Ask Me Help Desk - Condensation in Copper Piping

Condensation in Copper Piping

I am replacing a hot water heater. When I try to solder the connectors the heat creats condensation inside the copper piping and the solder will not hold. Any suggestions

Put in a union, get a non soder shark bite. I take it you still have some water in the pipes? Is this the suplly line or the hot line?

If you can ever get the water out of the line it will solder, and I don't think it is necessarily condensation I think it is just the water that was in the line because if you get it hot enough the water will evaporate.

Actually both lines have condendation in them. I will try what you have suggested. Thanks.

An old trick that I use is to put a pit of bread in the pipe (not the crust) this will absorb the water allowing you enough time to solder the pipe. The bread will then deteriorate into pieces and come out of the pipe on its own once the water is turned back on.

Thanks for all the tips.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pare_john

an old trick that i use is to put a pit of bread in the pipe (not the crust) this will absorb the water allowing you enough time to solder the pipe. The bread will then deteriorate into pieces and come out of the pipe on its own once the water is turned back on.

You use "Wonderbread"... It's made for plumbers and situations like yours !

You must make sure the joint is super clean and there is flux in the fitting and on the pipe before you put the fitting together.

Acetylene is much hotter than propane and if a turbo torch is used it will boil that condensation away.

Another note open all upper waterlines to drain all the water before starting to solder.

Good luck

Hi all:

If all pipes are opened and drained there should be no need for any "tricks"... ;)

If after opening all faucets (including the outside faucets) there is still water issues then the connection at the water meter outlet needs to be cracked to allow water to drip at that fitting as it is likely that the main water shutoff is malfunctioning.

There can also occasionally be a siphoning effect at times where water gets pulled from a water heater, for example, when draining systems down and that causes difficulties with soldering. In this case, draining water from the heater seems to fix this issue.

Finally, if pipes are below a level that they cannot be drained properly you can use a wet vacuum to pull water out of pipes and/or you can BOIL the water out of the pipe using a torch to a point that you can solder.

In all my years, if I followed this advice then I never had issues soldering.

MARK

And a final word!

Quote:

the heat creats condensation inside the copper piping

Condensate occurs on the outside walls of pipes not the inside. Tom

Make sure there is not hot water in the heater when you solder. Also, pipe has to be clean and flux applied. Just like Marks said: there are no tricks to it if all instructions are properly followed...

Quote:

Originally Posted by massplumber2008

Hi all:

If all pipes are opened and drained there should be no need for any "tricks"...;)

If after opening all faucets (including the outside faucets) there is still water issues then the connection at the water meter outlet needs to be cracked to allow water to drip at that fitting as it is likely that the main water shutoff is malfunctioning.

There can also occasionally be a siphoning effect at times where water gets pulled from a water heater, for example, when draining systems down and that causes difficulties with soldering. In this case, draining water from the heater seems to fix this issue.

Finally, if pipes are below a level that they cannot be drained properly you can use a wet vacuum to pull water out of pipes and/or you can BOIL the water out of the pipe using a torch to a point that you can solder.

In all my years, if I followed this advice then I never had issues soldering.

MARK

And this is why plumbers cost so much ;)

White or whole wheat.lol. I don't believe in putting anything in the pipe to absorb water, just asking for plugged faucets and aerators. Follow Marks advice, get the water out, clean the fitting and pipe(very well, you can't over clean a fitting or pipe), put on a healthy portion of flux,( I know some people say to use very little flux, but when the joint won't take solder, they just add flux anyway).

So, as stated already above. Make sure there is no water in pipe, clean thoroughly, flux, solder, its really as simple as that. Good luck and please let us know how things work out.

One more thing. If you have shut off valves on inlet and outlet of tank, open both of them(if main water is shut off) if you are soldering between the valves. Other wise the expansion cuased by heating joint will cause solder to just blow out of joint.

Man you got a lot of advice and much of it actually works. Besides the braed you can buy small pellets that look like vitamin C tablets, they fit inside the pipe to block water. Closing you main and opening the taps, drain a few gallons out of the heater drain should get it to the point that you can solder

They actually sell a tool - a long stick with rubber tip. You insert the stick into the pipe, unscrew the stick and the rubber end will seal against water coming in. You solder, remove the stick and...

As long as you didn't just solder in an elbow.

What a crock! Put bread in the pipe where it can clog the inlet ports of your faucets cartridges? Nah! Mark nailed it,

Quote:

If all pipes are opened and drained there should be no need for any "tricks"...

If there a little moisture left in the pipe simply heat the pipe until the water boils away. Good luck, Tom