Connecting pipes by soldering
Consider the connection of copper tubes with fittings, followed by soldering, which can be low- and high-temperature. In the first method, soldering is carried out at a temperature of 300 ºC. The second method is used in the arrangement of systems with high loads for industrial purposes.
Couplings act as connectors for copper pipes; tin-lead solder and flux are additionally needed.
The pipe soldering technology will be as follows:
- First of all, a pipe of a certain size is cut. This process must be carried out carefully, taking into account the dimensions of the existing fittings.
- Pipe ends should be inspected for any defects such as chips, cracks or burrs. If they are not eliminated, then there will be problems with the tightness of the connection after all work has been completed.
- After making sure that the ends are cleaned, you can start connecting. Due to the fact that several pipes will be connected, and they can be with different sections, the fittings must be selected accordingly.
- Next, the end of the pipe and the inner walls of the couplings should be treated with a flux that will degrease the surfaces to obtain the highest quality connection.
- Now the end of the pipe is threaded into the copper tube connector and heated. It must be selected so that the cross section is 1-1.5 cm larger than the pipe section. The pipes are heated with a gas burner. The gap between the pipe and the coupling is filled with molten solder. Nowadays, you can find any type of solder to suit your needs on the market, so choosing should not be any problem.
- After the solder is evenly distributed around the circumference, the parts to be joined must be left until it has completely hardened.
At the final stage, you need to check the connectors for copper pipes and the entire system by running water into it. At this point, not only the system will be checked, but it will also be cleaned of flux residues, which over time can cause metal corrosion.
Installation of various types of fittings
Installation of different types of fittings is carried out in various ways. However, before starting the arrangement of the connection, the following work must be done:
- cut the pipe to the desired length, according to the developed project. For cutting copper pipes, it is more advisable to use a pipe cutter that does not deform the edges;
- clean up the burrs left after cutting. To do this, you can use a beveler or sandpaper;
- if necessary, e.g. when mounting a fitting by soldering, widen the end of the pipe by a few millimetres.
Installation of compression fittings
To install a compression type fitting, you will need an appropriately sized wrench. Installation takes place in the following way:
- a fixing nut and a clamping ring are put on the prepared pipe section;
- the pipe is connected to the selected fitting;
- the connection is fixed first by hand, and then with a wrench.
Installation of a compression fitting
In the process of smooth tightening of the nut, the clamping ring fits snugly against the pipe, which makes it possible to achieve a tight connection.
Installation of press fittings
To install a press fitting, you will need to prepare special press tongs or a press gun (the equipment is used by professionals. Tongs are enough to connect pipes at home).
The installation scheme is as follows:
- a pipe is inserted into the fitting;
- the maximum level of penetration is noted so as not to completely block the flow in the pipeline;
- the press sleeve is compressed.
Attaching a Compression Fitting to a Pipe
For more information on installing press fittings, see the video.
Installing Threaded Fittings
Threaded fittings are installed according to the standard scheme:
- a thread is cut on the pipe with the help of special tools;
Pipe thread preparation
- the thread on the fitting or pipe is sealed with the selected material;
Thread sealing thread Tangit Unilok
- fitting is screwed on.
Since copper pipes are quite soft, it is important not to overtighten the threaded connection.
Installing solder fittings
Installation of fittings installed by soldering is completely similar to the process of soldering pipes:
- a flux is applied to the prepared section of the pipe (a special substance to increase the fusibility of the solder);
- the selected connecting element is put on;
- with the help of a gas burner and solder, the free space in the seam is filled.
Mounting the fitting for soldering
When performing work, it is important to strictly observe safety precautions. Soldering is done in a well ventilated area
There must be no flammable mixtures or objects nearby.
Thus, you can select and install any type of fittings for copper pipelines yourself.
Varieties of press fittings for pipes
Varieties of threaded fittings
Depending on the method of application, two groups of such elements are distinguished:
- Compression (crimp fittings for pipes);
- Soldered.
The first are designed to make detachable connections of the pipeline. They can be made in the form:
- knees;
- tee;
- Couplings;
- Crane.
Products of this group are characterized by low cost, the ability to use several times, ease of installation, which can be performed without any special tools.
In addition, with repeated use of press fittings, their reliability decreases.
Types of compression fittings
Solderable models are also available in various designs:
- Reducing tees;
- 45 and 90° rotations;
- contours;
- Couplings are one- and two-pipe;
- Plugs;
- Arcs.
