How to solder copper pipes. Soldering copper pipes: process, tools and materials Brazing temperature for copper pipes

There is no secret that copper pipes are ahead of steel, cast iron and PVC pipes in terms of flexibility, heat resistance and durability. The high price of the material pays off with a long service life of copper products. Knowing how to solder copper pipes can save you money on installation.

Copper is an excellent material for soldering, its surface does not require the use of aggressive substances when cleaning. There are many low-melting metals that create good adhesion (adhesion) with copper. When heated, this material does not need expensive fluxes, since violent reactions with atmospheric oxygen do not occur during the melting of copper.

Advantages of soldering

If there is a need to solder copper tube to iron, arm yourself with a soldering iron, solder and flux. Soldering can connect pipes made of different metals, as well as metals and non-metals. During the soldering process, the base metal is not deformed, so the given dimensions and shape of the pipes remain unchanged. There is no warping and internal stresses.

Before soldering, degrease the joint (inside and outside) to improve the adhesion of the pipe material and solder

If necessary, the connection can be soldered. Copper products are more flexible and resistant to external influences, they easily withstand high pressure and can be mounted in a closed way. When soldering, a high bond strength is obtained.

How to solder a copper tube at home

Capillary soldering was developed specifically for copper. There are low and high temperatures. Installation time of such connection: 2-3 minutes. To obtain a capillary effect, a gap of 0.4 mm is used between the pipe and the fitting. The solder is evenly distributed over the entire area of the mounting gap.

Low temperature method

Tin, lead and their alloys are low-melting solders. Coolant temperature: less than 130 degrees. With capillary soldering, the gap varies in size and can reach 0.5 cm (for a large diameter). With strong heating, copper loses its hardness, so low-temperature soldering is considered preferable.

Such a soldering iron allows you to connect pipes using a low-temperature method.

High temperature method

It is used when the temperature of the coolant exceeds 130 degrees. This type of soldering requires high professionalism from a specialist - it is easy to burn the pipe.

Here you need solders made of silver and copper, copper and phosphorus. This method can be used to connect pipes in already installed system. Cooling with water is not used, since copper in this case goes into a soft state. Over time, the strength characteristics of the annealed metal increase.

High temperature soldering

Special cutting tool for copper, beveler, pipe expander, hammer, level, tape measure, gas burner, electric soldering iron, carbide and fusible solder, flux (necessary to remove the oxide film and prevent oxidation).

Sequencing

Preliminary preparation pipes: surface cleaning, oxide film removal with flux.

Flux is a chemical substance that helps distribute solder in an even layer, cleans the base metal from oxides and contaminants. When choosing it, the type of metal and solder is taken into account. Multi-component fluxes are more effective, they allow you to get even better soldering.

Professional soldering equipment

The substance is applied only to the junction of the pipe with the socket, and not inside it. Immediately after applying the flux, the pipes are connected so that foreign particles do not get on the working surface. Rotate the pipe in the fitting so that the flux is evenly distributed, any remaining chemical removed with a rag. The pipe is ready for heating.

Inserting the pipe into the socket. After that, you will need to solder two joints. Or the end of one pipe is connected to the end of another, then you need to process one joint.
Heating pipes (to a temperature slightly below the melting point). Turn on the burner using the reducing flame (it creates the maximum temperature) and heat the joint. Use a soldering iron to copper pipes or a burner with piezo ignition - it is convenient to use.
Introduction of solder into the gap. For copper, there is a large selection of solders. The heated material is placed in the gap between the pipes to be connected and the molten mass is wrapped around the joint between the pipes. The melting point of the solder is always lower than that of the base material. The solder spreads when it reaches a certain temperature. It is important that the work surface is not oxidized and clean.
Solder crystallization. At this point, it is important to keep the connection still. When the solder cools, a hermetic seal will form at the junction. After soldering, process flushing is carried out to remove contaminants and flux residues.

Solder is applied to the mounting gap. If the pipe diameter is large, solder is additionally injected from the opposite side

Important Points

To solder a hole in a copper pipe, you need a soft solder (for example, tin-lead), and an alcohol-rosin flux. Cut out the patch right size, treat it and the pipe with sandpaper. Drain the water from the pipeline and heat the parts to be joined with a soldering iron. Then add solder to the gap.

Air flow is required during operation. Smoke coming from solder and flux is harmful.

To perform the process correctly, it is important to know how to solder the copper tube. Use: silver with copper and zinc, copper with phosphorus. Lead solders are not used in drinking pipelines due to their toxicity.

Flux is not used when connecting copper pipes using copper-phosphorus solders.

Before starting soldering, it is necessary to blow out the oxygen and propane hoses. The ignition of the burner starts with the propane line, then oxygen is added. Heating pipes must be uniform on each side. At the end of the work, oxygen is first shut off, and then propane.

Video tutorial: how to solder copper pipes

Soldering is a physical and chemical process in which an inseparable connection occurs between a part and liquid solder. The filler material melts, spreads, fills the gap between the elements to be joined and crystallizes. Soldering can be applied to any metals and alloys.

Why in modern life some copper pipes, and even with soldering? Solid relics of the past, when there are cool synthetic substitutes, bonding technologies and much more. Well, these kinds of questions can and do arise in many minds. We answer.

Copper things are a wonderful phenomenon in our technical life, this eternal pipes in the house, which are worth it to read our article and come to grips with the arrangement, for example, of your home. - a process with features that you need to know, which is quite within the power of everyone who is interested in it.

Everything is very simple: they are needed where they are used - in plumbing systems and air cooling systems - modern air conditioners. It is used for installation or repair work copper parts and blanks.

This technology is well within the power of home hobbyists, and the result is exceptional reliability and amazing durability.

We will not hide, the cost of copper products is not the lowest, but all costs are fully paid off. Of these, you can build a heating system, and plumbing, and cooling: everything where strong pipes are needed.

Gas burner device.

Things made of copper, of course, can be boiled. But the most optimal method of connecting them has long been soldering. The essence of the process is as simple as laundry soap: workpieces are held together by a special molten filler called solder.

Melt the solder with high temperature. After the joint is filled with solder, it begins to cool rapidly, thereby forming a strong joint with hermetic properties.

Another significant advantage of this connection method is the possibility of simple separation of parts, if necessary for any reason. To do this, all you have to do is heat the solder back up to its melting temperature.

