Independent soldering copper pipes of large diameter. Soldering copper pipes: technological features and work move. Step-by-step technology soldering

The use of pipes from copper and its alloys has long been no longer as unusual in the arrangement of modern heating systems: thus increasingly equipped highways for the transportation of water and gas, modern air conditioning systems and refrigeration units of various types. Conducting installation work, it is important to know how to solder copper pipes.

How to connect copper pipes

When forming all-in-block connections from this type of product, the soldering is mainly used. This long-known method of docking copper products is implemented due to the saturation of the contact area with a special molten adhesive solution - solder.

Studying how to solder copper pipes, it is important to remember that for reliable welding contact, the melting point of the solder should only give up a similar parameter of the connected tubes. Conducting an independent solder of the copper pipeline, it is important to comply with special accuracy. It is best to study the technology to be well in front of it how to weld copper pipes.

Advantages of the welded method of connecting copper pipes

Copper welded connections have many positive feedback regarding their reliability, which makes them even more popular.

Among the most significant positive qualities of the copper soldering can be selected as follows:

Welded copper products are obtained very durable and durable.
Copper refers to the most simple in processing and affordable materials.
The welding contact has a very significant space when choosing the most appropriate conditions - so-called. "Adjusting the welding mode".
Camping by the soldering method, there is no need for standard adapters and fittings. Thus, a noticeable economy of finance is achieved when organizing the heating system.

What is the soldering, and which tool is necessary

Conducting special operations for welding pipes of different sections, such temperature modes are used mainly:

High temperature. Provides thermal heating of the melting area up to +900 degrees. Typically, the blanks are under constant loads.
Low-temperature. This mode is especially suitable for domestic use. The operating temperature over the contact line usually does not exceed +450 degrees in this case.

To make the process of connecting the tubes by the soldering method as comfortable as possible, for this you will need the presence of the following tool:

Special capture-cargo, to obtain a smooth cutting of the pipe at the place of its future docking.
Equipment for the removal of the champers and removal of the burr.
A special expansion device, with the help of the preparation of the place of docking the desired depth. This indicator is usually correlated with the diameter of the jammed pipes.
Welding apparatus or gas burner. They serve as a tool for soldering pipes from copper.
Thermal hair dryer, which quickly warms up the connecting plots to +650 degrees. It is applied in cases where work is carried out with a low-melting point. This welding-warming machine makes it possible to achieve a simple observance of the desired temperature mode at the place of the soldering, with the ability to support it in the required limits. As a rule, the adjustment of the device includes shift nozzles, which give the ability to direct hot air strictly to the desired section of the pipeline.

Soldering soldering at home

This name is used to designate solders with a high level of refractory. Externally, they have the form of long rods with an arbitrary profile, which is very convenient if the metal is heated directly in the soldering area to a temperature of +900 degrees.

As for the so-called. "Soft" solders, then with their help there is a low-temperature processing of copper products at home. Most often, they look like very thin wires made on the basis of tin, lead, zinc and their alloys. Such a shape of the solder is very convenient when solving the question, how to solder copper tubes at home.

How to solder, using flux

To solder copper tubes to independently, it is important to simplify this process as much as possible. Especially for this, the use of special pasty or liquid substances called fluxes is practiced.

With the help of these chemical reagents, the following objectives can be achieved:

Before cooking a copper tube, harmful oxides and other preventive compounds of the substance are removed from the soldering zone.
The working area receives additional protection against oxygen exposure, which is usually rich in the environment. This substance used for soldering is preserved from entry into unnecessary chemical reactions in this case.
Fluses are very convenient for the formation of the most appropriate conditions that allow the solder to the most uniformly distributed across the entire area of \u200b\u200bdocking. As a result, the copper connection obtains the necessary resistance to thermal and vibrational effects, which protects it from the appearance of skips and leaks.
The degree of adhesion of the copper pipe and solder, due to the components contained in the flux, reaches the required level of quality. This is especially important if the highway is experiencing exposure to the gap.

