Leaking copper pipe with green crap.

[bigrebnc1861]

mz4wheeler like I said earlier 8 out of 10 times it will work but there are those times that you will have to re-place your joint completely.

 

[Cass]

mz4wheeler like I said earlier 8 out of 10 times it will work but there are those times that you will have to re-place your joint completely.

Just wondering Y you said 8 out of 10 instead of 4 out of 5?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[mz4wheeler]

It's FIXED!!

Well, it wasn't easy, especially taking the old pipe apart, but I managed to fix it. I attached a photo of the result. Be kind, I'm a computer guy by trade [grin]. I have once again have regained the faith of my wife.

However, I must say... Sawing off the old pipe section brought a few butterflies [grin]. Plus I was also thinking that if I ran into trouble, what would it cost a plumber to come and fix it, especially on Thanksgiving!

Thanks to all who helped.

Mike

 

[mz4wheeler]

mz4wheeler like I said earlier 8 out of 10 times it will work but there are those times that you will have to re-place your joint completely.

It probably woould have worked if I used a MAPP torch. I used propane which really sucked. I bought a new MAPP torch today and it really kicks ass!

Thanx

 

[bigrebnc1861]

MAPP gas is the way to go, I tell the people at the office only send me MAPP gas, or I won't run any copper at all. By the way I looked at your pic of your soldering job, it doesn't look bad for someone who doesn't do plumbing for a living, and the tight spot you had to work in.

 

[Terry]

I use Mapp gas too, but I still cut the bad fittings out.

It's not about the high heat, it's about cleaning the pipe and fittings.

I would like to see a picture of the old pipe with the fitting pulled off.
Often you will find a stripe of unsoldered copper, the reason for most leaks.

 

[hj]

joint

Hmm.. Well, I *TRIED* the easy way, and the solder would't stick for nothing, even after shining up the pipe and fluxing the hell out of it [grin]. Time was running out so I gave up and I'll cut it out tonight and replace the 90. After I re-pressurized the pipe, it leaked a little worse.

My wife wasn't impressed either [grin].

One of your problems was that you did not shine the pipe and fitting inside the joint where the real seal takes place, and you did not get the flux in there either. Flux keeps the material from oxidizing when it is heated, which allows the solder to flow into the joint. When you overheat the joint and the flux itself oxidizes you have to start over.

 

[mz4wheeler]

I fingured so, but I couldn't even get the copper to sweat on the outside! I figured that it was because the water residue in the pipe was keeping it cool. If I used my new MAPP gas torch, it probably would have worked.

Anyway, I'm happy I had to buy that new torch... Now I can impress my wife in how FAST I can start a fire in the fireplace [grin].

One of your problems was that you did not shine the pipe and fitting inside the joint where the real seal takes place, and you did not get the flux in there either. Flux keeps the material from oxidizing when it is heated, which allows the solder to flow into the joint. When you overheat the joint and the flux itself oxidizes you have to start over.

 

[Speedbump]

Sorry I got here so late, I was going to save you all that trouble. I was going to suggest keeping the pie plate under the leak and installing a dehumidifier.

bob...

 

[mz4wheeler]

Procrastination is the thief of time.

Actually, I discovered this leak when I re-insulated the sauna a few months ago. The pipe is right above the sauna. I thought I may have started the leak by bumping the pipe, although it may have been leaking before we got the house. The leak was so slow that the water probably evaporated soon after.

Plan "A" was to leave the pie plate in place and see if the leak seals itself [grin]. This was all fine because this room had a suspended ceiling and I had access to it. Then my wife wanted a "NORMAL" ceiling [doh!]. I couldn't convince her of the "merits" of a suspended ceiling while in the back of my mind this leak was festering.

When I was hanging the 2'x6' beams for the sheetrock thats when I discovered that the pie pan seems to always have about 1/16" of water. Once I hung the 2'x6' beams, there would be no way I could possibly reach it anymore. I was stuck... I HAD to fix it.

Procrastination is the thief of time.
--Edward Young, The Complaint: Night Thoughts

Sorry I got here so late, I was going to save you all that trouble. I was going to suggest keeping the pie plate under the leak and installing a dehumidifier.

bob...

 

[Speedbump]

Well, so much for my master plan!


bob...

 

[mz4wheeler]

From this discussion I take it that it's pretty important to clean off the flux. Is there some product that is favored to neutralize the flux to prevent future corrosion? What about pipes that already have green crap but are not yet leaking? Is there a product to prevent additional corrosion?

