Drain the water, then solder Apply soldering flux around the whole joint and apply heat with a torch until the old solder melts. Add new solder until a shiny ring of solder shows all around the joint. Let the pipe cool for five minutes, then turn the water back on and cross your fingers that you stopped the leak.

Similarly, you may ask, can you solder over old solder?

He CAN heat the existing solder to melt it so additional solder can be added to "cover up" the leak, BUT it will still be a bad joint because the problem is INSIDE the joint, not at the surface, and without flux, among other things, the new solder WILL NOT penetrate into the joint.

Beside above, can you Resolder a copper joint? As long as the pieces are cleaned of gunk, you add flux, and you can get the fitting over the pipe, it's no big deal to solder it back together. Sandpaper or a bastard file will get the excess solder off, but heating it until molten then wiping with a clean lint-free rag will be faster and easier.

One may also ask, how do you fix a leaking copper pipe without soldering?

Copper and PEX piping are the preferred alternatives and can be used in place of the leaking pipe by using sharkbite couplings. Start by turning off the main water line to your home and bleeding the system of water so you don't get drenched when opening up the pipe. Then use a pipe cutter to remove the leaking section.

Why does my solder not stick?

A classic reason solder won't stick to something is because you're not getting it hot enough. Touch some solder on it, and it should melt almost instantly. Put a nice little blob of solder on the tip of the iron. Press the blob of solder into the metal to be soldered.

How do you fix a leaking solder joint?

Dry the outside of the elbow and sand (120-grit paper or cloth) around the leaking joint to remove all surface corrosion. Apply soldering flux around the whole joint and apply heat with a torch until the old solder melts. Add new solder until a shiny ring of solder shows all around the joint.

Why do my solder joints leak?

You may have a problem with the leaky joints in the cold water pipe, because once water enters a "bad joint" it contaminates the copper so the solder will not adhere to it, even though the surface of the joint where you put the solder is no longer leaking.

How much solder do you need for a joint?

The flux requirement is usually 2 ounces per pound of solder.

Can you reheat solder joint?

The way you repair a cold joint is by reheating it with your soldering iron until the solder begins to flow. Cold joints frequently have excess solder which you can draw off with the soldering iron tip. You can prevent cold solder joints by giving your soldering iron sufficient power and time to warm up.

Can you Resolder leaking joint?

Because all of these joints are really close together, you will probably have to redo them all. At a minimum you need to heat up the leaking joints and pull them apart, and then re-solder them. Quickly add the solder all the way around the fitting. It should melt immediately and get sucked into the joint.

How do you seal a leaking pipe joint?

You apply epoxy directly onto the leaking pipe, like you would with caulk or plumber's putty. The epoxy will temporarily form a seal over the leak. Clamps and wraps are even simpler; you just affix or wrap them around the leak, and they hold in the water until you can get the pipe replaced.

Can you solder a small hole in copper pipe?

Or or just cut the pipe at the pin hole and install a shark bite fitting. You will also need sand paper, flux, solder, a torch, and possibly a deburring tool to smooth the cuts around the inside of the copper pipe that will be left after you cut it. You will also need a copper sweat coupling.

Does Flex Seal tape work on copper pipes?

Dry the area around the leak thoroughly. Wrap electrician's tape around the leak. Continue to wrap the pipe up to 6 inches from the area of the leak for a stronger seal. This seal is extremely temporary, however, as electrician's tape is not waterproof.

Can you solder copper without flux?

Flux is a chemical which helps you solder. Flux prevents the copper from oxidizing as you heat the copper with the torch. You can solder without flux, but it is really difficult! Flux is applied to both the pipe and the fitting with a handy miniature paint brush.

How do you solder a copper joint?

How to Solder Copper Pipe Joints

Buy a self-lighting torch. Good torches work faster.

Use a good-quality tubing cutter. Make clean, burr-free cuts.

Use a steel brush for complete cleaning of pipes and fittings.

Apply tinning flux rather than regular flux.

Assemble the pipes, then solder the joints all at once.

Heat the joint just enough to melt the solder.

Can you solder old copper pipe?

There is "good" copper under that coating. When you DO get it clean, apply flux to the copper tubing and put a coating of solder on it, wiping it smooth while it is hot. Once you do that, you know you will get a good joint when the fitting is soldered on to it.

Why is the solder not sticking to copper pipe?

Soldering a joint in pipes that contain even tiny amounts of water is nearly impossible. Most of the heat from the torch goes into turning the water to steam, so the copper won't get hot enough to melt the solder. Stop the trickle of water with a pipe plug. Push the plug into the pipe with the applicator tube provided.

Can you overheat copper pipe when soldering?

Overheating is a major problem when brazing or soldering copper pipe because the flux will burn (become oxidized), stop working, and become a barrier to tinning. In addition, a heavy oxide can be formed on the pipe itself, preventing a bond from forming between the filler metal and the pipe surface.

What kind of solder do you use for copper pipe?

Buy lead-free solder that's designed for copper water pipes; you'll find it in the plumbing section of the store. Solder with lead is still available, but the lead can leach into your water supply, so don't use it.

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