Compliance with the desired temperature during operation allows the preheated solder to evenly cover all parts of the combined billets, which ensures the connection with the desired degree of reliability. When the soldering area cools, it is cleaned of all surplus solder.

Homemade masters try to carry out construction and repair work on their own, which allows not only to save a family budget, but also be absolutely confident in a qualitative result. Therefore, they have to master new ones for themselves techniques and technologies - such as brazing copper pipes.

We will tell you how to build and connect communications from copper pipes. With us you will learn what consumables and tools will be required to the Contractor. Useful even in life skills will allow themselves to assemble pipelines with excellent performance.

Copper pipelines in practice are rarely used. The reason for this is a fairly high cost of materials. However, copper pipelines are rightfully considered the best.

This metal is superior to all other materials on heat resistance, flexibility and durability. After assembly, you can pour into concrete, hide in the walls, etc. In the course of operation with them nothing will happen.

Copper pipelines are considered the best, since their service life is comparable to the service life of the building in which they are installed

It is worth considering, choosing a material for the arrangement of heating or water supply. Calculated for long-term operation, higher costs are completely paid off. In addition to the excellent performance, copper possesses, it is quite simple in the installation. "Terrible fairy tales" about the difficulties in the soldering are most often exaggerated.

Copper just soldered. Its surface does not need to use aggressive tools when cleaning. A plurality of low-melting metals has a high adhesion with her, which simplifies the choice of solder.

Hurrying copper fluxes are not needed, since the metal melting does not occur with stormy reactions with oxygen. In the process of soldering, the pipe is not deformed, its shape and dimensions remain unchanged. The resulting seam can be spilled if necessary.

Methods for soldering parts from copper

Soldering is considered the optimal method of connecting copper parts. During operation, the melted solder fills a small gap between the elements, forming a reliable connection.

The most common two ways to produce such compounds are the most common. This is a high-temperature and low-temperature capillary soldering. We will analyze, what they differ from each other.

Gallery of images

Copper is one of the most easily accessible metals, which is widely used in the industry and the system of housing and communal services. - This is a connection using fittings using a rigid and soft soldering. Technology is known from ancient times, and today is especially relevant - using modern materials for soldering.

Terms of strength

One of the conditions of tightness and strength of soldering products is the corresponding width of the solder connection. To ensure this condition, special devices are used connectors, double-eyed knees, caps, tees. Copper can be launched:

soft solders (melting point below 450 C);
solid solders (melting point above 450 C).

Solder types used on copper water pipes:

40 percent of lead / 60 percent of tin, for example;
95 percent of tin-antimony / 5 percent of lead;
50 percent lead solder is recommended on copper alloy lines that should not be used for drinking water;
inspection solder, for pipes used in water supply.

Preparation of workplace

Soldering copper pipes should be held after the preparation of the workplace, and work should be started in order to properly choose a tool for braking copper pipes and related materials.

Required soldering tools:

Installation of soldering of compounds in installations is carried out using the appropriate burners with propane air or acetylene oxygen. The flame temperature is propane - air is about 1900 C, and acetylene oxygen is about 3100 degrees. The high temperature of the flame of hydroxyacetylene, on the one hand, speeds up the heating process to the soldering temperature, on the other hand, creates a risk of unacceptable melting of the surface of the pipes.

Tool for soldering, in particular, cap burneris a critical factor affecting quality. Thus, even the heating with a standard burner, despite the very high thermal conductivity of copper (411 W / m * K), may be difficult, especially in places that do not allow to move the soldering iron. In such situations, it is much more profitable to use burners with caps, which evenly heat the soldering area.

General order of work

Fastening for copper pipes

The pipe clamps tightly be resting the pipes into the wall, a support beam or another design. These clamps usually represent one bracket with two holes for mounting on a solid surface or a flexible metal strip with holes, broken every few centimeters. For any type of clamp, it is necessary to mount to the wall or beam.