Thanks

My goodness some plumber didn't finish the job by wiping the joint down . This is what I do when I have a leak, I drain the line down wipe the joint down with another layer of flux, and re-solder the joint useing MAPP gas instead of propane 8 times out of 10 this will work for me. But when it doesn't I will break the joint lose by re-heating the pipe and clean the fitting with a fitting brush, and re-sanding the pipe and adding flux . BUT REMEMBER ALWAYES USE MAPP GAS IT'S HOTTER THEN PROPANE AND SOLDER'S BETTER. After you have finished the job wipe your fitting down, because after time that green buildup of flux left on the pipe will wear your joint down.

 

[bigrebnc1861]

Just wondering Y you said 8 out of 10 instead of 4 out of 5?

From 16 and a half years exp. I have had to fix around around 150 leaks, some mine but for the most part re-work for someone else's mistake and out of the 150 leaks 30 I have had to re-place the whloe joint with new fittings.

 

[hj]

pie plate

Sorry I got here so late, I was going to save you all that trouble. I was going to suggest keeping the pie plate under the leak and installing a dehumidifier.

That reminds me of a dishwasher repair one of our plumbers made decades ago. It was in a convent and he was sent to repair the leak. A couple of years later it started to leak into the basement again so I went to repair it. He had put a metal pan under the leak. It was a small leak and the water evaporated faster that it leaked. But he had used a steel pan instead of aluminum so it rusted out and started to leak again.

 

[Cass]

Sorry I got here so late, I was going to save you all that trouble. I was going to suggest keeping the pie plate under the leak and installing a dehumidifier.

That reminds me of a dishwasher repair one of our plumbers made decades ago. It was in a convent and he was sent to repair the leak. A couple of years later it started to leak into the basement again so I went to repair it. He had put a metal pan under the leak. It was a small leak and the water evaporated faster that it leaked. But he had used a steel pan instead of aluminum so it rusted out and started to leak again.

So......... you just put an aluminum one back.

 

[hj]

So......... you just put an aluminum one back.

No, even though I was an apprentice at the time, I was the "boss" so I had to do it cosrrectly. Although I suppose I could have done like I did with a terribly "gunky" stopped up toilet once and call back and have one of the journeymen do it.

 

[Lakee911]

Plan "A" was to leave the pie plate in place and see if the leak seals itself [grin].

I seemed to have opened up a pin hole leak in a pipe when I installed my new hot water heater the other weekend. I've let it slowly (drop every 10min) leak hoping it'd seal itself, but so far I've not been lucky. Installed a new utility sink and drained everything a few days ago and while pipes were empty I forgot to fix it! Grrr! Tonight I wrapped a scrap of rubber around it and threw a clamp on it. Ha..I'm lazy. It's slowed down though.

(Yes, I'll fix it next time pipes are empty.)

Jason

 

[Jason Doliver]

Yes that is correct, just make sure you have the water drained off. For the most part 8 times out of 10 it will work. You can even sweat the fitting lose and replace it with a new one. But I would try re-soldering first, and then go from there. One more thing if the fitting start's to trun black that means you are burning it, and then you should replace it. I have even re-solder 3 inch copper that had a crack almost half way around the joint. The orignal connection was made by a ex-coworker

ha sounds like u worked with my brother. , but i must agree that mapp gas works better and resoldering is the quickest solution, but the flux is the impt part too.. i will say to keep damp cloth and flux ready for after you resolder joint wipe it down with both so that bead of solder doesnt bubble up as shown

 

[Lakee911]

I seemed to have opened up a pin hole leak in a pipe when I installed my new hot water heater the other weekend. I've let it slowly (drop every 10min) leak hoping it'd seal itself, but so far I've not been lucky. Installed a new utility sink and drained everything a few days ago and while pipes were empty I forgot to fix it! Grrr! Tonight I wrapped a scrap of rubber around it and threw a clamp on it. Ha..I'm lazy. It's slowed down though.

(Yes, I'll fix it next time pipes are empty.)

Jason

Holy thread resurrection batman! Coincidentally I had the water off on Saturday. Forgot about that link. Rubber still holding up! LOL

 

[okii]

Hello-

I have a similar problem regarding an existing leaking copper fitting. My fitting is a tee (1x3/4x3/4) that is leaking from one 3/4 branch connection. Some of the responses discuss making an in-place repair by refluxing the joint, heating with MAPP gas, and then soldering the leaking joint. I assume that you are heating the fitting to accomplish this. By heating the Tee fitting, will it cause the other Tee branch joints to be compromised? Would you flux and re-solder all the branch joints again?

I did buy a new fitting ($12.50) to replace the old one, but if just resoldering the one(?) joint on the Tee would work, then I would try it. Access is difficult, especially if I have to remove the entire fitting and replace.

Thanks