How I Solder Vertical Copper Fittings Make Clean, Sealed, Sweat Connection

The Great Hacker always works like crazy !

I'm working on something similar, I'm using 1 inch copper pipe type K, covered with 20mil tape for underground. Great job on the soldering and that long copper elbow looks better than the regular one.

As a fitter the most important thing for me for a leak free and good looking joint is cleaning the fittings and pipe! Usually I'll cut the fitting brush handle off and put the brush in a drill. I always use a scotch pad to clean my copper. Never use old flux! I use solderlene flux which is my favorite btw. And I always use silvabrite 100 as my solder. I try to always the right size tips when soldering with my B-tank, But sometimes I use whatever tip will work. I personally would have soldered the horizontal part of the 90 first then hit the vertical while the fitting was still hot so I can let the solder wick in and try to form a cap. Never wipe a fitting while the solder is still in a liquid state. Maybe you did that show show the subscribers just the vertical soldering? But everyone has their own way of doing things. Keep up the good work Bill!!

Nice neat job Hackster as per usual ...

Looks good bro 👍

That coupling is ON you, it's the plumber that installed you gas pipe. On the fittings, Do you draw sand the Face of the fitting?

Everybody has the method, just my 02.....I Do not like to use a wet rag until things are cooled to wipe off excess flux. Just the way I was told years ago. Lost art soldering, I do not do enough. Everything pex and crimps for cost.

I know they say not to do it but I put a tiny amount of flux in the female fitting. Wiped clean with my finger. I find it gives me a perfect joint everytime. StaySilv solder is my go to. The additional heat you did was interesting but more than likely unnecessary. You don't want to heat a pipe any more than you need to. Place the heat where you want the solder to go, get the solder in and call it a day.

Great soldering technique!

I can soldier and I’m good at it . But lately I can’t braze for nothing . I don’t know what the hell is going on . Lol

Nice Job. Everything looks level and plumb

flux is actually a cleaner and keeps the copper from oxidizing, which is why it should be applied evenly to both halves of all joints being sweated. without it applied properly, the copper can/will oxidize and you may not get good flow over the hole joint. only applying to the pipe and not socket doesn't coat it properly and you can end up with poor flow and bad joints (fitting pull tests would show it fast). same issue occurs sweating on dielectric unions with the bushing and nut in place, you'll never heat it enough and end up with a "rim solder", yeah it may hold for many years or start to leak within minutes/hours/days/weeks/months/years. not ball busting, but trying to help all :)

Is there a reason why you went copper from the backflow to the sprinkler manifold instead of PVC?

I think that coupling on the gas line is a conduit coupling. They're more of a sleeve with straight threads (non-tapered) so that the conduit can be threaded in until the sticks touch. Definitely not the correct thing for gas lines. I'm surprised they got it to seal, must have used a lot of dope.

I was modifying existing copper pipes for water line, it was the worst thing ever, valve wasn't holding and there was water still getting into the pipe, nearly impossible to get it up to temperature, steam was everywhere and it leaked the first time I did it lol

I'm a mess maker. I get paranoid so I go around it again and then the mess begins

Great soldering technique!