Their fastening is carried out by capillary soldering using a coaxial overlap connection. In this case, molten solder is sucked into the mounting gap, which, when cooled, makes the joint airtight.
The advantages of compression fittings include their low cost. They are the cheapest of all existing varieties and are made from Cu DHP grade copper. They can be used with both high and low temperature welding.
We watch the video, the nuances of installation, crimping:
The installation of such parts can significantly reduce the installation time, but at the same time provides high strength and reliability of connections. What makes copper pipes and fittings popular despite the high prices. Only for low temperature soldering, special parts are produced with a groove along the inner circumference. Solder is put into it at the factory and when such an element is put on a pipe covered with flux and heated, the joint will be soldered.
Three main connection methods
Before connecting the pieces of copper pipes, they must be cut in accordance with the wiring diagram and prepared. You will need a pipe cutter or a hacksaw, a pipe bender and a file. And for cleaning the ends, fine-grained sandpaper will not hurt either.
Only having a diagram of the future pipeline system in hand, you can calculate the required amount of consumables. It is necessary to decide in advance where and what diameter the pipes will be mounted. It is also necessary to clearly understand how many connecting elements are required for this.
Option #1: Copper Pipe Welding
Automated or manual welding of copper pipes requires electrodes and gas to create a protective atmosphere (nitrogen, argon or helium). You will also need a DC welding machine and, in some cases, a torch. The electrode can be graphite, tungsten, copper or carbon.
The main disadvantage of this installation technology is the significant differences in the characteristics of the resulting seam and pipe metal. They differ in chemical composition, internal structure, electrical and thermal conductivity. If the welding is not performed correctly, the joint may subsequently even disperse.
Due to the alloying of copper as a result of the action of the deoxidizer present in the electrode, the weld in many respects differs greatly from the base metal being welded.
Welding copper pipes can only be correctly connected by a qualified craftsman. This requires certain knowledge and skills.
This installation option has a lot of technological nuances. If you plan to do everything yourself, but there is no experience with a welding machine, then it is better to use a different connection method.
Option #2: Capillary soldering
In domestic conditions, copper pipes are rarely connected by plumbing welding. This is too complex, requiring specialized skills and time consuming. It is easier to use the method of capillary soldering using a gas burner or a blowtorch.
The technology of soldering copper pipes with solder is based on the capillary rise (leakage) of the latter after melting along the gap between two pressed metal planes
Soldering copper pipes happens:
- low-temperature - soft solders and a blowtorch are used;
- high-temperature - refractory alloys and a propane or acetylene torch are used.
These methods of soldering copper pipes do not have much difference in the end result. The connection in both cases is reliable and tensile. The seam with the high-temperature method is somewhat stronger. However, due to the high temperature of the gas jet from the burner, the risk of burning through the metal of the pipe wall increases.
Solders are used based on tin or lead with the addition of bismuth, selenium, copper and silver. However, if the pipes are soldered for a drinking water supply system, then it is better to refuse the lead version due to its toxicity.
Image Gallery
To implement low-temperature welding, it is not necessary to have special equipment and special skills of the performer. You can do it on your own
How to connect copper products
- Cut off, as in the previous version, the desired segment of the product;
- The outer and inner parts are cleaned of contaminants using a special ruff or sponge for copper;
- The pipe is inserted into the capillary fitting to the limit, flux is applied, the excess of which can be removed with a clean cloth;
- The connection is heated by means of a gas burner or a special building hair dryer, solder is applied. The solder should melt and evenly fill the mounting gap;
- We are waiting for the natural cooling of the solder. Flux residues are removed with a damp and clean cloth.
Now you know how to connect copper pipes in several ways. If something in the installation of copper products seems unclear to you, you can always watch the instructional video. In principle, this work is quite simple and you can do it yourself, without resorting to the services of professionals.
Even with the fact that polymer pipes are used more and more often, metal products are still a great success. As a rule, copper, brass and steel are used as the metal. For the better in terms of resistance to corrosion and high temperatures, copper is distinguished. Actually, the connection of copper pipes will be discussed in this article.
Even despite the fact that copper pipes are distinguished by their high cost, given all the characteristics of the material, their use is quite justified.
First of all, before connecting copper pipes, it is worth deciding how to connect them, by soldering or otherwise.