There are several types of fastening elements to choose from:

clamps for pipes from copper;
nails;
screws and bolts;
plastic clamps and fasteners;
alternative fasteners.

Such pipes usually require clamps, since the use of the same type of metal will reduce the condition for the occurrence of corrosion from low electrical currents created by connecting different metals. Copper provides a flexible clamp that allows pipes to expand and shrink in different weather conditions. Clips for pipes available In molded C - figures or in flexible copper strips with clamps, penetrated along the strip. Any type is allowed for copper plumbing.

Nails are inserted on both sides of the pipe clamp and fix in place to strengthen the retainer on the wall or on a different surface. They are best suited for wood, but can be used with plasterboard and open siding.

It is important to use zinc nails to avoid corrosion of the nail head over time. Installation of fasteners requires caution. Copper pipes are easily bend, and the missed blow with a hammer can damage it. Before holding the soldering, it is better to start from a video tutorial where the right technology is demonstrated.

Screws and bolts are another embodiment of the clamps. Screws require the use of rolled, but much stronger than nails. Screws work well in wood, but can also be installed in concrete or other solid surfaces. Some pipe clamps are tied with bolts. As a rule, the bolts are supplied with clamps. It is better to use galvanized screws and bolts to reduce the likelihood that they will be corrosive with time.

You can use plastic clamps and fasteners with copper pipes. Plastic will not corrosive on the copper surface and is kept as tight as copper clamps. Also used plastic zippers for connecting the pipe with another surface. This is especially useful when it is inappropriate to use a copper pipe clip with nails or screws, for example, when connecting multiple pipes. Plastic zippers are supplied in a variety of sizes for any application.

The difference between the soldering of copper and brass

Skaika is a convenient tool when it comes to repairing plumbing in the bathroom. Soldering is not a single operation, and in different cases other technologies are required. In particular, the brass pipe solder may be more complex than copper soldering, as brass fittings require higher temperatures.

The main process of connecting brass or copper water pipes is essentially the same, but the big difference between copper and brass is that the brass requires much more heat for the proper operation of the solder. In fact, you have to heat the metal five or six times more than copper so that it reaches the point in which the solder is melted. It will require a higher temperature from the torch, more time, heat supply to metal, and close attention behind the behavior of the flame from all sides.

Brass pipes are somewhat unusual, so before the start of the soldering you need to ensure that the pressure inside the soldering is accumulated, and is freely removed into the environment.

Experience suggests that propane burners are not enough hotTo work with brass. Instead, when working with brass, a special gas is used, which is a mixture of methyl acetylene and a suspension, which reaches a higher temperature than propane. No need to buy on the use of flux or soldering paste when you need to mount pipes.

Communications from copper are rare today, but an exceptionally reliable option for water supply and the heating of a private house. The earliest opinion on the difficulties of installing copper pipelines is not in practice absolutely. Self-soldering copper pipes is available for non-professional, if he knows the process technology and owns tools. Slide the subtleties of the connection of copper pipes, collect your personal plumbing and you will no longer have to ever do communications.

Copper pipes are good because they are not subject to corrosion, have a service life for more than half a century, soft enough, so as not to be afraid of moving the water in them. Copper - the material is perfectly smooth, it prevents education in the pipes in the pipes, moreover, the material has bactericidal properties.

Note! The composition of the copper tubular material for home communications should be 99% pure copper. Alloys with "additives" form poorly soluble oxides on the surface, which prevents high-quality soldering.

Distinguish two varieties of copper pipes, depending on the method of their manufacture:

rejected;
non-raised.

These pipes may have the same composition, but they differ sharply in physical properties.

The hot tubes are an elastic pipe material. The degree of flexibility can be judged by the fact that they sell them in bays, wound like a hose. The flexibility of the flexible pipes is a big plus when mounting. Of these, you can form different configurations without using additional details. This gives material savings on fittings and consumables. Reduces labor costs, a smaller number of connections are used.

And although these pipes are considered less strong than unnecessary, their safety stock is quite enough for communications in individual houses.

