Copper plumbing help needed
- Thread starter law086
- Start date
fishnfst
New member
If you don't want to solder and your sink is already plumbed check if you have individual angle stops.. Is it a full service sink? Is it a Mop sink? If it is just a laundry room sink chances are you have angle stops underneath where the hot and cold water connect.. They are either compression or threaded.. You can purchase another angle stop that has dual outlets and add a second valve for your RO unit.. If you are really having a hard time with the soldering you can purchase a compression by compression by ips tee.. Swagelock makes really nice ones...
Don't overdo the flux either.. You just need enough to coat the pipe and the inside of the fitting.. A very thin coat is all that is needed.. If there is excessive flux it may get trapped and cause leaks as well...
If you still want to try soldering clean the pipe with 180 grit sand paper along with the fitting.. Flux the pipe and fitting.. Put the pieces together.. Take your torch and preheat the pipe make about two passes all of the way around.. Keep the torch moving so you don't burn through the fitting.. After the two passes on the pipe move the torch toward the female part of the fitting.. Use a sweeping motion back and forward. Move the torch toward the very back of the fitting and attempt to apply solder.. You want to start at the bottom of the fitting and fill that first.. If it starts to drip that means that the bottom is full. Continue to move the torch around to the top of the fitting and follow it with the solder..
Start at 4oclock to 6-7 olock.. Go from 7-12 and then go from 4 back to 11.. You want to solder the top of the fitting last so the flux has somewhere to run out as you solder... Remove the torch and continue to swipe at the joint with the solder you will actually feel more and more resistance as the joint cools.. When it stops melting the solder you can give it a quick wipe for any drips and your done...
Don't overdo the flux either.. You just need enough to coat the pipe and the inside of the fitting.. A very thin coat is all that is needed.. If there is excessive flux it may get trapped and cause leaks as well...
If you still want to try soldering clean the pipe with 180 grit sand paper along with the fitting.. Flux the pipe and fitting.. Put the pieces together.. Take your torch and preheat the pipe make about two passes all of the way around.. Keep the torch moving so you don't burn through the fitting.. After the two passes on the pipe move the torch toward the female part of the fitting.. Use a sweeping motion back and forward. Move the torch toward the very back of the fitting and attempt to apply solder.. You want to start at the bottom of the fitting and fill that first.. If it starts to drip that means that the bottom is full. Continue to move the torch around to the top of the fitting and follow it with the solder..
Start at 4oclock to 6-7 olock.. Go from 7-12 and then go from 4 back to 11.. You want to solder the top of the fitting last so the flux has somewhere to run out as you solder... Remove the torch and continue to swipe at the joint with the solder you will actually feel more and more resistance as the joint cools.. When it stops melting the solder you can give it a quick wipe for any drips and your done...
in my personal experience i find that, if you heat away from the female end joint about 3/8 of an inch, the solder will actually suck toward the heat and be drawn in (with the use of flux very necessary). also for my 2 cents those pre done fittings that have flux and solder in them are top notch. just slide on and heat nothing could be easier. but i am not a pro by any means, just done a number of my personal homes.
jfl14609
Active member
ok I was getting some plumbing fittings yesterday and did a little research for you. there is a new fitting called a shark bite. you can attach this to copper, pvc, or pex. its all compression type fittins no soldering at all. they are a few bucks more than normal copper fittins but all you need is a t and a coupling sounds like
pvc should only be used for cold water it will not take hot water if you are going to change to plastic you should use cpcv it is made for hot and cold water
as for the soldering the post by bean animal is good do your self a favor go to lows get your self some oatey # 5 flux and a pound of tarament solder i knows lows has the solder haveing good flux is very important i use both of the above products every day at work clean the pipe flux it up heat the way you want to solder to go if you are going to do much soldering i would also buy at lows while you are there a torch with a turbo flame it gets much hotter and it helps if any thing is wet I have also found the heal of the bread works best to stop the water
as for the soldering the post by bean animal is good do your self a favor go to lows get your self some oatey # 5 flux and a pound of tarament solder i knows lows has the solder haveing good flux is very important i use both of the above products every day at work clean the pipe flux it up heat the way you want to solder to go if you are going to do much soldering i would also buy at lows while you are there a torch with a turbo flame it gets much hotter and it helps if any thing is wet I have also found the heal of the bread works best to stop the water
Frankysreef
Active member
My buddy who is a plumber taught me....
1st make your solder into a nice 3 inch long wire.
clean joint... Flux it.... HEAT IT ( now it has to be HOT ), then when flux is boiling, JAM the solder into it until you see it sweat the joint .. then you are done.
If you are going uphill, or sideways.. mapp gas might be a better idea... it just gets HOTTER.
1st make your solder into a nice 3 inch long wire.
clean joint... Flux it.... HEAT IT ( now it has to be HOT ), then when flux is boiling, JAM the solder into it until you see it sweat the joint .. then you are done.
If you are going uphill, or sideways.. mapp gas might be a better idea... it just gets HOTTER.
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
I always use MAPP and a pinpoint torch.
Bean
Bean
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
yeah I can see that! A bottle lasts me quite a while so I keep it on the torch. It's good for burning ants too!
