Ineed to solder a pipe that holds water how do i do it?

Question

to save drainingndown

Answer 1

Drain down first.

Get some plumbers solder, some wire wool, some plumbers flux and a blow torch.

Clean the copper pipe with the wire wool, coat the end with flux

attach the copper fitting and make sure flux transfers to the inside of the fitting. do the same for the next bit of copper.

You will now have copper pipe attached to a fitting and more copper pipe.

then use the blow torch to heat the 2 pipes and the fitting - if its a solder ring fitting, keep heating until the solder "shows" at the edge of the fitting.

If its a plain fitting, touch the solder to the junction between the pipe and the fitting - the solder will be drawn into the joint - do this for both bit of pipe at the same time.

Allow to cool.

It may be cheaper to buy a compression fitting instead - only 2 spanners needed for that. It doesn't matter if its wet

Answer 2

Simple answer is you cant drain it down first

Answer 3

If there's only a SMALL amount of water sitting in the pipe then you can solder using an extra hot gas called MAPP gas. It comes in a yellow bottle and burns considerably hotter then normal butane etc. This can be bought from B&Q or any plumbers merchant. You'll need to keep the heat on the pipe for quite a long time but it WILL work.

If you're considering doing this without draining the system then it WON'T work.

Answer 4

you can shove bread in the pipe and solder then flush the braed out of the system

Answer 5

you can not solder if water is in the pipe you have to drain down so would suggest calling a plumber

Answer 6

you cant solder if there is water in it. The water will pull the heat away.

Answer 7

You will never solder a copper pipe if there is water in the pipe. The water will stop the metal pipe getting hot enough for the solder to run.If you don't know how to solder a water tight joint, then drain down, and use a compression fitting.

Answer 8

Probably impossible with water in the pipe, you will never get it hot enough, as the water will take the heat away.