What you need to have for soldering copper

No expensive equipment for soldering copper or special consumables is needed, everything is very simple.

To solder copper pipes for home use, you will need the following:

Heating element in the form of a gas burner for heating and melting solder.
The most commonly used propane is pressure controlled. You can use a more powerful soldering iron or building hair dryer also with decent power.
Special cutter for copper products.
Copper is a very soft metal, so you need to cut it with tenderness because of the risk of crushing the walls. Such cutters are called pipe cutters, they are of great variety - for every taste. Models on the market are offered in all variety, including devices for cutting in the most inaccessible places.
Brazing fittings if unannealed tubing bends are expected.
A pipe expander is also a special device for expanding the diameter of a copper pipe before heating, if necessary.
This possibility is extremely important when products with dimensions that are slightly different in size are joined.
The so-called "beveler" is a device where the name speaks for itself.
We are talking about chamfering the end sides of the tubes. The fact is that after trimming, metal burrs can form on the ends. They are not harmless at all, and on the contrary, they will not allow you to form a strong and beautiful butt joint. Bevelers are of two types: in the form of a pencil or round in shape. It is preferable and more convenient to use round ones: with their help, you can remove burrs from soft copper products with a diameter of up to 36 mm.
Brushes and brushes with steel bristles for the preparation of copper parts: removing dirt and oxide film.
Consumables for the solder itself.
Solders for soldering copper pipes can be made from two types of wire: copper wire with a high melting point, which contains a small proportion of 6% phosphorus. The second option is tin wire, in which the melting point is much lower - about 350 ° C.
Pastes and special flux mixtures to protect the metal from the formation of defects in the form of air bubbles and better adhesion between copper parts and solder.

Additional things to the basic tools for soldering copper pipes will be non-specific tools:

measuring tape or tape measure;
building level;
marker and brush;
hammer.

Before starting the soldering of tubes, it is necessary to solve a fundamental technological question: what kind of solder will be used for soldering? Hard solder in the form of copper wire, which is more often used in work on air conditioners and refrigerators?

Or use tin wire, which works great with heating pipes or plumbing?

Now Technology: Nine Steps and Some Tips

The technology of soldering copper pipes is quite simple.

Here are the steps the process can be divided into:

Cutting and sewing: cut the metal to the desired length with a pipe cutter.
Make the cutting place even, keep the cutter perpendicular to the surface.
Cleaning blanks with a metal brush, removing burrs from the ends.
At this stage, sandpaper should not be used due to the risk of formation of fine sand, which will interfere with the adhesion of solder.
Expanding the edge of one of the pipes so that the end of the other pipe fits easily into the first with a minimum gap.
Careful cleaning of the ends with a wire brush after its expansion.
Applying the flux mixture to the end of the pipe in the most uniform thin layer.
Insert the ends of the pipes into each other, warm up well until the color of the flux on the pipe becomes silvery.
Solder is brought to the joint, which immediately melts and fills the joint gap between the pipes.
The process ends when the gap is filled with solder.
After heating, the sealed pipe must be allowed to cool thoroughly - in no case should it be touched at this time.
Wipe, remove residual flux.

Pipe connection method.

Copper tubes using solder is based on physical phenomenon- capillary effect. The fact is that the molten solder fills the gap between the pipes due to surface tension forces. After hardening, the solder in the gap turns into a strong monolithic seam.

If suddenly there was a defect in the form of a fistula or damage to the joint, the product can be quickly and easily repaired. To do this, it is enough to heat it up and dismantle it. After removal of defects, reheat and solder again.

Purely butt joints copper products cannot be made - they are not viable, and you will definitely have a flood - all soldering will collapse. It is better to make coupling connections by expanding the end of one of the pipes.

Now about bending. Only soft annealed pipes can be bent using a pipe bender. If they are not annealed, brazed copper fittings are used. The angle can be 90° or less.

Pros and cons of soldering copper pipes

To begin with, let's remember that copper is a metal with a high melting point and is generally quite capricious, with its own character. From our point of view, this feature has both pluses and minuses for working with it.

A definite plus lies in the possibility of a continuous heating process and, thanks to the ability of copper to keep and retain heat, even if there is a break in heating.

A serious plus is the availability of consumables and equipment. You do not need to purchase anything special, all the necessary things are usually available in any home workshop.

A definite minus high degree heat dissipation, which is why heating is needed "with a margin".

Another technological disadvantage is the heating of the entire product along with the attachment points. Because of this, you need to work with gloves and with great care.

Consumables

The procedure for soldering copper pipes.

What you need for soldering:

Flux on salicylic acid.
The chemical composition of fluxes for soldering copper pipes is quite complex: it contains alcohol, vaseline, and even a little bit of gold. Its use results in excellent seam quality.
A group of solvents based on phosphorus.
They perfectly clean parts from oxides and additionally displace unnecessary water from the place of soldering.
Rosin.
It is practically not used in its pure form. In mixtures, it combines perfectly with sodium salts: if molten rosin covers the soldering surface with a film, then sodium salt plays the role of an antioxidant. There is a drawback: the mixture does not like heating.
Homemade mixture on aspirin.
You can make the mixture yourself: we take petroleum jelly, alcohol, as a basis - aspirin tablets. Such a mixture is not particularly effective. You can only work with it on electrical installation tasks.
Paste for soldering copper pipes.
This flux paste for soldering copper is more expensive, but the game is worth the candle. It is used in responsible tasks. The paste adheres well to working surface, spreads in a thin layer when heated - a great option.
for soldering copper pipes.
The choice of type of solder depends on what exactly you are going to solder. If the main criteria are strength and resistance to high temperatures, you need to choose copper wire solder with a proportion of phosphorus. The most popular and affordable is soft solder - made of tin. It is suitable for all plumbing systems. This also includes fittings for soldered copper pipes.

Soldering with a gas burner

First, let's deal with the low-temperature method. copper pipes soft solder heating occurs gradually and for quite a long time, the solder melts from the heated part. You can use both a torch and a hairdryer with a soldering iron. As gases, propane or butane is used. Everything is familiar, nothing special and new.

