Insane Plumber's Trick: Solder Copper Pipes Dripping Water
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- Опубликовано: 26 июн 2024
- How do you solder copper pipe if the pipe is dripping water after shutting the water main off? This DIY video shows you all about soldering copper pipe with water in it. We'll teach you about this old plumbing trick to soldering copper pipe and how to use this Plumber's Bread Trick to solder copper pipe with water still dripping. This repair helps hold the water back until you complete the soldering process. You can't sweat copper pipes while water is inside.
Trolls claim we never de-burred the pipe before soldering copper pipes, we did de-burr the copper pipe, it is not in video. At 6:09 in the plumbing bread trick video, you can see my gray de-burring tool sitting on the shower curb.
✅ Tools used in this plumbing tips DIY video:
✅ Bernzomatic Trigger-Start Torch Kit : amzn.to/2Bzj80K
✅ RIDGID Close Quarters Tubing Cutter: amzn.to/2BT7bD6
✅ Oatey 31400 black cloth Flame Protector 9-Inch x 12-Inch amzn.to/2mI7DjT
✅ Armour Line Pipe And Tubing Reamer: amzn.to/2Rut3OQ
✅ Plumber's Solder Kit: amzn.to/2BWr0cP
✅ 1/2" Jet Swet Plumbing Plug Tool (Alternative to bread trick): amzn.to/2VB4RJW
✅ Jet Swet 2100 Kit Tools 1/2" to 1" copper pipes, carrying case: amzn.to/2SGXeA1
✅ SUBSCRIBE: bit.ly/2vj06cB
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✅ WATCH: How to Replace A Kitchen Sink Drain Strainer, Repair Leak: • How to Replace A Kitch...
✅ How to Replace a Hose Bibb/Spigot - Soldering Hose Bib
• How to Replace a Hose ...
How To Solder Copper Pipe with water in it
We'll teach you correct way how to solder copper pipes. It will be no sweat for you to learn how to sweat copper pipes and copper fittings.
The plumbing bread trick for soldering copper pipe with water in it
Soldering pipes with water in the pipe is impossible; water cools copper pipe so solder will never flow. This plumbing dilemma happens at 50% of our properties. Our plumbing tips show you how to sweat copper pipe with water in them. Use our plumbing tricks when soldering copper pipe with water in it.
You cut off the main water but water still leaks and drips out of the copper pipe. You cannot solder your copper fittings until you stop water from dripping out of the copper pipe. A few drops of water in the copper pipe will prevent solder from flowing. Plumber's bread trick to save the day:
To stop water from dripping from the copper pipe, you wad up some white sandwich bread in a dense ball and push it into the pipe past the area where you'll solder copper pipes. You'll learn how to solder pipes with our bread trick, plumbing tips.
Bread in pipe is how to solder pipes with water in them.
Bread stops water from reaching copper pipe connection where copper fittings will be soldered. It blocks water long enough for you to solder copper fittings in place while soldering copper pipe. This is how to solder copper pipe with water in it.
After soldering pipes using plumbers bread trick
Once you know how to solder copper pipes with the plumbing bread trick and completed your plumbing repair solder connection, don't forget to flush the bread from your plumbers bread trick out of the copper pipe, so it does not clog the valve that you place on the end of your pipe. After soldering copper pipe, remove the bread from your plumber's bread plumbing tricks out of the pipe by flushing it out of the copper pipe with water.
After you solder dripping pipes
Flush out bread after your plumbing trick and soldering pipes is completed. Turn on the main water until you hear the pipes fill up with water under pressure for 2 seconds, then immediately shut off the water. This will make the chunk of bread shoot out the pipe into a waiting 5 gallon bucket as seen in this DIY how to video and now your plumber's bread trick is complete.
We hope you like our plumbing tricks for soldering pipes with water in them, see our other plumbing repair videos, for best plumbing tips and plumbing how to projects, like how to solder copper pipes.
Congratulations, now that you've seen this useful soldering copper pipes plumbing videos, you now know how to solder a copper pipe with water in it, while tricking mother nature at the same time. Now you can teach your friends these plumbing tips how to sweat copper pipe when wet using the plumbing bread trick, putting bread in pipe to solder! You can teach an old dog new plumbing tricks.
