Copper plumbing soldered together...

[Rich]

I have managed to solder two seperate 15mm pipes together. They run side by side not end to end though! It was a very tight place i was working in!

They are hold and cold supply pipes to the new kitchen sink. The joints are sound and hot and cold water can be obtained without problems.

I was just wondering whether this is going to cause a problem with movement differences etc in the future?

I can also hear a metalically sounding tinging noise when the water is flowing. It sounds like a small ball of solder in the pipe is running around in the pipe? Could this be what it is? Is it a problem? It is only a very faint noise.

regards,

Rich

[Bob Minchin]

I doubt it

Highly likely

No, it will find it's way out eventually. Just turn the radio up when you are doing the washing up Bob

[derek]

I think it might very well be the hot pipe expanding and straining the cold pipe to which it's attached. It might equally just be that the hot pipe is constrained somewhere along it's length. Builders plumbers have a habit of hanging pipes on nails under floors, causing the "Ting

- ting - ting" effect as the pipe warms up.

I doubt it, the movement of the lead blob, and the sound would be damped by the water.

Hot and cold pipes should not be in contact let alone soldered together. The cold pipe will cool the hot one causing excess water usage and wasted energy. The hot one will cause the cold pipe to warm up causing users to run water to waste until it runs cold. I do believe the water board regs have a bit to say about this.

Can't you get a hacksaw (abrafile or somesuch) blade in and seperate them, and then get some insulation on the hot pipe? There really can't be/shouldn't be that much solder joining them. Tried prising them apart with a screwdriver? You could then file off the surplus with a nail file or an emery board.

DG