Amateur Radio Technology
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The internal thread is cut with taps.When cutting threads with a diameter of up to 10 mm, a set of three taps is used manually: rough, medium and finishing, which have one, two and three risks, respectively, on the cylindrical part of the shank. Two taps can also be used - roughing and finishing, respectively, with one and two risks on the tap. The correct choice of hole diameter is of great importance. If the diameter is larger than it should be, then the internal thread will not have a full profile and a weak connection will result. With a smaller hole diameter, the entry of the tap into it is difficult, which leads to the breakdown of the first threads of the thread or to jamming and breakage of the tap. The diameter of a hole for a metric thread can be approximately determined by multiplying the thread size by 0.8 (for example, for M2 threads, the drill should have a diameter of 1.6 mm, for MZ - 2.4-2.5 mm, etc. (see. The drill diameter in the table below corresponds to the standard thread pitch. First, the thread is cut with the first tap, then with the second. To break off the chips, the tap is turned clockwise half a turn in the opposite direction after each revolution. To cool the tap and reduce the effort when cutting threads, lubricants are used: for aluminum - kerosene, for copper - turpentine, for steel - emulsion or machine oil. Bronze and cast iron are cut without lubrication. When cutting a blind hole, its depth should be 3-4 mm greater than the length of the required thread. In this case, it is necessary to periodically unscrew the tap to remove chips from the hole. External threads on screws, bolts and studs are cut by hand using dies. The diameter of the rods for external metric thread should be selected according to the table. The threaded rod must have a clean surface; it is impossible to cut threads on rods covered with scale or rust, since in this case the dies wear out quickly. Before threading, the rod is clamped in a vice so that its end protrudes above the level of the vise jaws slightly more than the length of the part to be cut, and a chamfer is removed at the very end of the rod. At the beginning of threading, it is necessary to ensure that the die cuts into the rod without distortion. When the die is skewed, the thread profile is distorted and the teeth of the die may break. Cool the die in the same way as the tap.
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Advantages of copper pipes and their flaws
At present, it is impossible to say for certain why copper pipes for water supply are rarely used in the CIS. One of the likely reasons is the high cost of such products, although if we take into account the cost of repairs in one particular apartment, the difference is not so great.
Another factor is the huge variety of alternatives on the building materials market, which can be a worthy replacement for steel pipes that are prone to oxidation and difficult to install. However, the most likely reason is still in long-established habits that are passed down from generation to generation.
Consider the main advantages of copper pipes:
- they are practically not subject to oxidation and corrosion;
- the temperature threshold for the operation of pipes is from -110 ℃ to 250 ℃;
- the properties of the material make it possible to avoid the formation of any deposits on the inner walls of the pipes;
- The service life of copper pipes for water supply is quite long, and the cost of their installation and maintenance is extremely small.
Nevertheless, it is impossible not to note some flaws in copper pipes for plumbing:
- With some metals, in particular aluminum and steel, copper forms a galvanic couple. Therefore, if even a very weak current flows at the point of contact between the thread and the copper pipe, there can be serious complications.
- Copper is an excellent conductor, which in some situations can provoke an electric shock. This can even happen through no fault of yours - for example, if, due to a breakdown of the washing machine, the neighbors have a breakdown between the phase and grounding to the water supply.
- Installation of plumbing copper pipes and fittings is quite laborious. Although the principle of installing compression fittings will not differ from, say, working with metal-plastic pipes, however, much more effort will have to be applied (read: “How to properly install copper pipes - expert advice”). If the pipes are joined by soldering, then consumables (solder, flux), a special tool (blowtorch), as well as skills will be required.
Elements for copper pipe connections
Copper fittings, which are used to connect copper pipes, are presented on the modern market in a wide variety of sizes and designs. The most well-known types of such connecting elements are:
- threaded fittings for copper pipes;
- self-locking connecting elements;
- compression or crimp type fittings;
- so-called press fittings;
- connecting fittings of capillary type.
Of all the listed types of connecting elements, press fittings for copper pipes are the least commonly used in our time, which is explained by the following reasons: their installation requires the use of complex and expensive equipment: special presses. The design of press fittings was originally developed in order to connect plastic and metal-plastic pipes with their help, so their use for mounting copper products is not always advisable.
Press fitting pliers
In order for the pipeline, in the arrangement of which copper parts are used, to serve as long as possible and be highly reliable, it is advisable to use elements of homogeneous materials during its installation. Connecting copper pipes with fittings that are made from other raw materials should only be done in rare exceptions.