High-temperature soldering of copper occurs when heated to 650°C and above. Here you will not manage with a hairdryer or a soldering iron, you will need a gas burner on a mixture of acetylene and oxygen. It is important to remember here that you will get the simultaneous heating of the solder and the seam.

The solder melts instantly - from one touch and immediately fills the gap. Let cool in the most natural way, no dousing with water.

After soldering the copper pipe hard solder remove the remnants of the flux mixture, wipe with a cloth. We do a final inspection for possible defects.

Completely copper plumbing or heating is rarely done today, but still it is done. If you count on the number of years during which copper can serve, it turns out not only inexpensive, but very cheap. Nevertheless, the material itself is not the cheapest, but you can save on installation - soldering copper pipes is not the most difficult task in the world. There are certain rules and features, knowing which you can achieve a high-quality connection.

Types of copper pipes and their use

There are two types of copper pipes on the market: annealed and non-annealed. Annealed after formation undergo additional heat treatment— they are heated up to 600-700°C. This procedure returns to the material elasticity, which is lost during molding. Therefore, annealed pipes are more expensive, but also more flexible - they can even withstand freezing water. The disadvantages of these products include lower strength - it decreases due to heating.

Unannealed copper pipes are stronger, but practically do not bend. When distributing plumbing or heating, they are cut into pieces, and all taps are made using the appropriate fittings.

There are copper pipes different thickness walls are sold annealed in coils of 25 and 50 meters, not annealed in runs of 3 meters. If we talk about the purity of the material, then according to GOST 859-2001, at least 99% copper must be present in the products.

Connection methods

Most often, copper pipes are connected by soldering and a set of special shaped elements - fittings. There are also fittings for pressure testing. They have grooves with installed rubber sealing ring. They are crimped with special pliers. But this technology is used infrequently - soldering is considered more reliable.

There are two technologies for soldering copper pipes using different solders:

Low temperature - with soft solder. Just our case. This type of connection is used when laying water pipes and heating systems with a medium temperature of up to 110°C. Low temperature is a relative term. In the soldering zone, materials are heated up to 250-300°C.
High temperature hard soldering. This type of connection is used in networks with high pressure and temperature of the transported medium. In household networks - rarely (although no one forbids), more often in industrial networks.

What type of soldering copper pipes to use is your choice. Both types are suitable for both plumbing and heating. But for high temperature, a professional torch is required, while soft solder can be melted even blowtorch or an inexpensive hand torch with a small disposable balloon with gas. For connecting copper pipes of small diameter, more is not required.

Types of Brazed Copper Fittings

In general, there are more than two dozen different shaped elements for copper pipes - fittings, but three types are most often used:

The number of used fittings can be minimized - copper can be bent, which will reduce the number of required corners. Also, if desired, you can do without couplings: one end of the pipes can be expanded (using an expander) so that the pipe enters it and there is a gap for solder to get there (about 0.2 mm). When creating an extension, the pipes should overlap by at least 5 mm, but more is better.

What is difficult to do without is without tees. There is equipment for inserting a branch - a beader, but it belongs to the professional and costs a lot. So in this case it is cheaper and easier to get by with tees.

There are two types of fittings - conventional, with flares, which provide the required clearance for solder flow. The solder is fed into the welding zone manually. There are fittings with built-in solder. Then a groove is formed on the socket, into which, during production, a piece of solder is installed, which makes the soldering process easier - you just need to heat the welding zone, but it leads to an increase in the cost of fittings.

Consumables and tools

In addition to pipes and fittings, you will also need a torch, solder and flux - for the soldering itself. And also a pipe bender and a few related little things for processing before starting work.

Solder and flux

Soldering copper pipes of any type occurs with the help of flux and solder. Solder is an alloy usually based on tin with a certain melting point, but necessarily lower than that of copper. It is fed into the soldering zone, heated up to liquid state and flows into the connection. After cooling, it provides a tight and durable connection.

For amateur soldering of copper pipes with your own hands, tin-based solders with the addition of silver, bismuth, antimony, and copper are suitable. Compounds with the addition of silver are considered the best, but they are the most expensive, optimal ones with a copper additive. There is also with the addition of lead, but they should not be used in plumbing. All these types of solder provide good quality seam and light soldering.

Flux and solder are essential consumables

Soft solder is sold in small reels, hard solder is sold in packs, cut into pieces.

Before soldering, the joint is treated with flux. A flux is a liquid or pasty agent that causes molten solder to flow into a joint. There is nothing special to choose here: any flux for copper will do. Also, you will need a small brush to apply the flux. Better - with natural bristles.

Burner

To work with soft solder, you can buy a small hand burner with disposable gas bottle. These cylinders are attached to the handle, have a volume of 200 ml. Despite the small size, the flame temperature is from 1100°C and higher, which is more than enough to melt soft solder.

What you should pay attention to is the presence of piezo ignition. This function is not superfluous in any way - it will be easier to work. A valve is located on the handle of a manual gas burner. It regulates the length of the flame (the intensity of the gas supply). The same valve shuts off the gas if the burner needs to be extinguished. Security provides check valve, which, in the absence of a flame, will shut off the gas supply.

Some models have a flame deflector. It does not allow the flame to dissipate, creating a higher temperature in the soldering zone. Thanks to this, the burner with a reflector allows you to work in the most inconvenient places.

When working in household and semi-professional models, you need to be careful - do not overheat the unit so that the plastic does not melt. Therefore, it is not worth doing a lot of soldering at a time - it is better to let the equipment cool down and prepare the next connection at this time.

Related materials

To cut copper pipes, you need a pipe cutter or a hacksaw with a metal blade. The cut must be strictly vertical, which provides a pipe cutter. And for the guarantee even cut using a hacksaw, you can use an ordinary carpentry miter box.

When preparing pipes, they must be cleaned. To do this, there are special metal brushes and brushes (for cleaning the inner surface), but you can get by with sandpaper with medium and fine grains.

To remove burrs from cuts, there are bevelers. The pipe they worked out fits better into the fitting - its socket is only a fraction of a millimeter larger than outside diameter. So the slightest deviation leads to difficulties. But, in principle, everything can be eliminated with sandpaper. It will only take more time.

It is also advisable to have protective goggles and gloves. Most home crafters neglect these safety measures, but burns are very unpleasant. These are all the materials and tools needed for soldering copper pipes.

