Soldering Copper Pipes With Water in Them (7 Solutions) | GOT2LEARN
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- Опубликовано: 22 май 2024
- Here are 7 solutions to soldering a copper pipe that has water flowing thru it.
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DISCLAIMER: Got2Learn is NOT responsible for any damage done to a property of which the plumbing wasn't done by a professional, I do not recommend doing your own plumbing if you are unsure about what you are doing, always hire a LICENSED contractor when doing any type of plumbing so you can be covered by insurances if something does happen, these videos are for entertainment purposes only!
Learned the bread plug "hack" while I was moonlighting as a plumber's assistant nearly 20 years ago. You have to use plain white bread; the cheaper the better, and no crusts. Any other bread can swell or deposit "chunks" of grain in the water lines potentially leading to another leak or rupture. Cheap white bread tends to almost instantly dissolve when pressure is reestablished due to the high sugar content and more fragile gluten structure.
This guy kicks ass. He makes great videos that are very well done and very educational. He's a wonderful member of the RUclips community!
Thank you soooo much, really appreciate your feedback!!!
This dude's a genius.
🤩🤩🤩
Any time I have to do some plumbing at home, I end up watching some of your videos before I start. Thanks for putting them up!
Awesome, glad you are doing your due diligence, have an awesome day Norman!
I’ve used the the dissolvable plugs that look like a real big gel pill. They come in the various copper pipe sizes with the insertion tool. The pipe has to be burr free as per the instructions and they are way better at holding back the endless trickle than bread. When done just add a little heat where they are and whoosh they are gone. They eventually totally dissolve and do not plug your fixtures.
Yeah, but good luck finding them anymore.
Very helpful. I'm capping a line to an outdoor spigot that had a deck built on top of it (spigot not usable). I didn't want to put a piece of bread in there that would never be washed out.
This is the most educating & professional channel on plumbing I've found.
Great job brother!
🇨🇦 🎯 🇨🇦
Thank you so much 😀
@@Got2Learn Yes you're welcome. I'm very impressed.
Bravo on the many video I've watched, very clean very professional.
At this rate I couldn't help but subscribe. I know a good thing when I see one. Take care bro.
@@TheLawWon so cool, glad my hard work is appreciated 🍻
Caution - Many years back I tried this method and it worked. There was one major issue “All my fixtures got blocked once the water was turned on”. It took hours to clean out everything. Toilets, faucets, shower, etc. I opened the utility tub faucet first thinking ahead to dispose of the bread. It didn’t work and bread still clogged my system. I would say be careful where this method is used. If the pipe being repaired is in the beginning of your water source it could clog up other fixtures. If the repair is at the end of the water source and effects one or two fixtures go for it. I had to learn the hard way. Just sharing my experience.
Just one slice of cheap wonder bread, not the whole loaf!
I like to create a temporary dam. For instance, in your mock up wall in the video, cut and drain as much as you can. On the side the water is coming from, go back a couple of studs and use a long flat screw driver as a wedge to raise the pipe to the top of the hole, creating a peak to block water from flowing toward your patch. If the line is on the bottom of a joist, again go back and use the handle of the screw driver to now create a dip to hold the water. Sometimes with this you have to remove a clamp. You should be ready with everything fluxed as you will have a small window to sweat.
Another good idea is solder all joints that do not have water flowing on them, then go back and sweat a coupling away from those, such as the tee in the video. The idea is that it's much easier and cheaper to solder a coupling and if you have to cut something out because it didn't take then all you lose is a coupling.
Brilliant - I wish there was RUclips 20 years ago, when I had this happen.
As a plumber in the UK we use propane and MAP gas which burns at a higher temperature. I have successfully souldered "Yorkshire" fittings with a ring of soulder already in the fitting many times with water in the pipe using MAP gas.
Good trick with the bread though!