Non-raised pipes are not subject to additional processing - they remain harsh. You can purchase such material with straight runs as familiar steel. The wiring of unnecessary communications is carried out using fittings.

Fully water pipes or heating from copper today make infrequently, but still do. If you recalculate on the number of years during which copper can be served, it turns out not what is inexpensive, but very cheap. Nevertheless, the material itself is not the cheapest, but you can save on the installation - the copper pipe solder is not the most difficult lesson in the world. There are certain rules and features, knowing which you can achieve a high-quality connection.

Types of copper pipes and their use

There are two types of copper pipes on the market: annealed and unnecessary. The annealed after formation passes additional heat treatment - they are heated to 600-700 ° C. This procedure returns the material elasticity that is lost when forming. Therefore, the annealed pipes are more expensive, but also more flexible - they can even take out the freezing of water. The disadvantages of these products include less strength - it decreases due to heating.

Intended copper pipes are more durable, but almost never bend. When the water supply or heating is wiring, they are cut into pieces, and all the taps are made using the appropriate fittings.

There are copper pipes with different wall thickness, the annealed in the bays of 25 and 50 meters are sold, annexed 3 meters runs. If we talk about the purity of the material, then according to GOST 859-2001, at least 99% of copper should be present in products.

Connection methods

Most often connected pipes from copper using soldering and set of special shaped elements - fittings. There are also fittings for crimping. They have grooves with an installed rubber sealing ring. They are crimped with special ticks. But this technology is used infrequently - the soldering is considered more reliable.

There are two bracket technologies of copper pipes using various soldiers:

Low-temperature - with a soft solder. Just our case. This type of compound is used when laying water pipes and heating systems with a temperature of the working medium to 110 ° C. Low-temperature is a relative concept. In the soldering area, materials are warmed up to 250-300 ° C.
High-temperature soldering with solid solder. This type of connection is used in high pressure networks and the temperature of the transported medium. In household networks - rarely (although no one prohibits), more often in industrial.

What type of brake of copper pipes to use is your choice. Both types are suitable for both water supply and heating. But for high temperature, a professional burner is required, while the soft solder can be melted with even a soldering lamp or an inexpensive hand burner with a small disposable gas cylinder. It is no longer required to connect copper pipes of small diameter.

Types of copper fittings under the soldering

In general, there are more than two dozen different shaped elements for copper pipes - fittings, but three types are most often applied:

The number of fittings used can be minimized - copper can be bend, due to which the number of necessary corners will decrease. If you wish, you can do without couplings: one end of the pipes can be expanded (using the expander) so that the pipe has entered it and the gap remains to enter the solder there (about 0.2 mm). When creating expansion, pipes must overlap at least 5 mm, but better - more.

Without which it is difficult to do - it is without tees. For the inserting of the removal there is equipment - the beader, but it refers to professional and worth a lot. So in this case it is cheaper and easier to do with tees.

There are two types of fittings - ordinary, with squabs that provide the desired gap for the flipping of the solder. In the welding zone, the solder is applied manually. There are fittings with an elevated solder. Then the groove is formed on the construct, in which the solder piece is installed, which makes the soldering process easier - you just need to heat the welding zone, but leads to the rise in the cost of fittings.

Consumables and tools

In addition to pipes and fittings, you will need more burner, solder and flux - for the soldering itself. And still pipe begins and several associated trifles for processing before starting work.

Solder and flux

Soldering copper pipes of any type occurs with the help of flux and solder. Solder is a alloy usually based on tin with a certain melting point, but necessarily lower than that of copper. It is fed to the soldering zone, heats up to a liquid state and checks into a connection. After cooling, it provides a hermetic and durable connection.

For the amateur soldering of copper pipes with their own hands, solders of tin are suitable with the addition of silver, bismuth, antimony, copper. The best are the compositions with the addition of silver, but they are most expensive, optimal - with a copper additive. There is still a lead, but they should not be used when the water pipe is wiring. All these types of solder provide good quality seam and lightweight soldering.

