Home Improvement Stack Exchange
Home Improvement Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [solder]

15 questions
7
votes
4 answers

Can I solder aged copper with patina on it?

I have a copper lamp that’s 30 years old. A couple of the Solder joints have disengaged on the lamp. Do I need to remove all the patina and oxidation layer on the copper before I re-solder?
Dan Sweeney
  • 71
  • 2
5
votes
5 answers

Can I still use this old (15yrs) flux and solder?

I few days ago I cut and cap a copper pipe to start repairing an underground water leak in my garage. I noticed that the flux looked rather orange and when I solder a pipe the solder didn't flow very well. Yes the pipe was clean before and fluxed. I…
Rodo
  • 573
  • 1
  • 12
  • 23
4
votes
1 answer

What happens if you sweat pipe copper pipe without flux?

I may have forgotten to use soldering flux paste when I replaced a water valve on 1/2" copper tubing. It was in a tight place and sweating pipe is not something I do often. Some of the joints I attached on the ground but others had to be soldered…
Yehuda_NYC
  • 1,399
  • 13
  • 35
  • 52
2
votes
1 answer

What fittings are needed to replace saddle valve with 1/4" compression valve on 3/4" copper line?

I have a 3/4" copper line with with a saddle valve, and I want to do a solid once-only job with sweated fittings - so 3/4" line with a T off-take with a 1/4" ball valve with compression-fittings on one side. Browsing hardware store in person or…
user192127
  • 125
  • 3
2
votes
2 answers

High Temperature Lead-Free Solder

I have an old microwave/convection oven that came with 2 metal circular trays for cooking on (in convection mode), a tall one and a shorter one that fits underneath it. However, a long time ago, one of the legs of the taller one snapped off, leaving…
Rafael
  • 197
  • 1
  • 1
  • 11
2
votes
2 answers

Can I solder galvanized steel to stainless steel?

I have several stainless steel plates and I want to solder galvanized steel tubes to these plates. Is this possible? I ask because I have a guy that does all my soldering work, but he generally solders regular or galvanized steel to regular or…
rbhat
  • 2,153
  • 11
  • 61
  • 91
1
vote
1 answer

Repair a pinhole leak in tankless water heater

Its been a hard winter on plumbing, and I had some freezing pipes when I lost power for a few days and it was in the teens. The water was shut off but didn't drain the pipes. I had a pipe burst and a pex manifold burst too, and after getting all…
freshop
  • 1,926
  • 11
  • 15
1
vote
1 answer

Copper sweating to heat pump

Yesterday I got a brand new heat pump. Long story short, it was messy at best. In particular, the copper sweating attached to the condenser unit seems problematic in a couple of ways. First, copper that has been out in the coastal salt air for…
GaTechThomas
  • 231
  • 1
  • 6
  • 17
1
vote
2 answers

Soldering or brazing copper pipes

At a local workshop we have a portable and old heating device where the heat generator's housing reaches around 180°C during operation. The original external aluminum radiator with a fan attached to it have small dissipation capabilities. The…
1000Gbps
  • 113
  • 4
1
vote
4 answers

Sweat or threaded connections for shut-off valves

I'm in need of installing a shut-off valve for my hose bib (sillcock), specifically a ball valve. But I was wondering if a threaded connection was better than a sweat in terms of effectiveness and maintenance.
James R.
  • 61
  • 1
  • 8
1
vote
2 answers

Using salt to reseal a solder joint?

I just had an inspection for a hot water heater that we recently had installed, and while the installation passed, the inspector noted a leak at one of the copper joints in the hot water pipe. She thought the pipe might have been jostled as the…
Matt
  • 13
  • 3
1
vote
1 answer

How to remove a cast iron pipe plug that has been soldered with lead

I'm adding a utility sink in my basement. I'd like to drain it into a cast iron pipe junction, but I'm having trouble removing the old plug. It appears to have been sealed with lead solder. I'm reluctant to heat this with a propane torch; I…
zwiebelspaetzle
  • 671
  • 1
  • 14
  • 26
0
votes
1 answer

soldered a bunch of joints and they worked!!? so, when are they going to fail?

Weird question I guess, but I’m second guessing my handiwork. I’m a DIYer, watched a bunch of youtube. For two separate projects I soldered 16 joints and 6 joints. (1/2” and 3/4” copper) For both when I turned the water on nothing leaked… so quite…
jsharpe
  • 129
  • 4
0
votes
1 answer

How to remove or de-solder old flashing

I'd like to remove some old copper flashing to repair the rotting wood beneath it. My plan was to de-solder the old flashing joint (I'd like to reuse the flashing when done). So I bought a used copper hand iron and heated it for half an hour with…
StepByStep
  • 517
  • 5
  • 14
  • 25
0
votes
2 answers

Water shut off to solder on an adapter?

I need to put an adapter onto a ball valve at the end of a supply line. Do I need to shut the water off to the whole line?
Scott
  • 389
  • 5
  • 7
  • 17