The bread trick is great. It can hold a surprising amount of pressure. On several occasions, I waited for the break-thru to occur and heard the rush of water take place. It is sometimes fumbly to push the bread in. I think it swells up when it gets wet. I have needed to use up to 3 full pieces on some 3/4" copper where water was not stopping. I always use MAPP gas to get done quickly. Take the aerator out on downstream faucets you want to use for flushing the bread out. Also, It smells like toast. Good tip.
Thanks a lot bud!!!
Thanks for the video. I admire your clear concise and rhythmic explanations. I can tell you spent time gathering all of your thoughts and conveying them For the video.
I appreciate that!!!
Propress it like I do and call it a day. lol but always a good reminder. Good video man.
Wow, as usual I enjoy his videos. This one one threw me so many curves I know I'll have to dig deep in my memory bank when I run into these situations. I laughed when he said 'Not this stuff'. I happen to like rye bread. While still fresh in thought, my next trip to the hardware store I'll try to pick up a few drain unions/elbows for my 'parts on hand' box. Outstanding job got2learn.
Thank you very much !!!
Very helpful. Was able to solve the water problem and successfully complete my DIY plumbing job. Thanks.
I'm really impressed. I am the Chairman of maintenance at my condo building and over the last 5 years I initiated a replacement cut off taps that began leaking behind the vanities in bathrooms and on the ground floors (we're only 3 stories) I would be waiting hours for the cold water to drain. I have used the vac but still would get water that wouldn't stop. Incredible advice!
Sweet, This trick is awesome for those situations @Speeddemon3 ;)
Shut the valve off at the water heater. Sounds like you are getting a siphon when the water is off. Maybe you could install a main cut off per unit also when the water is off.
Great tips and tricks, delivered quickly and clearly. Terrific channel. As I mentioned in a comment on another of your videos, fixing my neighbor's main waterline 3/4" copper on a steep hill, the main turned off still allowed some water to flow. My neighbor daisy chained three plastic drinking straws and sucked out about a foot of water. It was flowing slow enough that this gave us the time to solder the repair. Tip for the straws. We didn't have a knife with us. Cut a taper on one end of two of the straws (scissors would be best for this), then they'll slide together easily. Of course a small diameter hose would also work. This is a variation on the shop vac, but I don't think it would work very well on a horizontal pipe.
And yes I've successfully soldered slightly wet pipes, not damp but drip drip. In 50 years I've been able to do this only a couple times as a hail Mary before doing something more difficult. Don't count on it, 95% of the time you'll just be making more work for yourself. The heat absorbing pad? I've got one of these that's about 40 years old, still good. Excellent for fire safety. And Fire Safety is critical - you will set fire to something. Plywood is worse than 2x4s as it's drier. And if the fire dies out, still wet it.
Good job, great tips. I’ve used the bread trick several times.
Absolutely, it's great...thank you for your great comment :)
This absalutly works I have used the tip to save the day more then once. Thanks for sharing.
Great to hear!
Ive used the bread technique a few times over the years when ive had to and its always worked
Thank you so much for the trick of using bread,after 2 tries and trips to town for more parts because of dripping water it worked..again thank you...😊
Ahhh i'm happy for you, glad I was able to help ;)
You missed the freezing kit, the main way i used to do it. Great to see the other ways too.
Love your videos man. Super great advice for plumbing here. Thanks
Glad you like them, thank you so much!
I have a small wet vac I use when changing a toilet to get the remaining water out of the tank and bowl. I recently made a fitting out of a PVC end cap that fit on the hose. I drilled a hole in it and attached a piece of clear flexible tubing in it that I can run into the pipe to vac the water out. Works well.
Nice, never thought of that ;)
I just use the tube from my u gauge to syphon cisterns out.
You didn't mention Cold-Shot It freezes all types of liquids in steel, copper, cast iron, aluminum, or plastic pipes ranging from 1/8" to 2" (10mm to 60mm) in diameter. It uses Carbon Dioxide (CO2) from a dip-tube cylinder to freeze the water in the pipe far enough that the soldering doesn't warm it back up.
