First Time Soldering (Sweating) Copper. Rate Results

suprvee

I'll be doing some PEX work, but I needed to learn how to solder first so I could convert the 3/4 copper main over to PEX. So here's how I did on some test pipe.






I've got a few questions...
1) If you look at the picture, on arrow A (the question mark), it appears that the flux kind of ate through the copper a bit. Does this mean I need to use less flux? Or is more flux better?
2) On arrow D, you can see some discoloration of the 90 degree fitting; is this normal, or should I turn the torch down a bit?
3) If some solder ends up messy, can I reheat the fitting to add/remove solder or am I compromising the strength (ie, fix the soldering job on arrow B)?


I did a quick water test, and everything was water tight. Though, this is just a test piece.

kenmac

not bad.. On the T. It doesn't appear to me in the pic. that it got hot enough to suck the solder into the joint. Looks like it just puddled up around the ridge or joint

jlhaslip

not bad. no leaks is good.
try wiping with a damp cloth to knock the solder down a bit (while still hot).

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TheEplumber

What really counts is what the solder did inside the fitting cup. Whats on the outside is just visual. It adds no integrity to the joint. Try this- put the tee in a vice and using a hack saw, cut away all the pipe sticking out of the fitting. All you should have now is just the tee with pipe in the cups. Now cut the tee in half lengthways. Remove the tee from the vice and put one half of it on a concrete floor and smash it flat with a hammer. If you it it long enough the pipe will seperate from the fitting half. Now you can visually inspect how well you actually did. If the solder flowed the full depth of the fitting and had no pockets of flux you did good

COLDIRON

That's right it's what's inside that counts