Table of Contents
Which solder is best for joining copper tubing?
Buy lead-free solder that’s designed for copper water pipes; you’ll find it in the plumbing section of the store. Solder with lead is still available, but the lead can leach into your water supply, so don’t use it.
Can you solder copper pipe with water in it?
Don’t try to solder pipes with water in them. Soldering a joint in pipes that contain even tiny amounts of water is nearly impossible. Most of the heat from the torch goes into turning the water to steam, so the copper won’t get hot enough to melt the solder. Stop the trickle of water with a pipe plug.
Can I solder copper pipe without flux?
Flux is a chemical which helps you solder. Flux prevents the copper from oxidizing as you heat the copper with the torch. You can solder without flux, but it is really difficult! Flux is applied to both the pipe and the fitting with a handy miniature paint brush.
Can you use too much flux when soldering?
Although there is a sufficient amount of flux present in the core of the solder wire to get your job done, the technicians (to make their job easy) tend to use additional flux in form of paste or liquid during the rework on the PCB. There is no problem with the use of flux during soldering.
Why does my solder not stick to copper pipe?
If the solder is beading up or running down the pipe, you have a dirty fitting. Just as Vic says use clean fine grit sandpaper or emery cloth. Clean both surfaces, spread flux as soon as you clean them. Also clean and flux joint after you fit them together.
What kind of torch do you use to solder copper pipe?
The torch needed for soldering copper can be propane or MAPP gas (methylacetylene-propadiene propane). MAPP gas comes in a yellow tank and propane comes in a blue tank. MAPP gas, usually a bit more expensive, gets much hotter than propane, so heats the pipe faster.
Can you overheat copper pipe when soldering?
Overheating is a major problem when brazing or soldering copper pipe because the flux will burn (become oxidized), stop working, and become a barrier to tinning. In addition, a heavy oxide can be formed on the pipe itself, preventing a bond from forming between the filler metal and the pipe surface.
Why does my solder not stick?
A classic reason solder won’t stick to something is because you’re not getting it hot enough. My interns come to me with this problem all the time. Make sure the tip of the iron is nice and shiny. Touch some solder on it, and it should melt almost instantly.
Is flux necessary for soldering copper pipe?
Strong metals such as brass and copper will require a synthetic acid flux in order to be soldered. This will remove not only oxidation but also corrosion and other residues that build up on these metals.
What is the purpose of flux when soldering copper?
The main purpose of the flux is to prepare the metal surfaces for soldering by cleaning and removing any oxides and impurities. Oxides are formed when metal is exposed to air and may prevent the formation of good solder joints.
Does flux damage copper pipe?
When Flux goes wrong! The flux will corrode the pipe at the joint and some will be pushed around the system to find other things to corrode, maybe inside your boiler. The bottom line is that misuse of flux is commonplace and causes problems large and small.
Do you apply flux to both sides?
Wipe both sides of the joint with flux This helps solder flow into the joint. We recommend tinning flux. It contains a bit of powdered metal alloy that is similar to solder. The alloy melts and coats the inside of the joint and helps ensure a solder joint that’s completely filled and leakproof.
Why does solder have an expiration date?
Kester has this to say, in their policy about shelf life: Flux cored solder wire has a limited shelf life determined by the alloy used in the wire. Presumably one reason for a stated expiration date is that the flux becomes less active over time as it interacts with the solder metal.
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.
Can you solder copper with a soldering iron?
You can fix it using a soldering iron, as long as you follow the basic rules of soldering copper wire and make sure you’re careful and attentive during the process.
Why do plumbers use torch?
Plumbers use blowtorches to solder and fix copper pipes. The word “solder” (pronounced “sodder,” with a silent L) refers both to the process of joining the pipes and to the substance used in the process. To solder, a plumber heats the pipes and then applies solder material, which softens in the heat.
Can you braze copper with a propane torch?
Brazing permanently joins two metals using a torch. You can use a propane torch to braze most metals you want to join. Propane torches are widely available in your local hardware stores, plumbing supply houses as well as at metalsmith and jewelry supply companies.
Does plumbing solder go bad?
Solder once applied in a high-quality way should not cause any problems in the future. Soldered joints should not generally go bad. If there is deterioration around a joint, it will most often be a badly soldered joint or deterioration of the actual metal pipe.
