Freshly soldered joint leaks; what now?

That reveals the care, and probably good technique, of a craftsman.

If you take the time to do this while working under professional conditions (on the clock), more the better with "hats off" to whomever is paying you for allowing you the time to care.

I suspect that many plumbers already have leather gloves with them and, after sweating the joint, simply STUB OUT any little fire they MAY have started. Most such locations are usually little more than a little, black soot on the wooden member.

As the utility worker denizen of many a crawl space, I cannot tell you the number of "torched", wooden members I have seen adjoining a plumbing joint. I do NOT, however, recall anything particularly bad. It's more unsightly than anything else, really - as long as they extinguish whatever they may have inadvertently ignited.

I assume the code requires protection of adjoining members when soldering a plumbing joint.

Reply to
Jim Redelfs
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I am happy to report the job is finished and no more leaks. I wandered down to Lowes and bought a few things: specifically a heat shield and a MAP torch. I cut a new section, cleaned up the ends bright and shiny, fluxed the unions and the ends of the tubing and had at it.

The map torch was a big improvement over the propane torch I had been using. One of the things I liked was the momentary switch on it... I pressed the trigger, the gas came on and then it ignited. ZIt stayed ignited until i let go of the trigger, allowing me to free up my hands very quickly. I also dug out the knee pads which made it much more comfortable.

So, bottom line: next fall when the temperatures start dropping, I can turn off the water under the house, access a port on the valve and then blow out the line from the valveto under the back deck to the outside faucet on the edge of the deck... leaving no water in the line to freeze and split. Life is good.

Reply to
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

BRAVO!

Reply to
salty

"Mortimer Schnerd, RN" wrote in news:lJednXQ8YrL77YbVnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

Attaboy!

That's one thing I don't have is a mapp torch. From what I hear, once you've tried it you never go back ;-) Maybe it's my propane torch head but I hate that when I tilt the torch various ways the flame changes.

Is that a torch head issue anyone? If so, does the same thing happen with mapp?

Reply to
Red Green

With any torch if it is tilted such that liquid rather that gaseous phase fuel enters the torch the flame will be impacted.

About 15 years ago I gave up and visited my trusty pawn shop. I came out with an acetylne B-bottle and a turbo torch on a 50 foot hose. I'll never go back to the tank with a torch on top.

Boden

Reply to
Boden

PEX

Reply to
buffalobill

Doesn't it make you feel better to do the job right and then have it all work out. Long term satisfaction. MLD

Reply to
MLD

Sure it does but the costs... I must have $200 tied up in this job.... $10 in parts and the rest in some very nice tools. I admit to being a tool nut and will use any rationalization to justify the purchase of nice tools. And I'm set for the next time!

Reply to
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

"Mortimer Schnerd, RN" wrote in news:Mcudnad34osP7oPVnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

Reading this I'm like man the borg must be 30 miles away and he's got an old 350 with a 4 barrel getting 8mi/gal.

Then LOL.

Reply to
Red Green

Old copper is miserable, to resolder. I know, done enough. The last time I worked on old copper, was 3/8 soft copper, water line. I used stick brazing, and 15% silver. Not for the faint of heart.

You're right, they need to be cleaned and redone.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Sometimes, you can wire brush it good, dab on some flux. Very low heat, and sneak in some more solder. It's never pretty after all that rework.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Mapp tends to run best, upright. It's seriously hot, compared to propane. Allows you to heat, solder, and get out quickly. Can be useful for valves, so you can heat the joint quick and hot, but the heat doesn't have the time to kill the valve. Of course, you're using the wet rag immediately as the solder changes color and hardens.

One thing to note. Mapp doesn't work if the tank is cold. So, in the winter, a tank stored in the car won't work. You have to warm up the tank to get it to work.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Those turbo torches, the ones that whistle like a jet engine? Mapp is about the same temp range. And you don't have to use a sparker. I'd much rather have a mapp tank, than a B=tank and long hose.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Ah, this is turning into a support group. Tool junkies of the world, unite!

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Amen! Once that new tool has been used, it has paid for itself!

Reply to
Jim Redelfs

That much, eh? :)

No sh*t. Been there, done that.

Reply to
Jim Redelfs

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