Why do I suck so bad at soldering copper pipe?

[jamescstein]

Tapping a copper line under the sink for my RO/DI. Its the line going to my ice-maker. Why can't I manage to get it to not leak?

 

1/4" pipe to fitting reducer... good. 3/8" fitting for shutoff valve to reducer... good.. 1/4" pipe to 1/4" T... bad solder joint. 2 ends of T to existing copper pipe... super horrible.

 

Am I just going too fast? Is it something as simple as the fact that my fitting/etc is so much hotter than the next piece that I am not getting good contact on the last piece added? Should I do one joint then wait for the whole thing to cool before going on to the next joint?

 

I tried this "Just for Copper" epoxy and that didn't work well either.. I hate plumbing.

[tetraodon]

it takes practice, you also have to make sure to heat it properly, make sure the pipe is clean, and you also want to solder the pipe with the joint facing up; so that the solder gets pulled into the joint by gravity

[AZDesertRat]

Cleanliness and lots of flux are the keys. Sand the heck out of it with emery cloth or use the proper size internal and external wire brush inside the fitting and on the pipe then brush on gobs of solder flux. When you apply the heat with a torch you will see the flux boiling or bubbling then you can apply the solder by kind or wiping it around the piece being joined. It really doesn't matter if it is horizontal or vertical, it will suck the solder right into the joint when conditions are right.

 

Your existing pipe is probably 1/2" type K hard copper which is designed to be soldered. Many smaller sizes are soft copper and may not solder well. If all else fails buy one of the new solderless slip x slip x threaded tees in 1/2" then use a thread x compression fitting to go to 1/4" plastic tubing for the RO/DI or if it is under the sink skip all the copper and use a feed water valve adapter on your incoming cold water line which is a piece of cake to install with no permanent damage should you decide to remove it later.

[bked]

You can also try MAP gas (yellow bottle) as it burns hotter than propane. I found that it heats the pipe much better and quicker.

[ndrobey]

Home Depot has some green goop that you put into the joint. It is much easier to use than lead.

[waveland]

Clean everything well and apply flux. I fit dry fit (with flux) ALL of my connections first and sweat everything at once. Okay, so here's the key to a good joint. Apply the heat to the FEMALE end of the joint only. When it is hot (don't be afraid to heat it well) touch the solder to the joint and you will see it suck into the female end and create the seal. I've had plumbers tell me that the gravity part is not near as important as the heat. The flux will flow into the heated area. Hope this helps.

Finally, something on this site I know a little about

[AZDesertRat]

Flux. You haven't been able to buy lead solder since the early 1980's when the EPA banned it.

[waveland]

P.S. Make sure there is no water in the line. The pipe won't get hot enough if there is. Turn off your water main and open up a spigot lower then your project (usually an outside hose bib). I've had to, on rare occasion, suck water out of a pipe with a shop-vac and sweat the pipe before it re-filled.

 

The main thing though is to heat the female end of the connection only. Good luck!

[Markburns43]

1/4 inch is tiny to solder. Id imagine your just over heating it burning off the flux and the solder wont take. If it helps dismantle re clean ( especially the small adapter end good)and like all the above have said . I like map gas over propane like said above hotter burning means faster soldering. Just dont heat too long. I like to heAt the female joint and just touch the solder or rest it on top of the joint end and as soon as its hot bam it takes. All done , dont try to re heat and go all the way around like your welding. ( with 1/4) And if you cant manage to get 1/4 to take solder grab a shark bite tee that goes from 1/2 to 1/4 on the branch.

[Naturalreef]

I will add to what the others said....I like thin strand solder because it doesn't make a mess with globs of solder all over the place. Heat the pipe(female side). Hold the solder to the pipe away from the flame. As soon as the solder starts flowing, take heat off pipe and run the solder all around the pipe, flux will pull solder into joint.

 

Don't try to cool the pipe off quickly with water or water soaked rag, just let it cool naturally and it will be a solid connection. As others have said, make sure the pipe has no water in it before soldering. I use a piece of wonder bread(no crust) in the pipe to stop the trickle of water. It will dissolve when water is turned back on. Hope it helps....

[CJJon]

1/4" line? Ditch the solder and go with appropriate fittings.

[andiok]

watch out for water in the line. i would remove those pipes apart, solder and then install. water is a real bugger no matter how much there is in there

[jaynkeel]

3 words, shark bite fittings. No more soldering and can go from one type of material to another. Example: copper to pvc, and once their on they stay and don't leak. Might cost you a couple bucks more per fitting but worth it in the time saver alone imho. Home depot sells them in the plumbing dept. If you go this way make sure you grab a release tool for the size you buy while there, they are cheap as well.

[jamescstein]

I looked at the shark bite at HD, Lowes and Ace. Couldn't come up with the right combo of fixtures to get from a 1/4" pipe to a 3/8" make thread for a shutoff valve. Maybe I'll try online.. or call a plumber at this point.

 

On a bench I can solder great thus the thread fitting/reducer/pipe to T all nice and solid... get into tight quarters where I can only stick 1 arm.. not so much. Thus the other ends of the T into the existing pipe.. leak leak leak.