plumbing leak soldering questions.?

Question

Okay, I'm a brand new do it myself plumber here. Installing a complex new shower tub faucet. Had 14 soldered joints and connection to make. Got the unit all in and all semmed fine. This until I turned on the uptake shower head. That joint sprayed like a bursted damn. This was my first soldered joint, before I had it down. The outside of the joint features clumpy silver soldering and obviously it did not wick properly into the seams. Can I still finx this where it sits, or do I have to take apart the joint? Can I heat it back up super hot and re-solder it?

Thanks

Answer 1

if there is no water in the pipe you are trying to re-solder, re-heat the joint like you were going to solder it, apply flux to it, when the flux "sizzles" when you put it on, it's hot enough. Heat it again and re-solder it. If the joint was clean when you put it together there is no reason to take it apart to re-do it unless you have water in the pipe and it won't get hot enough to melt solder.

Answer 2

Yes. You need to get all the water out of the pipe first. Or the heat of the torch will be absorbed by the water and will not heat the solder. Once water is out, a least a foot away from the weld spot, if it's an inch away it will just keep heating the water and it will not solder.

Now I have taken a straw and literal sucked the water out, or blow it. But the important thing is to get that water out.

I'd drill a hole near the joint, suck the water out then solder that hole when soldering your joint.

Then clean the joint with sandpaper - reflux and it should go.

Answer 3

It's probably leaking because of a dirty joint, so you will need to take it apart to clean it, unless you are completly certain you cleaned it right the first time. You should have used a wire brush and mesh to clean the joint and then apply flux before you soldered being careful not to touch the joints with your hands since the oil from your skin will mess up your work. Now you know why plumbers make the big bucks.

Answer 4

You can try re-heating it to see if the solder wicks in. If that doesn't work, I suggest taking it apart by heating it until the solder melts so you can slip the joint apart. Use sand paper to remove the old solder and clean the joint then re-solder. Use welder's gloves when handling the pipe! It will be hot from the torch!

Answer 5

Your best bet is to break the joint, clean it well and reflux. If there is water in the line stuff bread down into the pipe it will keep the water back long enough to solder the joint. Make sure you eat first, you will think it 's breakfast time. Don't worry the bread will eventually dissolve. Works well done it many times.

Answer 6

You can reheat the joint, but watch out- that sucker will be hot. I have a huge burn on my palm that is just healing. I ran into kind of the same problem, but ended up cutting the bad joint out since the solder won't always draw back in, since the flux is boiled away.

Answer 7

If it was your first joint, and you know what you did wrong, fix it. You can just add flux and solder if you know its properly clean. If it doesn't leak, it won't leak later, unless it freezes... pipes don't leak at good joints, they burst, or leak at threaded joints. So, consider what you did, and try the easiest thing first. Then get progressively harder... open a fixture above if possible, and below to remove the pressure and water... you'll be fine , good luck.

Answer 8

Probably hard to redo, if there is any water in it the torch won't work. Try it and if you need to remove the joint, then use something to suck the water out and resolder.Good luck

Answer 9

dont chance it take it apart and fix it right take the extra time to do it because if you dont you constantly be worried about it bursting and ruining some stuff. you might fix it you might not and you might fix it and it come apart later piece of mind is worth the time to fix it

Answer 10

What about using a compression fitting? Much easier.