00:00 Introduction to problem of dripping copper pipe after water shutoff
00:39 Plumbers Breas Trick to stop flow of water
01:55 Vacuum out remaining water after bread inserted into pipe
03:05 Apply flux and solder the copper pipe
06:00 wipe copper pipe after it cools down by itself
06:24 Flush plumber's bread out of the copper pipe 
Хобби
✅ Tools used in this plumbing tips DIY video:
✅ Bernzomatic Trigger-Start Torch Kit : amzn.to/2Bzj80K
✅ Oatey 31400 black cloth Flame Protector 9-Inch x 12-Inch amzn.to/2mI7DjT
✅ RIDGID Close Quarters Tubing Cutter: amzn.to/2BT7bD6
✅ Armour Line Pipe And Tubing Reamer: amzn.to/2Rut3OQ
✅ Plumber's Solder Kit: amzn.to/2BWr0cP
✅ 1/2" Jet Swet Plumbing Plug Tool (Alternative to bread trick): amzn.to/2VB4RJW
✅ Jet Swet 2100 Kit Tools 1/2" to 1" copper pipes, carrying case: amzn.to/2SGXeA1
You forgot to list the bread.
jeffostroff this guys a moron and not a plumber . Steve lav is a real plumber . He cooked that pipe . Bread doesn’t always work . Rookie
A trick I have used many times is to open a sink valve or spigot anywhere on the same line and stick my wet/dry vac hose loosely over that to create a slight suction on the line. This draws the water away from the fitting I want to solder and drys it out. Works like a charm every time.
Yeah I've done that also and it does work well but I prefer using bread because it's easier and quicker but when I didn't have any bread and the homeowner doesn't either that does work also. I have an adapter that fits on to my vacuum with a piece or pex pipe attached to it and I'll tape it to the faucet. I've been meaning to put an adapter on it for years but I always forget about it or say I'll do it late or next time lol. Also you want the valves open anyway so it doesn't put positive pressure on the line and cause a pinhole leak.
@@my2centz196 That's why I just let the hose hang loosely, because my vacuum is so powerful it would suck the solder right out of the joint if I sealed it on there tight.
@@UtwoBed yeah that makes sense and it's definitely a good idea. I always open as many faucets as possible even if I'm not using a vacuum because the torch will cause it to have a positive pressure alone. I've never thought about leaving the vacuum lose mostly because it would fall off but the vacuum I use is a ridged shop vac. I forget the amps but it's like a 10gal I think can't remember that either lol. I wouldn't say mine is that powerful it's just your average shop vac nothing special so I never really had that problem but most of the time I'll just open one more faucet suck the water out and turn it off. I've also just blown it out but it it's a leaking gate valve somewhere and I'm not replacing it I'll leave it on but I do take the bread shortcut more then anything.
@@del189 You are welcome. You know, necessity is the mother of invention. I had to solder a pipe in a house that had a leaking main valve. Water was trickling out so fast that bread would not hold long enough, so I thought, how the hell can I keep the water away from this joint? Shop-vac just popped into my head. (:-)
@@UtwoBed Why not just cut the pipe anywhere after the main valve and slap in a shark bite valve and problem solved in about 5 minutes lol.
I just realized from your presentation here that the reason I've seen so many journeyman plumbers bend the end of their solder was not only to get a better angle; but, it was also to mark how much solder to use on each joint. Thanks for that.
Yup that is exactly it and in the case when they are doing 1" pipes you will see them curve off about an inch. It's a great sanity check gauge to tell whether you have used enough solder because once it wicks into the joint you really can't see how much went in there.
And when brazing with a stick always bend the end over itself. No trick just because if someone bumps you by bye eye
First time soldering copper pipes here. Stumbled upon the video. Wouldn’t have thought to use bread as a temp plug but I will never forget it now!
Glad I could help
When soldering hold the flame under the pipe and apply solder at the top. The heat will pull the solder around the pipe.
Nitrofan69 lol and apply less heat and bring your torch closer
@@PlumbGod_88 Not the best torch head for soldering.
Won't you burn your hands if you hold the flame?
I get the feeling that this guy is more of a tile guy than a plumber lol
I tried to use that bread trick once about 30 years ago. And it was a pain in the ass. But it can work. I'm for opening other valves and creating suction with vacuums. And I would also only use rosin core solder for copper that won't stop dripping. Well hey that's what I think, and it was a good video anyway. Because there's lots of people out there who don't have a clue about anyting. And you may have surely helped someone. Peace and love, peace and love.
