Copper is a metal that has a fairly soft, pliable structure. Therefore, unlike the same steel, it is easier to solder such a material than to engage in its welding. With a great desire, the availability of necessary tools and expendables, even a beginner is able to cope with a similar task. Let's find out how to solder copper pipes.
Qualities of copper pipes
Often pipes made of the presented material are used in the household for the installation of elements of heating and water systems. Copper is the optimal solution for creating such conductive paths. It has a perfectly smooth surface, does not corrode, is not clogged by deposits, and also has bactericidal properties. By figuring out how to solder copper heating pipes correctly, you can ensure uninterrupted service of the system for several decades.
Tools and materials
Before you figure out how to solder copper pipes, you need to prepare a set of tools that you may need during the work:
- Pipe cutter. Copper is a fairly soft material. Even slight pressure on such pipes can cause deformation. For this reason, it is recommended that you use a specialized tool when cutting them.
- Expander. Since copper pipes of the same size are used during the arrangement of the water supply or heating system, in preparation for soldering the joints, you will have to use a tool to increase their diameter.
- Chamfer After dividing the pipes into the desired segments, it is necessary to process their edges. Only in this way elements of the future system will be able to enter each other.
- A steel brush is required to clean the pipes from the inside.
- A metal brush allows you to remove dirt, all kinds of deposits and oxides, which can make it difficult to perform high-quality soldering of compounds.
- A gas burner is used to heat joints. Must contain a special nozzle that allows flame adjustment.
- The solder has the form of a wire or rod, the melting point of which is lower compared to copper.
- Flux is a chemical composition, the application of which facilitates the soldering of compounds.
How to solder copper pipes?
Currently, numerous varieties of solders are widely available, which are able to provide a reliable connection of copper pipes by soldering. Most often, masters resort to the use of low-temperature solders. The latter make it possible to create compounds with a relatively low heating of the material, which does not cause deformation of copper. However, such seams are not the best mechanical qualities.
As for solders designed for soldering at the highest temperatures, they allow you to create the most durable joints. At the same time, it is recommended to use them only by experienced craftsmen, since without the appropriate skills, prolonged thermal exposure to the metal can lead to its burning.
How can you solder copper pipes together? With low-temperature soldering, which is common in the arrangement of domestic heating and plumbing systems, they most often resort to the use of lead-free solders. The latter make it possible to create joints that are sufficiently resistant to mechanical stress. Among such solders, it is worth noting alloys of tin with bismuth, antimony, selenium, and silver. The main share in their composition is tin - about 95%. The remainder falls on additional components.
To perform low-temperature soldering, cheap solders based on tin and lead are quite suitable. However, they are not recommended for use in the construction of water pipes that are designed to supply drinking water, since lead is a toxic material.
Which flux is best used for brazing copper pipes?
In the case of low temperature brazing, zinc chloride- based chemicals are usually used . However, trying to figure out how to solder copper pipes, you should not pay excessive attention to the composition of the flux. To solder copper, it is enough to purchase any product intended for these purposes, for example, rosin-vaseline paste.
How to solder copper pipes without flux? To make strong compounds without the use of chemical compounds is quite realistic. However, high-temperature soldering should be carried out using the highest quality tin and silver based solders.
Soldering procedure
How to solder copper pipes? The work is carried out in the following sequence:
- Using a pipe cutter, the workpieces are divided into pieces of the required length.
- External and internal surfaces are cleaned with a wire brush and a brush, which will be subject to soldering.
- A special expander increases the diameter of the ends of the segments that are planned to be thrust onto other pipes.
- Flux is evenly applied to the edges of future compounds.
- The ends of the pipes are inserted into each other. Wet sponge removes flux residues.
- The connection is warming up. As soon as the flux changes its initial shade to silver, the thermal treatment of surfaces must be stopped.
- Solder is brought to the future joint. The latter should begin to spread without heating by the burner, from the increased temperature of copper.
- The soldering is stopped as soon as the solder fills all the voids in the seam area.
- After cooling the joint, the joint is wiped with a damp piece of cloth, which allows you to remove the remnants of solder and flux.
Useful Tips
There are a number of tips that may come in handy when doing work. So, for craftsmen who do not have impressive experience in brazing copper pipes, it is recommended that you pre-practice using sections of unnecessary workpieces as consumables. According to experts, it is necessary to perform test soldering several times to form a general idea of such work.
During the heating of the joints by the burner, it is important not to overexpose the flame at one point, since its temperature can reach about 1000 ° C. In order not to burn copper, it is enough to uniformly heat the area for 20 seconds.
Upon completion of the soldering, it is necessary to thoroughly flush the piping system under a significant pressure of water. This is the only way to remove excess solder and flux that solidify inside the joints.
Finally
So we figured out how to solder copper pipes. With a responsible approach to the task and the availability of the necessary tool, everyone is able to cope with such work. It is important only to pre-train without deviating from technology.