I want to join several pieces of copper pipe together. There won't be much pressure in the pipe as it's just an overflow pipe that will be open at the top. I don't have a brazing torch. What's the easiest/cheapest way?
For standard sized copper pipes, then compression fittings with olives. Available at your local hardware store.
cjdnzl,
Mar 11, 9:09am
you want a lpg gas torch and a bottle of lpg, and a stick of Silfos silver solder, and the requisite flux. Very easy to use silver solder. Don't go for brazing, far too much heat required. You will need a tool to stretch one of the pipe ends so it will fit over the other, then silver solder it.
trade4us2,
Mar 11, 9:15am
I've got a small LPG bottle (about 2kg) for my camping stove. It has no regulator. Will a gas torch fit that?
I think I'll get a butane torch. That will be cheaper than lots of olives and nuts, and a soldered joint is not going to leak like the olives might.
mm12345,
Mar 11, 9:19am
Did you read my post? Unless you're dealing with pipe which isn't a standard size, you must be a masochist.
morrisjvan,
Mar 11, 10:17am
I think I'll get a butane torch. That will be cheaper than lots of olives and nuts, and a soldered joint is not going to leak like the olives might.[/quote]
LOTS of olives and nuts? how many pieces are you joining? When you're dealing with water you don't want ''cheapest and easiest'' way . You want the BEST way.
trade4us2,
Mar 11, 11:10am
A brazed or soldered joint is the best way.
cjdnzl,
Mar 11, 10:47pm
Not solder, too soft; not brazing, too hot and difficult to do with lpgas torch; silver solder is far and away the best here.
trade4us2,
Mar 12, 2:04am
I have a swaging tool and lead-free solder and a butane torch. The pipe will be attached to the house along its whole length.
johotech,
Mar 12, 2:41am
Not sure if Lpg will be hot enough. You probably need a Mapp gas torch.
golfdiver,
Mar 12, 5:55pm
No it isn't but it sounds like you already know best. If you are making the pipe extend a decent amount above the roof use TV antennae stays to anchor it. These are better than wires and will not cause leaks.
treecave,
Mar 12, 6:26pm
solder would be ok if its only overflow and not subject to movement or vibration. a lot cheaper and easier to use. subject to where it is going to. wouldn't use solder in situation described by previous poster either.
trade4us2,
Mar 12, 8:41pm
I said "The pipe will be attached to the house along its whole length." So it won't be any higher than the roof. Yes I have an 8.5 metre high house and the hot water cylinder is at ground level. Don't blame me, blame the plumber.
dastedly,
Mar 15, 5:26am
If you putting 8.5m head on cylinder then if be leaking soon then as it bit on the high side
trade4us2,
Mar 15, 6:58am
The pipe will be less than 7.6 metres above the bottom of the cylinder.
trade4us2,
Mar 17, 4:17am
The butane torch is pathetic. My LPG camping stove does the job OK. Does anyone know the exact size of a 15mm swage? 15.4mm is too big!
singing1,
Mar 17, 5:03am
Is this on you hot water cylinder or what? If its just an overflow (not HW cylinder) you don't have to muck around with all that torch and carry on.
johotech,
Mar 17, 5:21am
14.73mm
What sort of swage are you using?
trade4us2,
Mar 17, 7:22am
One that I made. I'll turn it down a bit!
aj.2.,
Mar 17, 7:46am
To make it easy, heat the copper pipe till a dull red, the quench it in cold water, this will soften it, and allow you to stretch open that end. Then slip the pipe section in, but note, you need a bit of a loose fit so that the silver floss ( sp ). will go down and around the join, and fill it, gives it strength as well as seals it.
johotech,
Mar 17, 9:24am
So you can make a swage, and measure it at 15.3mm, but you can't measure the OD of the pipe or Google the size?
Oh dear,?,?,?
BTW, wall thickness is about 1.03mm, so your front guide section on the swage should be about 12.6mm or a little smaller for a slightly loose fit.
trade4us2,
Mar 17, 9:40am
What are you talking about? The expanded pipe ends up a bit bigger than the swage. And there needs to be clearance for the solder. Why is the size of the front guide section at all important?
pauldw,
Mar 17, 5:19pm
Don't make too much clearance. The capillary gap only needs to be .001-.003".
trade4us2,
Mar 17, 7:47pm
I like the idea of tinning both sides, then heating the joint and sliding it together. The pipe is old, so it will be hard to clean the inside.
pauldw,
Mar 17, 8:38pm
If you can't clean the inside how are you going to tin it?
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