Pinhole leak coming out of the water heater cold pipe

[Daveby]

Hi, I have a pin hole leak coming out of the hot water tank copper pipe. It's right next to an elbow.

Is it possible to solder up the hole? Is there a better "rookie" fix?

Dang thing was spraying water out of the pin hole for 2 days and the third day it's still got a slow leak so I'm concerned I can even solder the thing with water so prevalent around the hole.

Probably best way is to cut it and solder in a junction, but I'm not that keen on accomplishing that.

That tape stuff they sell just doesn't work for me.

 

[hj]

The easy answer is that you will NEVER solder the leak if there is ANY water in it.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Dgeist]

Cutting copper tube is easy and you'll never know how bad the pitting it unless you get that section out of there. Bandaid fixes are just that...only good if you're okay with ripping them off in a few days. Sweating (soldering) a few clean, dry fittings is actually a good rookie project. To HJ's point, don't do it wet...you'll fail. Everyone's tried it once thinking they could and failed. There are some good intro youtube videos on basic soldering and it's good to have a buddy with some experience walk you through it the first couple times (and get a few scrap pieces and practice on the floor first as well).

One other possibility is to cut back the affected area and install a flexible service connection between the tank and the hard line. You may still need to sweat a threaded end onto the stub, but it's less work that re-working all the hard lines.

 

[Reach4]

How about a photo?

Maybe something like a Falcon PTC34JG-24 or PTCFIP V-24 would let you cut the pipe near the flaw, and push on the push-on connector. The other end screws onto the WH dielectric nipple.
http://falconstainless.com/product/34″-john-guest-push-to-connect-connector/
http://falconstainless.com/product/34-push-to-connect-ball-valve-with-a-connector/

 

[Gary Swart]

Sweating copper pipe is really quite easy provide you obey the rules. No, as in NO, water in the pipes. Pipe ends and fittings must be shiny cleaned just before joining the pieces, joints must be fluxed. The joint is heated until when the solder is touched to it, the solder will melt and flow. The flame is never applied to the solder directly. Allow the joint to cool before touching and/or applying water. Follow these rules and you will have a good joint. It will take practice to get a pretty joint like a pro plumber would make.