Flux and solder - necessary consumables

The soft solder is sold in small bobble coils, hard - in bundles, sliced \u200b\u200binto pieces.

Before starting soldering, the connection place is treated with flux. Flux is a liquid or a pasty tool that provides a plugging of the molten solder to the connection. Particularly choosing nothing to do: any flux for copper is suitable. Even - for applying a flux will need a small brush. Better - with genuine bristles.

Burner

To work with a soft solder, you can buy a small manual burner with a disposable gas cylinder. These cylinders are attached to the handle, have a volume of 200 ml. Despite the miniature, the flame temperature is from 1100 ° C and above, which is more than enough to melting the soft solder.

What is worth paying attention is for the presence of piezoroca. This feature is not unnecessary - it will work easier. A valve is located on the handle of the handle gas burner. It regulates the flame length (gas supply intensity). The same gas overlaps the gas if the burner must be put out. Security provides a check valve, which in the absence of flame will block the gas supply.

On some models, a reflector flame is installed. It does not allow the flame to dissipate, creating a higher temperature in the soldering area. Thanks to which the burner with a reflector allows you to work in the most inconvenient places.

When working in domestic and semi-professional models, it is necessary to be neat - do not overheat the unit so as not to melt plastic. Therefore, it is not worth performing many pieces at a time - it is better to make the equipment to cool and prepare the following connection at this time.

Related materials

To cut copper pipes, a pipe cutter or hacksaw with a metal blade is required. The slice should be strictly vertical, which provides pipe cutter. And to guarantee a flat cut with the help of a knife, you can use the usual carpenter stub.

When preparing pipes, they must be cleaned. To do this, there are special metal brushes and heroes (for stripping the inner surface), but you can get by sandpaper with medium and small grain.

To remove burrs from the cuts there are harslers. The pipe spent on them better enters the fitting - its fools only on the shadow of a millimeter more than the outer diameter. So the slightest deviations lead to difficulties. But, in principle, you can still eliminate sandpaper. It will take only more time.

It is also desirable to have protective glasses and gloves. Most home masters neglect by these security tools, but burns are very unpleasant. These are all materials and tools needed to solder copper pipes.

Step-by-step technology soldering

Soldering copper pipe begins with the preparation of the connection. The reliability of the connection depends on the quality of the preparation, because you pay enough time and effort to produce this process.

Connection preparation

As already said, the cutting pipe should be strictly vertical, without a burp, the pipe should not be renewed, the edge is smooth and smooth. If there is at least small deviations, we take a chamimal or sandpaper and bring a cut to the ideal.

Next, we take the fitting, insert the pipe into it. The part that comes into the socket requires cleaning. Take the pipe and remove the top oxidized layer from this part of the pipe. Then the same operation is carried out with the inner surface of the termination.

Flux is applied to the entire shrouded surface - outside the pipe and inside the fitting. There are no difficulties - the tassel evenly distribute the composition.

Soldering

The processed fragments of the pipeline are inserted one in the other and fixed. If there is an assistant - it can hold parts stationary. If not - you have to personch yourself. Next, the burner is burned, the flame is sent to the connection site. The flame temperature is from a thousand degrees and above, and it is necessary to heat the connection to 250-300 ° C, and it takes 15-25 seconds. It is possible to focus on the color of the flux - as soon as he darkened, it's time to enter the solder.

In order for the heating to be uniform, the flame burner direct in the middle of the junction. Then the entire welding zone is warmer than evenly.

Solder is introduced into the place of the joint - where the fitting and tube are connected. As heated, it starts to melt, spreads and fills the gap between the elements. You can only apply it for half the length - melting, it will go to the rest of the connection. Actually, it's all - a brand of copper pipes is finished. All other connections are also made.

When using hard solder, everything is almost as well, only other burned - gas flames are used, and during the soldering process it is necessary to turn the pipe, winding the softening solder onto the pipe.