Copper soldering step by step

Soldering copper pipes begins with the preparation of the joint. The reliability of the connection depends on the quality of the preparation, so devote enough time and effort to this process.

Connection preparation

As already mentioned, the cut of the pipe should be strictly vertical, without burrs, the pipe should not be jammed, the edge should be even and smooth. If there are even slight deviations, we take a beveler or sandpaper and bring the cut to the ideal.

Next, take the fitting, insert the pipe into it. the part that goes into the socket needs to be cleaned. We take out the pipe and remove the upper oxidized layer from this part of the pipe with sandpaper. Then we carry out the same operation with the inner surface of the socket.

The flux is applied to the entire cleaned surface - outside the pipe and inside the fitting. There are no difficulties here - the composition is evenly distributed with a brush.

Soldering

The processed pipeline fragments are inserted into one another and fixed. If there is an assistant, he can hold the parts motionless. If not, you'll have to figure it out on your own. Next, the burner is ignited, the flame is directed to the junction. The flame temperature is from a thousand degrees and above, and the junction must be heated to 250-300 ° C, and this takes 15-25 seconds. At the same time, you can focus on the color of the flux - as soon as it darkens, it's time to introduce solder.

To ensure uniform heating, direct the burner flame in the middle of the joint. Then the entire welding zone warms up more evenly.

Solder is injected at the junction - where the fitting and pipe are connected. As it heats up, it begins to melt, spreads and fills the gap between the elements. You can apply it only half the length - when melted, it will flow into the rest of the connection. Actually, that's all - the soldering of copper pipes is finished. All other connections do the same.

When using hard solder, everything is almost the same, only other burners are used - gas-flame ones, and in the process of soldering it is necessary to turn the pipe, winding the softened solder onto the pipe.

Soldering copper pipes is not a big deal. The need for this arises during the repair or system installation water supply or air conditioning. You can solder pipes yourself if you have the necessary knowledge in this area. To be sure of the quality of the procedure and the subsequent operation of copper products, you should contact the specialists.

Copper pipe soldering method

Copper pipes are often used in heating and plumbing systems. Although copper is an expensive material, it quality characteristics do not give doubts about the reliability of products made from it. The metal is easy to solder and does not react at high temperatures to external conditions. In the process, copper easily joins with solders of many types of metals. It does not require expensive fluxes.

Pipe soldering has been carried out for quite a long time. Since all the nuances of the work have already been studied, there are usually no problems in the process of connecting the elements. Essence this method is to fill the joint between the parts special means which is called solder. Solder for soldering copper pipes is melted at high temperatures, and then the liquid mass is poured into the joint, filling the entire space between the elements, and waiting for it to solidify completely. This type connection is reliable, tight and durable.

The convenience of this method also lies in the fact that the connected parts can be easily separated if necessary. To separate the parts of the pipe, the junction is heated so that the solder becomes soft and pliable.

Among the advantages process should be noted:

High strength and performance of the future product will prolong its operation. Working according to the instructions for work, even a beginner can perform soldering of metal parts.

Tools and materials

For independent connection of copper tubes, no expensive equipment or special materials are required. Everything the right tools and funds can be found in any specialized store. For the correct implementation of the process, you will need:

Of the additional tools you will need a tape measure, a building level, a hard brush, a hammer and a felt-tip pen (or marker). Work is done in working clothes and tight rubber gloves. When selecting solder and flux, consider the type of soldering planned.

Solder types

Varieties of solders with which it is guaranteed reliable connection copper tubes by soldering, a lot. Typically, specialists use low-temperature versions of the element. With low material heating, the joints are created without deforming the copper. The disadvantage of this choice is poor-quality seams, which have reduced mechanical qualities.

For getting the strongest connections high-temperature solders (over 450°C) should be used. But only experienced craftsmen can work with them. With thermal exposure to metal, there is a high probability of burning if a person does not have the necessary skills in such work. Soldering parts of air conditioners and refrigeration units is performed only with high-temperature solder.

If a low-temperature method is used (up to 450 ° C), then specialists use lead-free solders for soldering copper, with the help of which it is possible to create connections that are sufficiently resistant to mechanical stress. Usually such solders are made on the basis of tin with the addition of a small amount of bismuth, selenium, silver or antimony. Cheaper elements are made of tin with lead. But this option cannot be used when arranging a water supply system through which drinking water because lead is a toxic material.

Flux for soldering

In low-temperature soldering, a flux based on zinc chloride is most often used. But you can buy any other tool designed for the same purposes. One of them is rosin-vaseline paste.

Sometimes soldering of tubes is done without the use of flux. But a strong connection of elements is possible only with high-temperature soldering, in which the highest quality solders from tin and silver are used.

How to solder copper pipes

High-temperature soldering of tubes is carried out at temperatures of 650 °C -750°C, low-temperature soldering - at 210 °C -240°C.

Copper pipe soldering not that hard to do. The process should be carried out with good ventilation of the room. Work is recommended to be carried out in protective clothing and gloves. To perform a high-quality connection of all parts, you must adhere to the following algorithm of actions:

The copper tube is cut with a tool into the required number of pieces. The pipe cutter is placed perpendicular to the axis of the pipe, then the cut will be as even as possible.
Then the metal pieces are cleaned with a metal brush, and the ends are freed from burrs and metal dust special brush. Sandpaper will not work in this case, because it leaves copper sand on the metal surface, which reduces the quality of adhesion of the solder to the pipe.
The diameter of the edge of one of the pipe sections is increased using a pipe expander. Then a pipe with the usual standard size can easily enter such a piece of copper.
The expanded end of the pipe is also cleaned with a metal brush.
A flux for soldering copper pipes is evenly applied to the end of the pipe of the smallest section. The procedure should be done carefully, otherwise the excess product may enter the pipe and form frozen drops in it, due to which the movement of water will be clearly audible in the future.
The processed ends of the tubes are inserted into each other. At the same time, flux residues are removed with a damp cloth.
The junction is heated with a burner. When the flux on one of the tubes acquires a silver tint, the heating of the metal is stopped.
Solder is brought to the junction, which melts due to high temperature and fills the junction cavity. When the seam area is completely filled with solder, the soldering process is stopped.

