No, just drain the pipe. There are all kinds of ways to remove trapped water: a wet/dry vac, a baster, a pipe cleaner, etc. A geezer plumber told me he uses bread because any crumbs will dissolve later, but I don't think much of this idea because it could clog filters.. Residual water laying in the bottom of the pipe can be evaporated by gently heating it with the torch. You can hear it when the pipe's dry.
I can't visualize the layout but I'd definitely use a union. Sooner or later that pump will have to be removed for service.
1) If the assembly fails the "pressure test" and is too wet to unsweat (desweat?) do you just recut the pipe and start over?
2) I am putting in two Ts; one to a waterpowered sump pump, and one to a valve and stub, to be used for a new outside faucet this summer. I assembled everything, and intended on cutting out a section of pipe, and installing the assembly with mending couplers. I told a friend about it and he said I was doing it completely backwards. He would cut out a piece of pipe, put one T on either end, and then (after pushing the pipe apart somewhat) putting a pipe between the Ts. I guess that makes sense, since it eliminates the need for the mending couplers, but requires pushing the pipes back to get the connecting piece in. Is he right about it being the right way to do it?
Not sure what you're calling "mending couplers"--you mean pipe unions or other threaded connector, I assume?
If I understand your geometry, I'd put the tees in as your buddy suggests and connect the pump near the pump itself w/ union(s) so it (and essentially only it) can be removed for service w/o a large chunk of pipe or needing to unsolder any joints.
As for a fixing a leaky sweated joint, cut the water off above the location and drain the line first by opening at least one upstream faucet to let air in...that'll help immensely, no doubt. If it's a long horizontal run w/ no slope, you can use wet/dry vac to pull most of the water then get stuff ready and re-sweat it quickly before there's enough water back to really cause a problem...you should only need the "bread trick" in really rare instances.
If you're having trouble sweating joints, you may not be using enough heat--what are you using for a heat source? Or, you may not be flowing enough solder in the joint or heating the joint sufficiently before applying the solder...heat on the side and just touch the solder to the near side...when it melts easily, then flow it into the joint. It shouldn't take but 20-30 sec at most to heat a 3/4" joint if you're using enough heat.
Take a few short sections of pipe and fittings and practice until you can get that operation down...a few fittings in the spare parts box are easy compared to the pita of having to repair a bad joint...
Installing a union is a great way to delay the need for service. Why is it that when you slam it together iwth couplers, it fails sooner?
The bread trick is for when you've got something dribbling into your working area -- cram a piece of bread in, and then clean and sweat real quick before the water gets through.
I imagine he means an RP coupling. These don't have a center flange or nub, so they can slide completely on to a pipe. Very useful when you don't have enough clearance to separate the ends of a joint enough to put a standard coupler in.
-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt. And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?
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