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  1. Expert Member
    BILL WICHERS | | #1

    Clean the mating surfaces of the pipe and fittings, apply flux and assemble. Heat the assembly with a torch, MAPP gas works better than propane. Apply a little solder to the joint until it wicks around the edge. Don’t overdo it.

    Practice a few times before doing anything critical. A heat proof blanket is really helpful if you’re soldering up close to any wood.

    Bill

  2. Expert Member
    MALCOLM TAYLOR | | #2

    What Bill said. And remember to wipe the excess flux off afterwards.

  3. jberks | | #3

    This crazy Quebecer makes very concise how to solder videos.

    https://youtu.be/JyVbjDsric4

  4. Jon_R | | #4

    I've been soldering pipe since I was a kid. I avoid it whenever possible, leaving mostly copper/PEX adapters. Some have gone further and use push on adapters.

    1. Expert Member
      BILL WICHERS | | #5

      Those push-on connectors make me nervous. Anything with a seal can fail. Even seeing the videos of pipe splitting before the push-on connector pops off I’m still nervous.

      On commercial projects I always specced welded joints on steel water lines until very recently when I started to allow victaulic fittings. One of my mechanical contractors said once (he was mean ;-) that “welds can fail too”.

      Bill

      1. Expert Member
        MALCOLM TAYLOR | | #6

        I think Sharkbites have their place. Because they are removable they are great during renos to isolate some pipes, but keep the rest of the water supply on. They also work in the very few instances where you can't get at a joint to sweat it, or clamp Pex. They make no sense to use for anything other than those isolated situations due to their cost.

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