Soldering Copper Pipes

[diy_monkey]

Another 2 novice questions for you knowledgeable folk, I hope you don’t mind helping me out.

I'm changing the radiator in my bathroom for a towel radiator and I've had to remove the existing tails and fit new ones so that I can move them closer together. The old pipes are off, dry and clean and the new ones bent, cut and in position so, now I'm ready to solder but, before I dive in head first I just want to clear up a couple of things.


I have a tee join which obviously has three fittings to solder and I’m thinking do I heat each join a solder separately? The problem with this, I'm thinking, is that when I'm heating the second join I'm going to melt the first one. So, do I then heat all three and solder together? The problem with this is, by the time I get to the third one it will have cooled down too much to solder?

My second question is; I have all the pipes in position and connected to the radiator and I want to leave them that way whilst I solder so, that they don't move out of position whilst I'm working. Is this the sensible thing to do, because I don't want the heat of my blow torch to affect the chrome on my new radiator (the tails are about 8 inches from elbow to rad valve)?

Thanks in advance.

 

[md68]

You will need to solder all 3 conections to the tee at the same time. So just assemble the joint, remember to flux all 3 bits of pipe then heat with a moderate flame on the blowtorch. just touch the solder around the joint if it flows then the joint is hot enough then add solder to the other two joint. leave to cool then clean the joint. Job done. Don't worry about the chrome its far away enough not to be affected

 

[diamondgas]

Watch this ‪The Art of Soldering (How to Solder Copper)‬‏ - YouTube8" shouldn't harm the valve 🙂

 

[diy_monkey]

Thanks, so i just need to work quick enough so that the joints don't cool before i have time to solder the last one?

 

[md68]

Don't worry it easy. If you would feel better why not have a practice with a spare tee & 3 bits of pipe.

 

[SimonG]

As MD68 says have a practice, just be careful not to get it too hot or you'll burn the flux and the solder won't run.

 

[diy_monkey]

Watch this ‪The Art of Soldering (How to Solder Copper)‬‏ - YouTube8" shouldn't harm the valve 🙂

Thats perfect just what i needed.

Thanks everyone

 

[diy_monkey]

One more quick question:

The tee joins to a bras drain off cock, is soldering copper to brass the same as soldering copper to copper?

 

[wheeto]

One more quick question:

The tee joins to a bras drain off cock, is soldering copper to brass the same as soldering copper to copper?

Yes but remember to remove the plug & rubber seal first 🙂

 

[Howsie]

The brass will absorb more heat so spend a little more time heating this joint up. If its pointing to the floor make sure it doesn't fall out when the flux heats up.

As has been said, practice on some spare pipe.

 

[arran197]

Once the first joint is hot enough to solder, take the heat away slightly (so the heat is still on the joint, but not getting it really, really hot). You want to have the flame from the lamp in a middle position, so it heats the 3 joints at a similar rate. I usually put quite a bit of solder on drain cocks, they sometimes are a bit of a poor fit. But definitely remove the centre with the rubber on.