After soldering, water tastes fluxy

[Mnoone]

I recently replaced the main valve to my house as well as a number of other pipes. Total maybe 40 sweated 3/4" joints. All on the cold lines, not hot. I used Oatey H-20 flux. I finished the job last night. I've run faucets for maybe 45 minutes or so and taken a couple showers but the water still tastes and smells fluxy.

I was wondering if I could use a pump to circulate water through the cold lines to try to dissolve all the flux. I have one of these leftover from a previous project. Could I connect this to a couple hose bibs (at either end of the soldering), turn off water to the house, and cycle water through that? I think I'd probably need a bucket in series as well Maybe even with some cleaning agent added?

My memory of the last time I did any soldering in my house the water tasted off for a month and that was with only ~5 joints or so. So I'm nervous that this taste is going to be around for a long time.

 

[Reach4]

Yes, but often hose bibs are piped from near the incoming water, to make it easier to add a softener without softened water going to the hose bibs. If one of the ports was a laundry tap or the drain valve on the WH, then more of the soldered pipes would be involved in the circuit. . Ideally use hoses that are OK for potable water. If those threads on the pump are GHT, get a couple double female adapters.

Was that water-soluble flux? I am not sure what cleaning agent. Dish detergent? I don't think you would necessarily need a bucket. If you use a bucket, then the pump would need to be able to serve as a suction pump or submersible pump. And if that applies, you could use a tub or sink bowl instead of a bucket.

When I did recirculation, I used a small submersible utility pump.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[James Henry]

People use alcohol to clean flux off of circuit boards. Just a thought, turn the water off at the meter, drain the lines, attach a hose to the outlet of the pump to your outside hose bib and the inlet of the pump with a hose to a bucket of water and alcohol and fill your pipes with that mixture to flush the lines. obviously I didn't mention all the steps involved but I don't type.


I think the hot water will take care of that by itself.

 

[Breplum]

Yeah, flux can last a good while.
That is why we only ProPress except in rare exceptions. Sorry for you. Give it time.,