How to Solder copper pipes

How to solder copper pipes - a straightforward explanation

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Flux
• solder
• torch (propane)
• copper pipes
• safety glasses
• leather gloves

1. The first step is making sure the pipe(s) to be soldered are clean and dry. Water will cause problems, so make sure the area is dry.

2. Once the area in clean and dry, apply flux to the pipe end you're starting with. This generally has the consistency of vaseline, and doesn't take much.

3. After the area has been coated, slide the sleeve (a joining peice) onto the pipe, and hold it in place (Vise grips work well, but they DO conduct heat, so be careful, and don't hold it too tightly)

4. Heat the pipe with the torch close to the sleeve until your solder melts on contact. This is the part that takes practice. You want it hot enough to melt the solder easily, but not too hot. Once you've done it a few times, you'll get a feeel for how hot that is...

5. Once the solder is melting on contact, touch the solder to the pipe at the seam where it meets the sleeve. Something called 'capilliary action' will pull the melted solder into the space between the pipes, unless you've got it too hot. This process shouldn't take more than a few seconds.

6. if you're working on a pipe that has water in it, and you just can't get it all out, this will still work, but be careful for the steam you'll create. It's hot, and will burn you.

Tips & Warnings

• It's advisable to practice this on scrap pipe until you've learned how hot is hot enough. This will keep you from having to clean and re-do the actual joint at the plumbing. It will also (hopefully) get you enough practice so that you don't accidentally heat up surrounding items until they burst into flame. Yes, drywall will do this, and it turns a quick job into a much longer one. Especially if your wife catches you. :)
• The solder here gets hot. It has to, to do the job. Be careful if using your grandfather's solder, as that often has an acid core. Handy if you were soldering pipes in the 60s, but not so much now, and hard on the eyes/skin.
• wear the glasses, as one of the things water will do if/when it hits the hot joint is sizzle and potentially jump. When holding a lit propane torch, you don't want to flail around as the result of water/steam burns.

[tedh]

on 7/20/2009 TedH say's: When soldering copper tubing (or pipe) apply heat evenly to the fitting and joint. The bigger the fitting the more heat you need to keep both at or near the same temperature. As soon as the solder begins to melt move the heat to the fitting to help the capillary action that will fill the joint with solder. If done properly, the solder will dissappear into the joint (like magic). If the solder is "piled up" on the joint or runs into external drips, you probably have created a "leaker"! Get the heat off immediately. Excessive heat is your worst enemy!

[vernk]

on 5/1/2009 when working around the drywall and 2x4's there's a spray that can be had from plumbing supply stores that you spray on the surrounding areas. and it makes it temporarily inflammable. works great i've used it a number of times.

[chinikgree]

on 11/10/2006 With practice sweating copper pipes is very easy.....BUT DO NOT ATEMPT IT WITHOUT PRACTICE.....before aplying your flux clean the outside of your copper pipe (the part going into your fitting) with emery cloth and the inside of your fitting when done properly it will be shiney clean and scuffed up...this aids in the penatration of the solder....There is a tool at the home store specifcly for this job located by the copper fittings, flux, etc... It looks like a battery brush.... Wire brush with a 1/2 and 3/4 opening to insert the pipe into and a brush to clean the inside of your fitting......ALSO WATER IS YOUR WORST ENEMY WHEN SOLDERING COPPER......IT WILL NOT WORK PROPERLY WITH EVEN A VERY LITTLE BIT OF WATER IN THE PIPE.....HOWEVER dont be alarmed there is an easy fix for this as done by plumbers......take some bread and shove it in the pipe push it back with a pencil or your finger and solder your joint the bread will absorb the water and break down and flush right out when you turn on the water.....Also if working in tight areas around 2x4's and drywall put some sheet metal behind your work area to prvent burning things up.

[scouterclay]

on 10/10/2006 If you have cut the pipe, make sure and remove any burrs before applying the flux.
When heating up the joint, don't try to melt the solder until you see the copper pipe start to change color.