I have 20 years experience in the plumbing and heating business, that has to be the roughest work I've ever watched.
Yes a little sloppy, but it got done, and it is reliable, still holding to this day.
You could have used a little less bread and saved some dough.
Ha! That's a classic!
petcatznz
Heh heh heh 😏 laffing in Hawaii, now dats funny. I would tell him to break the Union on the house side of the meter eh but he would probably flood the neighborhood.
I’m curious to see what he would do if the bread doesn’t stop the leak. 🌺
"F" clown🤔🤣
Seem like you could do some of the prep work while it's dripping as those tools can get wet. Then you have more time to solder after you stick the bread in if you need it.
I was thinking the same thing.
heat the joint area first until you see the flux start to move and get hot, keep the flame moving from pipe to fitting back and forth over the joint area, then move the flame to just the coupling as soon as it's hot enough to start applying the solder. Don't just only heat the coupling, the problem with that is, if the joint isn't super tight, it takes too long for the heat transfer to the pipe, especially if its still damp inside and then the temperature difference of the coupling or fitting is too much higher than the pipe.
This worked well for a similar issue. Thanks Jeff!
Glad to hear it helped Mike!
Who's the old plumber ??
Bcuz it ain't this dude with the torch that don't know heat rises.
He shouldn't be telling nobody nothing
Green as a bean
It worked! Thanks!!!
Gary Borad Awesome I'm always glad to hear when one of our viewers was able to use this trick to success!
LOVE that shop vac tip !!!!
Definitely a first timer !
Oh you are? 😜
@@jeffostroff Don't worry about the negative comments bro, people are just assholes..
Good tip.
Thanks for the trick I had spend like 45 minutes trying to drain all the water but thanks to you got done and worked like a charm
Got the job done... that's good. One method explained well... that's good. You did a good job with video. Appreciate your time and effort to post and share your helps....
Thanks, glad you liked it.
Thank you so much, you just saved me from a constant flow of about a gallon per minute down the drain out of a pipe I couldn’t close off!!!
I'm glad I could help you out with that!
Clever...thank you!
Glad you liked it!
Years ago I was on a service call and I had a pipe that wouldn't stop leaking so I asked the homeowner if she had a piece of white bread. She goes sure hands me the bread and says you want some ham and cheese with that lol. Anyway I've told this trick to a ton of people and most seem surprised. I've even had homeowners get upset with me about it until I explained it would dissolve and I'd take aerator off and blow it out the faucet. Anyway this trick works amazingly well. I've been using this trick for about 20 couple years now and use it a couple times a week at least. So much so keep a loaf on the truck and replace it once a week at least. Other breads work also but I'd keep from using breads with seeds like rye.
My2cents I 've used bagel and pizza crust before. Lol. I love the smell of bread toasted by mapp gas. 😆
@@richardordonez8331 never used those lol. I guess it it works I only use Mapp gas also anymore and have for the last 10 years or so. I have a couple torches with 3ft hoses that work great. It's much more convenient especially since they'll hang right on your belt loop lol.
Damn, you have rookie soldering skills at best. Definitely not enough experience to tell others how to do it.
mazzmari my thoughts exactly....
Who cares what it fuckin looks like long as it holds your not going to see it. You guys act like your pros lol....
@@JoeSmith-dh1rz I can tell by your comments that you are definitely not a pro. Soldering can definitely be done wrong such as this demonstration. It might not immediately leak, but it will in the near future. I see that all the time.
Soldering joints aren't always pretty as long solder goes all the way in the joint inside and u can see it sealed inside it's good
@@JoeSmith-dh1rz I don't know what you're doing, but I know you're no plumber. Gobbing on solder is not what you're after when soldering. Also I don't know any plumber that can examine inside all of their joints. Not possible.
He makes more work for us professionals!
Thank you
Good trick to up one's sleeve!
Yes, we have used this trick several times over the years
This trick is legit. it works!!! A plumber hipped me to this trick like 30 yrs ago and I did it. When you’re done soldering turn on the water and the wet bread oozes right out. Kinda looks like poop coming out.
Yup, used it a few times, still a classic in a pinch.
This is a pretty cool trick. Hadn't thought of this before. I do a lot of handyman repairs for a friend of mine, and this may come in handy sometime. I do plan on buying some Jet Swets, but in the meantime sammich bread it is.
