How to Solder Copper Water Pipe

Anyone can solder copper water pipes if proper preparation is made.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Portable torch
• Lead-free solder
• soldering paste and brush
• emery paper
• wire brush for pipe fittings
• fire supression equipment

1. If pipes to be soldered are in use, turn off water supply and relieve water pressure in work area before attempting the repair or modification and allow pipes to drain thoroughly.

2. Open pipe where repair/modification is to be made and drain any remaining water. Connection area must be drained completely.

3. Clean outside of pipes and inside of fittings to be soldered thoroughly with emery paper (use fitting brush on inside of fittings. Remove any debris with a clean cloth and avoid touching cleaned areas with your hands.

4. Apply soldering paste to inside of fittings and outside of pipes in connection area. Make sure to cover connection area completely.

5. Heat joint area with torch. Test whether connection area is hot enough by touching end of roll of solder to heated area. When solder melts easily the joint is hot enough. Feed more solder around joint circumference to make connection. Solder all connections on any one fitting at the same time. Allow connections to cool before turning on water. Avoid using a wet cloth to cool joints quickly as the connection strength will be reduced.

6. After connections have cooled for 15 minutes, (they do not have to cool to room temperature), slowly turn on water and check for leaks.

Tips & Warnings

• Preparation is crucial to the success of the operation!
• Connection must be cleaned of all oxidation (fittings must be cleaned even if they are new) before attempting soldering or joint will not hold.
• Connection areas must be completely covered with solder paste. As solder paste melts, it draws molten solder inside the connection.
• A spray bottle of water will suffice for most cases where where framing members are slightly charred, but is no substitute for a fire extinguisher.
• Be careful not to stand or place any part of your body under the connection area while solder is being applied.
• Use wet cloths to protect existing connections near the work area.
• Wherever possible, flush pipes with water after soldering because residual solder paste in pipes can cause diarrhea (and tastes awful).