The junction is left to cool, it should be protected from any type of mechanical damage. When the seam has cooled, it is wiped with a damp cloth, removing the remaining flux and solder. If you ignore the flux residue on the surface of copper pipes, then in the future this will lead to corrosion in the joint.

Beginners in this business are advised to first practice with unnecessary consumable in order to subsequently make the correct and high-quality soldering of pipes. A trial procedure will help you understand the nuances of the process.

When the joints are heated with a burner, care should be taken that the flame is not overexposed at one point. Insofar as temperature usually reaches 1000 °C, the joint area is evenly heated for 20-25 seconds.

At the end of the soldering process, the piping system must be thoroughly flushed with a strong water pressure. This is how you can completely rid the tubes of excess flux and solder, which remained in a frozen form inside the connection.

If you take a responsible approach to work, then soldering copper pipes can be done without difficulty. Knowledge of the technology and preliminary training with the material will help to qualitatively carry out the task.

When a person takes on the arrangement of his own home, he naturally tries to do everything to the highest standard. At the same time, there are only two ways to implement the conceived ideas: to do the work with the help of attracted professionals, or to do everything exceptional yourself. Moreover, the second option is not only an attempt to save on the services of specialists. There are people who believe, it should be noted often very rightly, that only a person with his own hands can do the work perfectly. And even if the principle “I do everything myself” is dictated solely by financial considerations, then there is nothing shameful in this. Moreover, people who take on complex and high-tech work are respected. As an example, soldering copper pipes can be considered. One has only to add that the relevance of such a topic is dictated by the great popularity of copper pipelines in the construction of plumbing or heating systems.

A little theory before starting work

To begin with, it is worth noting that the opinion about the prohibitive high cost of copper piping for the average homeowner is highly exaggerated. Yes, copper communications cannot be called budget option, when compared with PVC pipes, but on the other hand, if we consider the strength characteristics and reliability of the connections, then the comparison will definitely be in favor of copper.

So, we are interested in connecting copper pipes when installing, say, a water supply system from the point of view of independent execution. Before you get started, there are a few important things to understand:

The vast majority use pipes with 3/8" threads, as well as 3/4" in diameter.
The nominal diameter is in any case 3.2 mm less than the outside diameter.
Copper pipes with walls of various thicknesses can be used in the work, which is indicated by the corresponding indices: K, L, M. In addition, there is a division of these products into hard and soft ones.

We hasten to assure you that you won’t have to buy something extraordinary and expensive.

The technology for soldering copper pipes in the standard version involves the use of elements that can be easily found in our own stocks. Well, in extreme cases, you will have to visit the nearest plumbing store. So in order to fulfill correct installation do-it-yourself copper pipes need to be prepared:

Solder - exists in the form of special rods or wire. Its melting point is lower than that of copper, which makes it suitable for joining copper pipes by heating.
Steel brush - the functional purpose is to clean pipes from the outside, and fittings from the inside in preparation for soldering. As an alternative, fine-grained sandpaper can be used, but in this case the process will be more labor-intensive.
Soldering Flux - Coating pipes and fittings in preparation for soldering.
Brush - application of flux paste.
Skin - cleaning surfaces.
propane burner small size paired with a welding switch mechanism. It is used to heat pipes and fittings during the connection process.
Heat resistant lining.
Copper pipe.
Fitting.

Of the above list, the most specific item is a gas burner. The modern market offers them in various variations: simple, with piezo ignition, for different types gas bottles.

Hard soldering of copper pipes is alternative way pipe connections, providing high seam strength. Hard solder alloys BCuP or BAg are used as additives. It is they who ensure the reliability of the solder joint. But according to SNiP, such solder is required first of all during repairs refrigeration equipment or air conditioners, and for communications it is enough to use soft solder, for example, tin.

The work will be carried out as efficiently as possible if at hand there is an inexpensive, for example, Polish-made, burner, but with a piezo ignition. Acquisition of a branded model, but without this function, is a mistake.

Soft soldering algorithm

The inside of the joint is cleaned with a brush. Then, the outer surface is brought to a beautiful copper sheen with sandpaper. After that, the flux paste is applied with a brush both outside and inside the joints, which are then inserted into each other.

Solder is applied along the edges of the joints. At the same time, there is no need to process with solder around the entire perimeter of the joint, if tin solder is in use, then it is enough to process it, only half of the perimeter. Tin tends to soak into the compound.

Possible soldering errors:

Before soldering copper pipes correctly, it must be clearly understood that the temperature of the burner flame reaches 1000 ° C. It is important not to overexpose the joints in the epicenter of the flame. It takes 15-20 seconds to warm up.
We must not forget about the protection of objects from heat in the place where soldering is performed. Particular emphasis should be placed on the removal of combustible and flammable substances.
The importance of ensuring sufficient ventilation in the work area is often underestimated. Windows and doors should be open, if necessary, you can turn on the fan.

How else can you connect copper elements?

An alternative to classical soldering is the connection of copper pipes with fittings, which can be of two types:

Crimp - made of brass. Inside such a fitting there is a compression ring that ensures the tightness of the connection.
Capillary soldering - differ in inner diameter from the outer indicator by 0.1-0.15 mm.

The use of a fitting method for connecting copper pipes can subsequently provide additional benefits, namely the possibility of complete recovery. That is, copper elements that have undergone replacement can be reused under certain conditions.

Safety first

Installation of copper pipes cannot be performed when arranging a kitchen, that is, to meet drinking needs. When copper comes into contact with chlorine contained in tap water, compounds harmful to the body are formed. If we are talking about such a source of water supply as a well, then there are absolutely no restrictions.

The end result of soldering copper pipes is a tight beautiful seam, but its reliability needs to be checked. If soldering was carried out as part of the plumbing system, then it just needs to be filled with water, creating a maximum operating pressure. In this case, there is no need to rush, it is necessary to allow the seam to cool completely, otherwise it will simply crack from a sharp temperature drop.

Soldering copper pipes with hard and soft solder - installation technology

All about how to properly solder copper pipes - installation technology using soft and hard solder. And also, safety technology and some other ways to connect pipes.

How to solder copper pipes

Types of copper pipes and their use

There are two types of copper pipes on the market: annealed and non-annealed. Annealed after formation, they undergo additional heat treatment - they are heated to 600-700 ° C. This procedure returns to the material elasticity, which is lost during molding. Therefore, annealed pipes are more expensive, but also more flexible - they can even withstand freezing water. The disadvantages of these products include lower strength - it decreases due to heating.

