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Our Worcester plumbers show you how to solder copper pipe

  1. Ensure the external walls of the copper pipes you wish to solder together are cleaned with wire wool , abrasive tape or a dedicated pipe cleaner.  You need to remove all of the oxide from the copper.  When you have done this the copper pipe will appear bright and shiny.
  2. Clean the internal walls of the solder fitting with wire wool, abrasive tape or a dedicated cleaning tool.  This is a very important step as all the protective lacquer on the fitting must be removed for a successful solder joint.
  3. Apply plumbers soldering flux with a clean brush to the external walls of the copper pipes and to the internal walls of the fitting.
  4. Assemble the pipes and the fitting together and secure if not already so.
  5. Choose the appropriate solder for the job.  If you are working on a heating system leaded and unleaded solder is fine.  If you are working on pipes carrying drinking water then by law you must use a lead free solder.  Unravel  200mm or so of solder from the spool in preparation to solder.
  6. Assuming you have a plumbers blow torch for the job ignite it.  Do not have the flame too high or you will char the fitting.  Select a medium heat and bring the flame towards the pipes and fitting.  If you have a quality blow torch you may see a blue cone inside the flame.  If so keep the plumbing work about 30mm away from the tip of the cone for maximum efficiency.  Start by warming the solder fitting all around.  You will notice the flux begin to bubble and froth just before the optimum soldering temperature is reached. When this happens play the flame all around one of the pipe.  Tentatively draw back a length of the solder across the top of the solder fitting and the pipe where they join.  The solder may melt instantly or it may just leave a solder trace on the join.  If it just leaves a trace heat the join a little more.  If the solder melted freely onto the join apply more solder as far as you can around the fitting.  Don’t worry if you can not reach all around the fitting as capillary attraction will suck the solder into and around the joint.  You will know when you have used enough solder as solder will drip from the bottom of the fitting.  If you have an accumulation of solder at the bottom of the fitting you can swipe it off with the stick of solder.  Once you are happy with the one join carry on and do the next.
  7. Allow the solder join to air cool for a few minutes. Do not knock the joint as this could fracture it. Carefully rest a damp rag on top for another couple of minutes.  Clean off excess flux from the solder join and move onto the next.

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