******* Plumbing

[tabbypurr]

I've tried again and again to resolder a copper endfeed joint in a primary circuit, and no joy yet again. It's a 22mm street elbow that goes into a po rt on a Dunsley, so lots of copper to suck the heat away. The biggest probl em is access. I can reach it, but no way can I see the far side of it witho ut a mirror, and I can't use a mirror when soldering as I don't have 3 hand s, and can't really tape it in place as the torch would shatter it. The oth er problem is just getting it hot enough. The latest attempt has resulted i n pasty solder on the far side rather than free flowing. Yes, the joint was completely disassembled and all cleaned & sanded for this latest go. FWIW the solder penetration in the original joint was 0%.

I'd resort to epoxy if it could take the heat. There's no way to set it hot that I can see.

There's no way to get someone with more hands in there as well, there just isn't room, I can only just squeeze far enough in to reach it. They might p erhaps get there from underneath, but that's where the molten solder falls

- and they'd need to be looking up all the time, so that won't work.

Any constructive suggestions welcome. This one joint has had me defeated ov er and over again.

NT

[Mr Pounder Esquire]

My over 40 years old experiance was to steel wool the elbow where it meets the copper pipe, apply plenty of flux, heat up and apply solder.

[alan_m]

Isn't this the time to consider a compression of push fit fitting?

[tabbypurr]

exactly what I did. As I explained it ain't working.

NT

[alan_m]

[tabbypurr]

ary circuit, and no joy yet again. It's a 22mm street elbow that goes into a port on a Dunsley, so lots of copper to suck the heat away. The biggest p roblem is access. I can reach it, but no way can I see the far side of it w ithout a mirror, and I can't use a mirror when soldering as I don't have 3 hands, and can't really tape it in place as the torch would shatter it. The other problem is just getting it hot enough. The latest attempt has result ed in pasty solder on the far side rather than free flowing. Yes, the joint was completely disassembled and all cleaned & sanded for this latest go. F WIW the solder penetration in the original joint was 0%.

hot that I can see.

ust isn't room, I can only just squeeze far enough in to reach it. They mig ht perhaps get there from underneath, but that's where the molten solder fa lls - and they'd need to be looking up all the time, so that won't work.

d over and over again.

I'm liking that idea. Isn't the female port on the Dunsley going to be larg er than the usual 22mm though? I'll measure it when I can.

NT

[newshound]

Not sure if this is applicable here, but sometimes I find it better, rather than do a complete assembly and do all the soldering in one go, to solder the inaccessible parts out on the bench, then finally connect them to the circuit perhaps using an extra pair of straight couplers. If it is a compression fitting on to the boiler, I might even use an extra compression fitting at the "other" end, to make the whole lot easy to assemble.

The other observation, not for you but for plumbing novices, is when fitting something like tap connectors DO THESE FIRST to get all the positions and angles right, then finally join it up to the main run. Leave the tails long, cut them to fit as the last part of the assembly. Often a good idea to make this joint at an elbow, then you have "out of plane" freedom of movement for assembly, and you can run the pipes tight into a corner.

[tabbypurr]

that wouldn't make any difference, its male end is a solder fitting.

NT

[tabbypurr]

ary circuit, and no joy yet again. It's a 22mm street elbow that goes into a port on a Dunsley, so lots of copper to suck the heat away. The biggest p roblem is access. I can reach it, but no way can I see the far side of it w ithout a mirror, and I can't use a mirror when soldering as I don't have 3 hands, and can't really tape it in place as the torch would shatter it. The other problem is just getting it hot enough. The latest attempt has result ed in pasty solder on the far side rather than free flowing. Yes, the joint was completely disassembled and all cleaned & sanded for this latest go. F WIW the solder penetration in the original joint was 0%.

hot that I can see.

ust isn't room, I can only just squeeze far enough in to reach it. They mig ht perhaps get there from underneath, but that's where the molten solder fa lls - and they'd need to be looking up all the time, so that won't work.

d over and over again.

I did exactly that. There are no less than 6 joins in a row. Doing 5 of the m on the ground got them good, but soldering to the Dunsley can only be don e in situ.

essential with solder. Otherwise the solder cracks.

NT

[Mr Pounder Esquire]

[alan_m]

28mm???? carry some larger fittings

[tabbypurr]

I'll soon know :)

NT

[James Wilkinson Sword]

Drinking again are you?

[Mr Pounder Esquire]

I offered help to this guy. You offered f*ck all as always. Tell us all about your "Owner Operator" occupation Mr Hucker. Don't tempt me do it. I've not had booze or a snout for over two years.

[Roger Hayter]

Assuming you can't disconect the port on the fire and change it for something else then the only solution is a bigger or hotter flame, and spend some time really heating up the metalwork the port is connected to before bringing the actual joint up to solder temperature.

[Fredxxx]

More heat comes to mind, but also pre-heating the Dunsley heatsinking area. Empty the stove of water using a wet/dry vacuum cleaner?

Without a photo it's difficult to offer anything more constructive.

[James Wilkinson Sword]

You told him to do what he told you he'd already done.

Then you are an idiot.

[newshound]

Sorry, I should have looked up Dunsley first, I am not familar with them. Could you have soldered a tail into the Dunsley before it is in place, then connect to that with a compression fitting?

TBH I don't think I could suggest anything you have not thought of.

[Roger Hayter]

That's a very good point. If there is any water around it will make a big difference.

[Clive Arthur]

If you haven't already, break out some 60/40 solder and you've won yourself about 40'C.

Cheers