Copper pipes are different

Unannealed copper pipes are stronger, but practically do not bend. When distributing plumbing or heating, they are cut into pieces, and all taps are made using the appropriate fittings.

There are copper pipes with different wall thicknesses, sold annealed in coils of 25 and 50 meters, non-annealed runs of 3 meters. If we talk about the purity of the material, then according to GOST 859-2001, at least 99% copper must be present in the products.

Connection methods

Most often, copper pipes are connected by soldering and a set of special shaped elements - fittings. There are also fittings for pressure testing. They have grooves with a rubber sealing ring installed. They are crimped with special pliers. But this technology is used infrequently - soldering is considered more reliable.

Pressure fittings

There are two technologies for soldering copper pipes using different solders:

Low temperature - with soft solder. Just our case. This type of connection is used when laying water pipes and heating systems with a medium temperature of up to 110°C. Low temperature is a relative term. In the soldering zone, materials are heated up to 250-300°C.
High temperature hard soldering. This type of connection is used in networks with high pressure and temperature of the transported medium. In household networks - rarely (although no one forbids), more often in industrial networks.

What type of soldering copper pipes to use is your choice. Both types are suitable for both plumbing and heating. But high-temperature requires a professional torch, while soft solder can be melted even with a blowtorch or an inexpensive hand torch with a small disposable gas canister. For connecting copper pipes of small diameter, more is not required.

Types of Brazed Copper Fittings

In general, there are more than two dozen different shaped elements for copper pipes - fittings, but three types are most often used:

couplings - for connecting two pipes;
corners - for turning;
tees - to create branches in the pipeline.

Couplings for soldering copper pipes

The number of fittings used can be minimized - copper can be bent, which will reduce the number of required corners. Also, if desired, you can do without couplings: one end of the pipes can be expanded (using an expander) so that the pipe enters it and there is a gap for solder to get there (about 0.2 mm). When creating an extension, the pipes must overlap by at least 5 mm, but more is better.

What is difficult to do without is without tees. There is equipment for tapping a branch - a beader, but it belongs to a professional one and costs a lot. So in this case it is cheaper and easier to get by with tees.

There are fittings for soldering copper pipes with brazed solder

Consumables and tools

In addition to pipes and fittings, you will also need a torch, solder and flux - for the soldering itself. And also a pipe bender and a few related little things for processing before starting work.

Brush for stripping fittings from the inside

Solder and flux

Soldering copper pipes of any type occurs with the help of flux and solder. Solder is an alloy usually based on tin with a certain melting point, but necessarily lower than that of copper. It is fed into the soldering zone, heated to a liquid state and flows into the joint. After cooling, it provides a tight and durable connection.

Flux and solder are necessary consumables

Soft solder is sold in small reels, hard solder - in packs, cut into pieces.

Before soldering, the joint is treated with flux. A flux is a liquid or paste-like agent that causes molten solder to flow into a joint. There is nothing special to choose here: any flux for copper will do. Also, you will need a small brush to apply the flux. Better - with natural bristles.

To work with soft solder, you can buy a small hand torch with a disposable gas bottle. These cylinders are attached to the handle, have a volume of 200 ml. Despite the small size, the flame temperature is from 1100°C and higher, which is more than enough to melt soft solder.

What you should pay attention to is the presence of a piezo ignition. This function is not superfluous in any way - it will be easier to work. A valve is located on the handle of a manual gas burner. It regulates the length of the flame (the intensity of the gas supply). The same valve shuts off the gas if the burner needs to be extinguished. Safety is provided by a non-return valve, which, in the absence of a flame, will shut off the gas supply.

Hand torch for soldering copper pipes

When working in household and semi-professional models, you must be careful - do not overheat the unit so that the plastic does not melt. Therefore, it is not worth doing a lot of rations at a time - it is better to let the equipment cool down and prepare the next connection at this time.

Related materials

To cut copper pipes, you need a pipe cutter or a hacksaw with a metal blade. The cut must be strictly vertical, which provides a pipe cutter. And to guarantee an even cut with a hacksaw, you can use an ordinary carpentry miter box.

When preparing pipes, they must be cleaned. To do this, there are special metal brushes and brushes (for cleaning the inner surface), but you can get by with sandpaper with medium and fine grains.

To remove burrs from cuts, there are bevelers. The pipe they have worked out fits better into the fitting - its socket is only a fraction of a millimeter larger than the outer diameter. So the slightest deviation leads to difficulties. But, in principle, everything can be eliminated with sandpaper. It will only take more time.

It is also advisable to have protective goggles and gloves. Most home crafters neglect these safety features, but burns are very annoying. These are all the materials and tools needed for soldering copper pipes.

Copper soldering step by step

Soldering copper pipes begins with the preparation of the joint. The reliability of the connection depends on the quality of the preparation, so devote enough time and effort to this process.

Soldering copper pipes consists of several stages

Connection preparation

As already mentioned, the cut of the pipe must be strictly vertical, without burrs, the pipe must not be jammed, the edge must be even and smooth. If there are even slight deviations, we take a beveler or sandpaper and bring the cut to the ideal.

It is necessary to remove the oxidized layer

Flux application

The flux is applied to the entire cleaned surface - outside the pipe and inside the fitting. There are no difficulties here - the composition is evenly distributed with a brush.

The processed pipeline fragments are inserted into one another and fixed. If there is an assistant, he can hold the parts motionless. If not, you'll have to figure it out on your own. Next, the burner is ignited, the flame is directed to the junction. The temperature of the flame is from a thousand degrees and above, and the junction must be heated to 250-300 ° C, and this takes 15-25 seconds. At the same time, you can focus on the color of the flux - as soon as it darkens, it's time to introduce solder.

The correct location of the burner when soldering copper pipes with your own hands

To ensure uniform heating, direct the burner flame in the middle of the joint. Then the entire welding zone warms up more evenly.

Soldering copper pipes with soft solder

Solder is injected into the junction - where the fitting and pipe are connected. As it heats up, it begins to melt, spreads and fills the gap between the elements. You can apply it only half the length - when melted, it will flow into the rest of the joint. Actually, that's all - the soldering of copper pipes is finished. All other connections do the same.