Αυτό ακριβώς ήθελα να πώ
Another great video.!!!! thanks for putting more options on my table, because I absolutely struggle with plumbing. 🙂🙂
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Great information! Very thorough and detailed. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you, don't forget to share, it really helps the channel!
I like those get set tools..pretty cool..like a supply line version of a drainage inflation stop...those are pretty neat..thanks for the tips..the bread was a cool one also!
Glad you like them!!!
Take a rag to the end of a wire making sure to secure it good enough not to fall off and insert into the pipe. Solder and pull out . Work good for 1/2"&3/4"
Vincent Chato, I have done that before and it works pretty good, better than stuffing a bunch of bread in the line!
Fantastic video and thanks for the specialized tool info. ❤️️
Pleasure is all mine Arthur :)
Great tips to remember......very well demonstrated too... great job on the vid
Thank you so much!!!
Wet vac does indeed work very well, saved me few times.
Old school “trick”. Love it.
This homeowner has been there and would have appreciated this video, but it was before the internet was well established. I seem to recall that I ended up waiting FOREVER for the water to outflow. Anyway, thanks, good advice.
You are most welcome!
I helped a plumber change the main shut off valve at a friends house a couple of years back. The city came and shut off the water at the street, but it turned out that the city valve was not shutting off the water 100%, some was passing. Instead of using a compression fitting, "we" used a length of 1/4 inch copper pipe and threaded that through the new ball valve. The pipe was prepped, and then the old valve was cut off. The 1/4 inch copper pipe was inserted into the prepped pipe, and the other end held in the nozzle of a running shop vac. The 1/4 inch copper with the vac kept the water back far enough to give enough time to dry everything out, and to prep and solder the valve on. Then the 1/4 inch copper was pulled out, and the ball valve closed.
Clever, I like it.
Wow complicated, a whole paragraph of explanation would turn into a 15sec. Video.
Thank you !
Hey bro love all your tips and tricks . Very helpful 👍
My pleasure man, glad you liked it, don't forget to subscribe and share, it helps a lot :)
thankyou thankyou meric! the purge valve did the trick. You saved the day for me today
Thanks! You're video is great and you are a excellent teacher instructor.
Wow, thank you so much!!!
Nice video tutorial! Thanks a lot!
To stop leakage I am using the ise plug - it can keep high pressure and easy to apply.
Set consist the CO2 cylinder - so to freeze I am using leaqued CO2, which boiling point is -180 C.
This way make it possible to change even incoming water valve of building.
Yes that works very well!!
We had a leak and needed to replace a valve. Husband went to store and got the stuff to solder it when he got back I asked did you pick up bread. He looked at me like i was stupid. After 30 minutes of getting frustrated i told him to move and shoved a wad of bread in the pipe. Wahala had it done in a minute.
Awesome Monika, you the girl :)
Voila
@@Got2LearnYou forgot the pro press method!
@@skeetorkiftwon yeah, I didn't have the tool back then grrr 😔
@@Got2Learn lol, was just pulling your leg. But they are awesome. Did you ever screw with the soldering clamp heater?
Some great information, thanks for sharing your thoughts and great videos
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Thanks! the purge valve did the trick. you saved the day!
Glad I could help my man, and thanks for the tip!!!
À shop vac is the only tool i ever used. Drain as much water from the system as possible and set thé vacuum on a faucet nearby and make sure the to tape it properly in place. Make sure the negative pressure can only pull from the point you are soldering at.
Well said!
Negative pressure, lol. Vacuum?
Holy shit that just blew my mind
:)
Another upload ...another home run ..thanks
:)
I havnt had these issues in awhile. My boss got a Pro-Press for my truck. It's kinda corny, and takes the skill out of soldering. But very quick and easy. Great video as always🤘🤘
Thanks Deftones ;)
I love the pro press but there are times where it (or any crimper) just will not fit.