If it is not possible to avoid the use of fittings made of dissimilar materials during the installation of pipelines, then such a process must be carried out, adhering to the following simple rules:
- copper pipes in communications, for the creation of which elements from different materials are used, are always installed after ferrous metal products: in the direction of the liquid;
- copper parts of pipelines cannot be connected to galvanized fittings and, failure to comply with this requirement will cause electrochemical reactions to operate in such systems, which will significantly accelerate the corrosion process of steel parts;
- copper elements of pipe structures can be connected to parts made of acid-resistant steels, but if possible, it is better to replace such parts with fittings made of polyvinyl chloride.
If the connection is leaking
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The connection of copper pipes is made in three ways: on compression fittings, by means of capillary soldering and using press fittings. Each of these methods has its pros and cons. It all depends on the conditions in which it is planned to operate the plumbing system.
Copper pipe rolling process
When arranging heating and plumbing systems, the parts of which are made of copper, such technological operations as flaring or disassembling copper pipes are often performed. With the help of this operation, for which various tools can be used, the geometric parameters of the ends of the pipes to be connected are changed without changing the performance of the product.
Flared copper pipes
The simplest tool with which to perform this operation is a rod with a conical tip, which is inserted into the end of a copper pipe and rotated in it until it acquires the desired geometric shape. This device, although quite simple to use, does not allow for high-quality flaring, providing uniform pressure on the walls.
A more effective device for flaring is a device that consists of a clamp that puts pressure on the working cone, as well as a stand with several holes or one universal one, into which copper pipes of various diameters are inserted. For the installation of heating or plumbing systems, consisting of copper elements, home craftsmen most often use just such devices.
Specialists who are professionally involved in the installation of communication systems consisting of copper elements use flaring devices, the design of which has an eccentric and a safety ratchet. The ends of the pipes, on which the nuts are first put on, are evenly rolled out on such a device along their inner surface, for which an eccentric is used.
Copper pipe flaring kit
A ratchet that limits the force exerted on the end of the pipe is necessary in such a device so that the walls do not burst under excessive pressure on them. The big advantage of using such a professional fixture is that when it is used, small grooves and dents do not form on the inner surface. It is these grooves and dents that occur when using more primitive devices that are the most likely sources of leakage, which ultimately significantly reduce the life of the pipeline.
The nuances of using copper pipes
To begin with, consider the positive properties of copper as a metal. Surely you have already heard about the advantages that copper pipes provide over conventional steel or metal-plastic joints.
Copper is a noble metal. It is very pleasant to work with her. To understand why it is copper that experts recommend using when assembling pipelines, you should take a closer look at the unique capabilities of copper pipes.
And there really is something to see here. Copper pipes:
- have antibacterial properties; do not react to temperature changes, and are also able to withstand an extremely high operating range; easy installation; have a relatively low weight; have good strength; have a pleasant look; over, without exaggeration, hundreds of years).
And this is not all the existing benefits. Let's not forget about the smoothness of the copper surface, and the denser the metal surface in the pipeline, the less chance that something can be deposited on the inner walls of the pipes.
The only drawback of copper pipes is their price. It is the price that deters most buyers. Which, by the way, is quite logical.
And not always copper pipes are really necessary. They can be successfully replaced using steel pipes or metal-plastic pipes, but the result will not be so impressive and durable.
Compression collapsible fitting for copper pipe
Those who decide to use copper for equipping water supply systems in their home should pay attention to the fact that the connection of copper pipes has several features.
It is important to take into account some whimsicality of copper. It is strongly not recommended to use fittings made of steel or any other metal products when processing copper pipes.
It is strongly not recommended to use fittings made of steel or any other metal products when processing copper pipes.
It is important to take into account some whimsicality of copper. It is strongly not recommended to use fittings made of steel or any other metal products when processing copper pipes.
Only copper interacts well with copper, brass or bronze is also suitable. A compound assembled from the above metals will serve you for at least decades.
Copper pipes are assembled in various ways. However, according to a rather impressive number of experts, it is the compression fittings that provide the strongest connection and the least difficulty during operation.
Installation of compression fittings is quite trivial, and they themselves were calculated specifically to simplify the workflow
However, it has a few nuances that you should pay attention to. In most cases, we are talking about subtle points regarding the workflow, as well as the features of the application.
