QA

Quick Answer: How To Remove Soldered Copper Pipe

How do you take apart a soldered copper pipe?

Can I Desolder a copper pipe?

Unsoldering the copper joint can be done by applying high heat over the copper coupling or connection that needs to be detached. This process takes several steps to finish. First, you need to have the necessary tools to get the work done easily and accurately.

How do you loosen old copper pipe fittings?

Apply a penetrating lubricant such as Liquid Wrench or WD-40 to the fixture or nut and allow it to soak in for at least two hours. Apply more penetrating lubricant and allow it to soak in for another two hours. Turn the fixture or nut to loosen it.

How do you Unsweat copper pipe?

Heat the copper pipe fitting with the torch. The brighter blue portion of the flame that comes to a point within the flame is the hottest part of the flame. Heat the fitting until you see the silver-colored solder begin to melt. Heat the fitting for another 30 seconds so it stays hot after you move the torch away.

How do you remove old solder from copper pipe?

Heat the ends of the copper pipe with the propane torch to melt and remove the old solder. Carefully wipe away any solder with your dry rag. Take care not to burn yourself when wiping the solder away from the pipe.

Can you move a soldered joint?

2 Answers. Most likely, you’ll need to cut the pipe and rework it with new fittings. If you heat the joint hot enough to melt the solder, you’d want to pull it apart to clean the joint, apply new flux, and solder it again.

How do you loosen corroded plumbing connections?

How to Loosen Corroded Plumbing Spray lubricant on the outside of a corroded joint and give it time to seep into the joint and dissolve rust on the threads, which usually takes about five to 10 minutes. Grip the fitting you are trying to separate with one pipe wrench; grip the pipe to which it is attached with another.

How do you clean corroded pipe threads?

Rooter, “clean heavy rust on male threads by and, using a wire brush.” Tip #1 Use a bench-mounted grinder. If the pipe is in a fixed location, use a wooden-handled wire brush or mount a circular brush on a drill.

How do you tell if shut off valve is soldered or threaded?

Inspect the Shut Off Valve This nut will have angles, like a stop sign, to accommodate a wrench. The presence of this nut indicates the shut off valve is compression. Copper to copper terminations that do not have a visible nut but rather solder at its edges indicates that it is a non-compression fitting.

How do you remove solder without heat?

Touch the cold flat head screwdriver to the liquid solder, and quickly remove it. If done properly, the solder should adhere to the cold screwdriver and can be removed from the surface. This process can be repeated to remove any remaining amount of solder.

Is desoldering easy?

Desoldering can be pretty tricky business, and many people have come up with their own techniques to cleanly removing their components from a circuit board. This instructable only covered how to remove through-hole components, but there are many other ways to desolder other types of circuits.

How do I Desolder without a soldering iron?

In addition to screwdrivers, you can also use nails, steel wire, and Alan wrenches for emergency soldering work. Simply heat the wire or other steel material over an open flame for roughly 20 to 30 seconds and then proceed as you normally would with soldering or removing solder.

Can you sand off old solder?

You basically drag the wick across the joint exposing more fresh wick to the location until as much of the solder you want to remove is gone. You can then take fine sandpaper and remove the solder plating that will remain on your part.

Can you reuse soldered copper pipe?

You can keep, or “reuse”, any copper piping that does not have to changed or removed. But I would not waste the time trying to take the old stuff apart and use it to install in a new location.

Can you Resweat a copper fitting?

If you have a leaky joint and the joint leaks at the solder connection, you can re-solder or “re-sweat” the joint to eliminate the leak. This is an easier way to correct the issue than replacing the joint completely. You do not need a plumber to re-sweat a joint. Sep 26, 2017.

What happens if you reheat solder?

If the solder joint is made properly the first time, there will be no “voids or channels” when you reheat and rotate it.

Do solder joints fail?

The only way a joint can fail is if it is not made properly, whether it is because the solder did not flow properly or the pipe was not inserted all the way into a fitting. It has nothing to do with turbulence because the solder does not interact with the liquid flow.

How do you loosen cast iron pipe fittings?

How to Loosen a Cast Iron Clean Out Plug Spray lubricant around the rim of the plug, aiming the spray to get as much of it into the threads as possible. Tap the rim of the plug a few times with a hammer to loosen the threads.

How do you remove corrosion from brass threads?

Mix one part water and two parts vinegar to make a water-vinegar solution. Submerge your brass item in the solution and let it soak for around two or three hours. Rinse the item with warm water and later dry it. You can also use vinegar paste.