Pro press awesome if you can afford it
With Propress, you're also relying on an O-ring for sealing behind a wall. Yes, it's allowed by code, but then so is a Sharkbite, and I wouldn't trust that behind a wall either.
There is also the expensive option of using press fit but you need the crimping tool and stuff. Very much worth it in commercial though not having to shut down fire systems and fill in hot work permits etc...
Good job this video is very helpful 🤗👏🏻🙌🏻
Thank you soo much :)
Wow, thank u so much for the informative video, keep up the amazing job and God Bless
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A plumber asked a woman for a piece of bread, she brought him a sandwich instead, said a piece of bread wasn't enough to eat.
🤗🤗🤗
that give 2 pieces of bread instead of 1, so it still works. though sandwich is a bit hard to eat with only one piece of bread left.
Hahaha, I was doing a job in verdun and the lady asked if I wanted peanut butter.
Very well done. Thank you.
Glad you liked it!!!
Shark Bites baby!! Gotta have em! That’s from a 35 year master plumber. Good video though.
@Brix Broox only the off brands have I seen fail. Never have I seen a Shark Bite brand fail.
The bread trick is a good method provided you first disconnect dishwashers or washing machines with relays valves . These will clog up with dissolved breadcrumbs otherwise
great video. keep them coming.
Thanks, will do!
Loaf this . Helpful video 👍🏼
My pleasure man, glad you liked it, don't forget to subscribe and share, it helps a lot :)
The bread trick was great 20 years ago, luckily theres so many easier options now
Yup!
Save yourself the frustration and use a 1/4 turn compression ball valve to isolate. No stem to potentially leak.
Compression fittings are just as reliable as soldering which is why they are approved for underground use.
Yes they are pricey but your time is more expensive plus getting you on to the next job faster. For a home owner that wants to save himself $10 to $15 and wants to learn a skill have at it. For me it gives me peace of mind that I won't get a call back from an angry customer that a leak appeared after I left. 🤷♂️
Anytime I put a Valve or Purge in a wall I always put in an access panel. However I'd trust a Compression Fitting wayyyy more than a Sharkbite (20yrs Installing and Repairs with a lot of Floods from Push Fittings). I still keep a couple slices of Wonder Bread in a Ziploc as a backup. Lol
The Bread trick worked for me!!!
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Good vid bro 👍 I learnt some tricks thanks 🙂
Awesome, mission accomplished for me, glad I could help out!
I'm liking the tips and tricks.
Awesome :)
@@Got2Learn You have a new subscriber
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At work recently, didn't have a piece of whitebread. However, a honeybun from the vending machine did the job. I nibbled off the sugary coating and used the inside dough. Opened an outside valve and blew it out after.
Good job!!!!!!!!!
there are kits that will freeze the water in the pipe without damaging the pipe, creates a small block of ice. The kits is applied about 6 - 8inches towards where the water will flow from can be further. Do the solder work and the water (ice) will thaw of its own accord. I have also used a bit of kitchen roll in the pipe letting it hang out so it sucks the water from the pipe and let it drip into a container.
Great video
Thanks!
I always wondered about the bread in the pipe before.
These are really good videos, He didn't mention why not whole wheat bread, it's because the whole wheat grains would not dissolve and will cause problems for faucets and fixtures.
Had to use an entire loaf on 3in PRV replacement
This is a trick that will work
Good video !!
Glad you enjoyed it!!
Nice video man! In one of your previous videos where you show the bread trick I was wondering why you didnt mention the Jet Swet tool that thing is awesome and definitely the best way to go about soldering in a system that just wont shut off. The method you showed right before ending the video to me is the most professional way to do it. Your videos are really well done I love the production value you put into them! Its inspiring for me as a new creator! Keep up the good work!