Soldering copper pipes: technology, equipment, features

Soldering copper pipes on your own is not the easiest, but not very difficult either. Knowing certain points, you can achieve a good connection.

Do-it-yourself instructions for soldering copper pipes

Decided to use copper pipes in the arrangement of the plumbing system? Want to create in the bathroom interesting style steampunk but don't know how to solder copper pipes? A guide to doing work for beginners is suggested in the material below.

Copper, although it has a high cost, unlike polymers, is still quality material for the device of water supply communication. The advantages of copper include high strength, aesthetic appeal, non-susceptibility to corrosion, a tendency to operate under high pressure and excellent thermal conductivity. Copper pipeline will work faithfully for more than a dozen years.

A little about copper

Copper is a soft metal alloy, which even in ancient times was used with pleasure by chasers for their work. Today, copper is no less in demand. Pipes made of such an alloy are an integral part of heating and air conditioning systems. Plumbing can also be arranged using copper elements.

For the installation of the trunk, the soldering method is used, during which the copper elements are connected to the solder. This material from soft species metal melts under the influence of certain temperatures and forms a single hermetic connection.

Important: soldering copper pipes with your own hands is not a difficult task. The main thing is to choose the right solder and determine the soldering temperature. At the same time, it is worth knowing that, at its high cost, copper pipes do not require additional connecting elements. That is, copper can be connected into a single line and at the same time save on the purchase of fittings, couplings, etc.

Methods for soldering copper pipes

Do-it-yourself soldering of copper pipes can be carried out in two ways:

low temperature method. Most commonly used at home. Here soldering takes place using soft solder from tin, lead or their alloys with the addition of silver. The soldering temperature can reach a maximum of 450 degrees when working.
high temperature method. It is also called brazing copper pipes. In this case, in order to melt the solder and achieve the connection of the elements of the line, it is necessary to reach the heating temperature of the burner in the range of 600-900 degrees.

Tools needed to get the job done

To correctly solder the copper pipes of the plumbing system, you need to stock up on the following set of tools:

Pipe cutter. Necessary for a perfectly even cut of pipe sections before soldering. Thanks to this tool, the inner lumen of the pipe and its circumference are not disturbed during cutting.
Chamfer. It is used to clean the edge of the cut and round it inside the pipe for high-quality joining of the water main from several pieces of the pipe.
Pipe expander. It is used in the event that the soldering of copper pipes of the water supply will be carried out without the use of fittings and couplings. The pipe expander expands one end of the pipe to the desired diameter so that a piece of another tube fits snugly into it.
Brush and ruff for high-quality cleaning of welded pipes from oxide.
Reflector. A working element that is attached to the burner nozzle so that the flame does not damage other nearby objects.
Gas-burner. It is she who supplies the flame to the section of the soldered tube.

Gas stove

In order to sleep properly water pipes from copper, you need to prepare the appropriate type of burner. They are divided into several types:

Device with a disposable balloon for domestic use;
Burner with installed stationary cylinder;
Oxy-acetylene torch suitable for brazing copper pipes. It is she who needs to be found to complete the work.

In turn, the burner for melting solder and soldering copper may differ in power. You need to choose depending on what kind of solder you will work with (soft or hard).

For soldering with soft solder, you can take a low-power semi-professional burner with hot air gas. Such a tool develops a temperature of up to 650 degrees when the flame is burning. Distinctive feature such a device is that here it is possible to regulate the temperature of the flame supply, and at the same time it will remain predetermined-stable.
Hard soldering of copper pipes of the water supply system can only be carried out with professional burners.

To perform reliable soldering, you need to purchase solder. It comes in two types - hard and soft.

Hard solder is produced in the form of long rods. Such solder can be used for soldering hot water pipes, gas supply, air conditioning or for a highway operating at high pressure. The soldering temperature of such solder reaches 900 degrees. The most common types of hard solder are copper-phosphorus self-fluxing Cu94 P6 alloy and Cu92 P6 Ag2 alloy with the addition of silver from phosphorus and copper.

Important: such hard solder contains a 6% phosphorus additive, which reduces the soldering temperature to 750 degrees.

Soft solder is produced in the form of a thin wire with a diameter of 2-3 mm. Such solder is used when soldering a water pipe with your own hands in everyday life.
There is also a special paste called flux. Issued in banks. It must be used for high-quality cleaning of pipe joints, removing oxide from the seam after soldering and improving the solder melting characteristics. In this case, the flux is both for soldering at high temperatures (over 450 degrees), and for soldering at low temperatures(up to 450 degrees).

Important: the flux contributes to a better adhesion of the solder to the copper.

In addition to all the tools, solder and flux, fittings must also be prepared if there is a need to make turns and bends in the water main. All fittings have a regulated diameter and comply with GOST. The cost of fittings and adapters is quite affordable.

We carry out pipe soldering

The technology for soldering a copper line looks like this:

We cut off with a pipe cutter desired areas pipes and clean the edges with a beveler.
If a fitting is used, then both its edges and the edges of the tube are degreased with high quality. If the fitting is not used, then expand the edge of one pipe with a pipe expander.
We try on the details to review the evenness of the joints.
Now we process the edges of the tubes with a thin layer of flux from the side of the joints.

Important: if high-temperature soldering will be carried out using self-fluxing solder, then flux is not needed here.

Now we turn on the gas burner and qualitatively heat the pipes at the joints to the desired temperature.
After that, we put solder in the places of the gaps. At the same time, it is worth making sure that the solder melts strictly from the heated pipe, and not from the flame of the burner. The edges of the tubes are carefully pressed.
After the tubes have cooled, remove the remaining flux and oxide from the copper surface with a cloth.

Important: you should know that the heating of the tube and the melting of the solder occur within 5 minutes. Therefore, it is important not to overheat the pipes.

Tip: if two pipe sections close to each other are soldered, then the already processed part of the line must be cooled soaked in cold water rags. Otherwise, there is a risk that the soldered joint, when the next section of the pipe is heated, will disperse under the influence of high temperature.

