start at the bottom. Move up the joint, over its top and down the other side — you’ll see the solder wick in. For vertical joints, move the solder around the joint, being sure to cover it evenly.
Can you solder upside down?
Once you do several joints “upside down”, it will be just as easy as doing it “right side up”. Since you are using 1/2″ pipe, it should take about 1/2″ of solder to do the “upside down” side of the fitting.
What are the 3 steps to soldering a copper pipe?
How to Solder a Hole in Copper Pipe Follow the steps above to clean and prep your pipe. Apply flux around the hole. Heat the pipe and melt the solder. Clean off any drips. Let the patched pinhole cool before you turn on the water again. Replace the entire section of pipe as soon as possible.
What kind of torch do you use to solder copper pipe?
MAPP gas torches burn hotter than propane, making them a better choice for modern solder. Five to 10 seconds of heating with a MAPP gas torch is all that’s required before you can feed solder into most 1/2- to 3/4-in. pipes and fittings.
Can you solder copper pipe with a soldering iron?
Sure — if the iron is large enough to heat the piece of copper to the proper temperature (copper is an excellent conductor of heat, so it may take a larger heat source than a soldering iron), and you have good solder with the proper flux, and some skill.
Is it hard to solder copper pipe?
Soldering copper water supply lines is not a difficult skill. Even a rookie can learn to solder leak-proof joints in 30 minutes. The process is simple—if you follow a few basic guidelines.
Can you solder a split copper pipe?
Depending on your skills and resources, you can repair cracked copper pipes through soldering, plugging with epoxy or wrapping with a commercial wrap seal kit. All three techniques make a watertight, permanent repair.
Are pre soldered fittings good?
The pre-soldered fittings are just as good as regular fittings, but IMHO they DO need a little extra solder. Joint surfaces MUST be cleaned and fluxed just like normal fittings. If you have to pay more for them, get the normal sweat fittings instead.
Can you solder copper pipe with a heat gun?
As well as all kinds of other DIY jobs, a heat gun is very handy for soldering copper pipes. It’s most suitable for working with soft solder with a melting point below 400°C. Before soldering, you need to thoroughly clean and carefully assemble your workpiece, but you can easily do it yourself.
Can you solder copper with a propane torch?
I used a common everyday, readily available propane torch to solder the copper tubing together. You can get a cylinder of propane and the torch at any big box home improvement or hardware store.
Can you use a propane torch to solder copper pipe?
Torch. The torch needed for soldering copper can be propane or MAPP gas (methylacetylene-propadiene propane). Propane works fine, it just takes longer—which may work to your advantage if you are new to soldering copper and are working on 3/4-inch or 1/2-inch pipe. The choice of a torch is really up to you.
Can you solder copper pipe with a butane torch?
A butane torch creates a flame that can reach a maximum temperature of about 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit. These high temperatures—coupled with butane’s long flames, which can reach up to 6 inches long—make these torches capable of melting and soldering metals like copper and silver.
Can you use Vaseline as flux?
Can You Use Vaseline as Flux? Yes, Vaseline works just as well as commercial flux, and you can even buy a generic brand. Petroleum jelly is primarily made from waxes and mineral oils so that it won’t corrode your components. Plus, it cleans away the gunk and eliminates metal oxides that could compromise your bond.
What happens if you don’t use flux when soldering?
Good solder joints simply do not result from working without flux. At low heat the solder might not melt fast enough, and a cold solder joint may result. At high heat the soldering tip may oxidize and that will make soldering almost, if not downright impossible!.
Can you use electrical solder for copper pipe?
Electrical solder is generally hollow, with a core made of a flux intended to solder copper wires. This flux is not made for copper water pipes. You will want to use a separate paste flux especially made for sweating copper water pipe (and a small brush to apply it). Some electrical solders contain an amount of lead.
Can you solder pipe with electrical solder?
The acid flux in plumbing solder differs from electrical solder, which contains rosin flux. Making the opposite switch—substituting electrical solder to join plumbing pipes—is now illegal in many areas of the country. Electrical solder is commonly a 60/40 blend of lead and tin.