Thank you so much for your kind comment :)
@@Got2Learn Thank you for putting out such quality videos its obvious you put alot of thought and time into these and like I said its inspiring to watch! The bread method has never worked for me it always causes clogs at random fixtures nomatter what you do to prevent it. I always keep a roll of 1/4" tubing on my truck I cut off the desired length and will suck or siphon water out I also have this cool drill attachment that pumps water out so in certain situations you can get away with emptying the line and making your joints quick enough to not need the Jet Swet because your right it is expensive. Keep up the great videos though bro !
Thanks a lot buddy, really appreciate it ;)
Could you go into more detail on using the 1/4" pipe option. I cannot visualize how that works
Pipe must drop a 1/4" per foot for 3" pipes and smaller, and drop 1/8" for anything bigger.
That Jet Sweat thing is kinda cool. I wonder if you could make your own. Perhaps something from Drum Brakes. In the caliper there is a seal, it's a cone shape and the walls can bend a bit, maybe if you had the correct size (close) you could shove it down the pipe and the cone would expand out to the edge. You could drill a hole in the middle, insert threaded rod, hold it there with washer and nuts and give you enough time to solder. Never had this problem but I'd try a few things before I felt i'd buy that expensive set. sure i could figure something out.
I am guessing that if you are good on a lathe you can make something cool ;)
Three easy other methods. #1, a DIY Jet Swet. Just a threaded rod and a sleeve to make compression at the other end along with some rubber stoppers, for the size or two most DIYers might need this would be easy enough to do for the once or twice you might need it.
#2 Two pieces of bread, so it works better. Should still easily disintegrate later.
#3. If you have an outlet or other access point nearby, thread some copper wire from the outlet to the joint, through the coupling, etc. Tie it around the middle of a couple of sponges, then stuff them back to stop the water, as per the bread. Once the joint is done, pull on the wire then relax, repeat and you should be able to work the sponge out and through the joint. If you have an outlet a few feet away or in a straight line this will be trivial, just as easy as the bread, and reusable..
1000 times better and simple than what he is said job done in 2 second
Thanks for the info
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Perfect video!!very helpful!!can you tell me where can I found the jet swet?I'm from Greece
On Amazon you could get it, check the links in the description box below the video :)
Very nice
Thank you Stjepan, please share if you can :) have a great day!
jet sweat for the WIN :- ) !
Yesss
I'm back again bro. And didn't regret it (y)
Awesome :)
We do things differently up here in Alberta Canada 🇨🇦 fix the cc it’s an extra too the home owner and then the water will shit off 👌🏼
I replaced the rubber gasket in the main shut-off valve. About 3 dollars for a gasket kit. Solved my water in the pipe issues.
Hello from Texas🙋♂️
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I used a union years ago, long before shark bite. Worked out just fine.
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I remember when there was no shark bite
It was bread and a male adapter or a flange on larger sizes
excellent
Thank you! Cheers!
Do you have any fixture O-ring kits that you recommend? I didn't see any in your Amazon store.
Hi 👋🏾 Any advice on how to solder or repair a pipe out of reach? Any tools out there in the plumbing world for this task?
The pipe and fittings are reachable, but in a crawl space that’s too low to maneuver or work under and prep the pipe for soldering, compression, or shark biting. Just wondering if they’re any tools out there to do the trick, so you won’t have to tear up flooring or take out a tub to reach the pipe. Thank you.
Unfortunately, if you want to do a good job, you'll need to have good access to the fittings/pipes, whether you're soldering, using a compression fitting or a Sharkbite.
Hi, thanks for the ideas! I'm sorry but you forgot to mention a major disadvantage of using bread: the hunger that you get when you smell toast.
I had to use bread once at my house and it got me out of a tricky situation.
Xkdjidkhodudgdodoytfoditoafodiggidhsgksidh
I work in a big hospital. We had a leak in a 5 "" copper line. I had to stuff 5 loaves of bread in the pipe. I got the fucking thing soldered. What a day. Yes it took a while for the bread to flush out. But it did.