Avoiding Mistakes

When soldering copper tubes, novice craftsmen often make a number of common mistakes. These are:

Weak heating of the elements of the line, as a result of which the melting of the solder occurs incompletely. Such a connection will collapse under any load.
Excessive overheating of the copper alloy, on the contrary, leads to the destruction of the flux layer. This, in turn, will lead to the formation of oxide and scale on the metal surface. Such an effect will also lead to the destruction of the connection.
Ignoring security measures. Since work is being done with chemical elements and at high temperatures, protective gloves and a mask should be worn.
If you are going to check the connection, you should make sure that the tube at the soldering point has cooled down.
During the soldering procedure, it is worth ensuring good ventilation premises. This is required by the technology of work, since soldering is performed using aggressive acidic substances.
Protective clothing made of rough fabric will also not be superfluous, since there is a risk of flame sparks and solder particles falling on the body, which can lead to burns.

Tip: if in doubt about the correct heating of the pipes to the desired temperature, invite experienced craftsman to get practice. A professional knows exactly how long copper warms up to certain temperatures.

Soldering copper pipes: how to solder with hard solder

Description of methods for soldering copper pipes with your own hands. Required tools and possible mistakes. Soldering with solder, lamp and torch.

Do-it-yourself soldering of copper pipes - instructions and video

The need for soldering copper pipes, which is not difficult to perform, given all the features this process, occurs in situations where it is required to carry out installation or repair of water supply and air conditioning systems where they are used. Soldering copper pipes with your own hands or with the help of involved professionals is a great opportunity to create a water supply system in your house or apartment, which many experts call eternal.

Heating solder in a burner flame

The essence of the process

The pipeline created in this way, due to the use of copper pipes during its installation, is highly reliable and exceptionally durable. Of course, such a system has a rather high cost, but it is fully justified by the unique characteristics that it has. What is important, copper pipes can be used both in plumbing and in heating systems. In both cases, they demonstrate highest reliability and durability.

The simplest and most reliable way to install such systems is to solder copper pipes. This connection technology has been used for a long time, it is well studied and does not cause any special problems when practical implementation. The essence of this method is that the joint between the parts to be joined is filled special composition which is called solder. In order for the solder for soldering copper pipes to get in and fill the joint between the parts, it is melted under the influence of high temperature. After the heating of the solder stops, and it has already completely filled the future seam, it solidifies, forming a reliable, tight and durable joint.

Copper soldering is also convenient because, if necessary, the connected elements of the pipeline can always be easily separated. To do this, it is enough to heat the junction to make the solder soft and pliable.

Copper pipe soldering process

What is needed for soldering copper pipes

Soldering copper pipes, which is not difficult to do with your own hands, does not require expensive equipment and any special materials. In order to properly implement it, you will need the following devices.

A burner, due to which the solder and the pipe section where they will be connected will be heated. As a rule, propane gas is supplied to such a burner, the pressure of which is regulated by a welding reducer.
Special tool for cutting copper pipes. Since products made of this metal are very soft, they should be cut gently enough so as not to wrinkle the walls. Pipe cutters are offered on the modern market various models, which differ both in their functionality and technical capabilities. The design of individual models of such devices, which is important, allows them to be used even for work in hard-to-reach places.
A pipe expander is a device that allows you to expand the diameter of a copper pipe, which is necessary in order to better solder. V various systems mounted from copper pipes, elements of the same section are used, and in order to qualitatively connect them, it is necessary to slightly increase the diameter of one of the connected elements. It is this problem that such a device as a pipe expander solves.

Copper pipe flaring kit

In addition to flux, solder and other basic elements, additional tools will be needed to solder copper pipes, which can be found in every workshop or garage. To solder or weld copper products, additionally prepare:

regular marker;
roulette;
building level;
a small brush with stiff bristles;
hammer.

Before starting work, it is also important to decide how to solder copper pipes. There can be two main options: brazing copper (less commonly used) and using soft solder. When solving this issue, it is important to proceed from the fact that there are requirements for the use of one or another type of solder. So, hard solders are used for soldering elements of refrigeration units and air conditioners. In all other cases (water supply systems, heating systems, etc.), tin wire can be used. But whatever technology is chosen, it should be remembered that the flux is necessary in any case.

Brushes for stripping the inner surface of a copper pipe before soldering

Copper pipe soldering technology

Soldering or welding copper pipes for water supply and heating systems, air conditioners and any other devices is quite easy. The algorithm for performing such an operation is as follows.

First you need to cut a piece of pipe of the required length, for which a pipe cutter is used. It is very important to place the tool perpendicular to the axis of the pipe so that the cut is as smooth as possible.
After the pipe is cut, it must be cleaned. To clean the surface of the product, a metal brush is used, and its end is freed from burrs and metal dust with a brush. In no case should sandpaper be used for these purposes, as it will leave fine sand on the surface of the pipe, which will impair the adhesion of the solder to the base metal.
For whatever purpose you are soldering copper pipes, for air conditioners, refrigerators or heating systems, the edge of one of them must be expanded. The diameter of the end of one of the pipes should be increased to such a value that the other end quietly enters it, leaving only a small gap.
The expanded end of the pipe should also be cleaned using a wire brush, not sandpaper or cleaning paste.
Flux must be applied to the end of the smaller pipe before soldering. It is very important to evenly distribute the flux during its application, otherwise its excess will get inside the pipe and form frozen drops there, which will create noise when the liquid moves through it.

Pipe cutter for copper and aluminum pipes 3-35mm

Before soldering, the prepared ends of the pipes should be inserted into each other, after which you can start soldering, wiping off the excess flux with a damp cloth. In order for the connection to turn out to be of high quality and reliable, it is necessary to warm up the pipes to be joined before using the solder. Heating can be considered sufficient when the flux applied to one of the pipes becomes silvery.

After preheating the joint, solder is brought to it, which, due to the high temperature, begins to melt and fill the joint space. The process is also facilitated by the principle of capillarity, due to which the molten solder fills the gap between the pipes. Soldering is completed at the moment when it completely fills the gap between the connected pipes. This process is very well seen on the video, which is filmed by many experts.

After soldering, the pipes should be allowed to cool down and in no case should they be subjected to mechanical stress. The cooled seam can be wiped with a damp cloth to remove any remaining flux from it.

Do-it-yourself soldering of copper pipes - video, technology, solder

The specifics of such a process as do-it-yourself soldering of copper pipes. Tools and accessories necessary for soldering pipes, as well as the algorithm for its implementation.