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I'm having trouble getting a copper pipe joint hot enough to melt the solder so I can resweat the joint on account of the joint having a small pinhole leak. I'm using a propone torch on the joint keeping the tip of the flame on the joint but don't seem to be able to get enough heat to get the joint hot. Not even after a long period of heating. Can anyone tell me what I may be doing wrong here?
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shut off the water and drain the line. with water in the line you'll never get it hot enough to solder the joint. a mapp gas torch may get it hotter than propane. if you can take apart the joint, clean both the copper tube and fitting with emery cloth re-apply the flux and reheat the join then apply the solder. -
I did shut the water off and as this is a short run to an outside faucet. I opened the valve outside. As for draining it I'm not sure what more I Could do. Can I assume that I'll need to heat the pipe enough to evaporate any remaining water.
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ok, what you'll need to do is shut off your main. if you have valves in this line BEFORE the leak open any downstream valves to drain the line. Heat the joint with a torch until the lead is fluid and pull apart the joint. With fine steel wool clean the pipe end of old solder. keep alternating between heat and the steel wool until the joint is clean. on the fitting, heat the fitting and use a fitting brush to clean the old solder out of it. the brush will also prep the fitting for re-solder. let it cool down a bit. use a flux brush and flux and flux both the pipe end and fitting. push the joint together and heat the fitting NOT the tubing. when the joint becomes fluid, add solder until it drips once or twice then DON'T TOUCH IT! let the solder solidify. let it cool down then re-pressurize the system.Comment
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Thanks Hayzee, I'll give it a try.Comment
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