I Dont believe you.
Why would I lie. It's true.
@@josephplatania5593 deep down in my soul. I want to believe you. I just can not.
I could care or less truthfully. Stay well.
@@josephplatania5593 okay I believe you now.
Nice tricks..
Thanks!!
What if where I am soldering is the lowest place? It is in a concrete floor and there is no main shut off. I put one of those push on caps on it but now I need to hook the sink back up and I want to solder it.
The best way to stop the water leaking through copper tubing it's the go to the water meter turn off the water and disconnect the water line connected to the meter. If you do this you can eliminate the seven steps.
That has little to do with the problem of soldering with water in the pipe. Because the water may be coming from somewhere OTHER than the main supply to the building. Try soldering in the basement or 1st floor downstream of your home water shutoff, even when it is in the off position, and you'll see what I mean. The point of this video is that turning off the water supply to the building, even if it is 100% effective, is often not enough to solder in a system that has been been fully charged with water.
A few years ago, our water main in was accidentally cut on the wrong side if our shut off valve. Water fed into our 200 home community through parallel water lines which we shut off but it would take hours to drain all the water from all the homes. The pvc glue wouldn't set with while wet under pressure but all we needed was 1min. Was shocked when the plumber asked for some white bread which he jambed up the main glued the connection and opened up a valve downstream and waited for the plug to pop out. I'm definitely a believer.
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I love my Jet Swets! G5 baby!
Good stuff!!
Awesome :)
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In closed wall, I will solder union fitting first or use Sharkbite slip fitting, and leave it not tightened yet, let the water drain out the opening spot before soldering point. After soldering the T fitting, I will connect the union fitting or slip fitting finally.
I once watched a plumber use a spray to freeze a pipe, replace the damaged part then warm it up with a blow torch, this was very quick and easy, that was about 20years ago, so it's nothing new.
Yes, that works too!
Hey everyone! Use bio degradable shipping peanuts instead.
They hold longer also already shaped for a perfect fit
Niceee!!!
It was serendipity. I just could not stop the moisture from being drawn out by the heat knew about the bread trick from my grampaw
And I recently had the bio nuts from a package. 🤔🤔🤩 .
Works amazing. Just Put’em in an old mints tin in the toolbox. Won’t get moldy either.
@@fatcat8dog soooo cool, gonna have to try this!!
But alas ... pex, shark bites solve this problem even easier these days
Thank u
Welcome!!
Does the bread dissolve in water mixed with antifreeze in the heating systems ?
I'm guessing it would.
So much fun, making steam and enjoy the sauna 😅 it's hard when water is in the pipe
Pro press. Invest in it. SO much easier and faster than soldering these days.
I agree, a lot of advantages if you're still using copper. No residual flux left in pipes is a good "selling point" to homeowners as well.
I have used compressed air from a portable tank to clear out water from a repair section that could not be purged by gravity.
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Always remember to remove the faucet aerator if you blow junk back it clogs the aerator
I did that this past weekend after I used a Quick Sweat to block the trickling water flow. Worked great to totally evacuate all water from between the rubber stopper and where I was planning to solder.
I've used the bread trick several times in past years when repairing long-line PVC pipe in the ground that will never allow you to make a dry connection.
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And there is the sliced bread I mentioned in one of my previous comments 😁👍
I've heard of a plumber using dry ice to temporarily freeze the water in the pipe until he could finish soldering or repairing in this type of situation.
Pretty common in EU
Doesn't the ice melt from the heat of the torch and turn back into water?
@@averyalexander2303 Good question! The dry ice is applied far enough away from the section needing repair that the ice doesn't melt while soldering.
@@rudycarrera791 Thanks for explaining! That seems like a great idea as long as the pipe is still accessible several feet away from the location that needs to be soldered.