This is good until you can pay the $149 for the Jet Swet kit. Pricey kit, but comes in a nice yellow plastic case, and has room for the 1" JetSwet which you can buy later.
Thank u!!! The trick worked!!!
Nice, thanks
Glad to help
Interesting clip,thanks
Glad you enjoyed it
The bread trick work wonders for me 👍🏾
Thanks 🙏
You are welcome victor!
That’s cool with the bread. Kept it dry longer than I expected!
It is the density of the bread that keeps it in shape for so long
thanks that bread trick saved me a lot of headache
111HCS Awesome glad to help out another person caught in a jam
I didn't use bread but the shop vac trick from the comments worked like a charm.
We tried that too, but this is not a case of leftover water in the system, it's a constant stream leftover because the water won't shut off.
This just saved my sanity!! 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 Thank you so much.
Glad to help!
@@jeffostroff All I had on hand was potato bread and 12 grain whole wheat so went with the potato bread. Worked perfectly !! Seriously this is one of many reasons I think RUclips is invaluable. I can't imagine what I would've done without your help. Was thinking about blowing compressed air back in to the pipe maybe, but that probably wouldn't have worked either. This is one "trick" I'll never forget ✊🏼
Waaaaaaaaay too much heat. You don't have to clean the inside of he pipe....Also, you heat the pipe first then the fitting...
^^^ This ^^^ And if you put flux inside the pipe like this guy did, it could to draw solder INSIDE the pipe and make a bunch of torpidity that will break down the joint over time and no matter how "solid" the joint is, it will fail prematurely. No flux inside pipe. I would trust the acid in the flux to clean off "hand oil" before I would put flux on inside of pipe.
Thank you so much! So what we are trying to accomplish here is to just get the water to stop running long enough that we can solder another valve further down the line, so we can solder around the rest of the house.
yes that is all you need to do, stop flowing a few minutes.
A retired plumber that was in business for about 40 years told me about this bread trick a long while ago. I never had to use it, but it looks like it works as long as the water is only trickling out.
Yes we had that bread in there for about 15 minutes and it was indeed a small trickle and you are right anything beyond that with just such rate the bread too quickly and could start to crumble but we packed it real mice and dense before we shoved it into the pipe.
Why would you clean the insiide of copper?
You clean the inside of fittings!!
Reduce turbulence at the fitting.
Good thing you cleaned the street side of that fitting 😂
You could have saved a lot of time by cleaning the pipe before you put the bread in! DUH!!!
Absolutely!
I'll tell you what...you go ahead and save 5 seconds of time, I focus on quality and preventing contamination. I always clean right before I solder. Don't risk any contaminants on bread from getting on your pipe if you clean the pipe first. DUH! Your problem is handyman guys like you in a rush never stop to think about your actions and what problems you'll cause down the road. You're all about saving 5 seconds at the risk of other people's property.
@@jeffostroff pro here and what he said was right, i would have atleast sanded the pipe before putting bread in the line. More so that you have more time with the bread doing its job. Better yet i would have used a jet swet. Nonetheless good job extending the pipe out, much better for future repairs.
@@BULB271602 Well a couple of things here 1st of all I've done this enough times that I know how much time I have when I stick the bread in and it was plenty of time as the video showed so I don't know why you guys are harping on this subject. I prefer to do the cleaning after the brightest put in just in case there's any contamination. Cleaning the pipe after the bread is inserted assures that there will be 0 contaminations. My way works correctly your way works correctly as well. 2nd of all yes we all have a swet jet but this was a video for DIY people and home owners who are not going to run out and spend $50 on a swet jet and then wait for it to be delivered when they have their water turned off and need a solution right now.
I thought the same thing dude, but I didn't want to say nothing. It's like why are you putting the bread in first it's going to be soaked and falling out the front before you're ready to go.
Two words; one tool: Jet Sweat
Yes we have a tool review video on the Jet Swet. This video is for DIY homeowners who won't pay $150 for a JEtSwet to use it once
Great Trick! Thank you very much. I have same issue except I am welding a value to copper pipe under kitchen sink. Hope it works? I appreciate sharing this idea either way. Thank you
Good luck!
I don't know I've been told that whole wheat is even better than using white bread but I heard that using a good brioche will really do the trick as does a good croissant
Nice trick. Thanks.
Glad you liked it that trick has been around for decades.
Reem the pipe and sand it. Then use a long piece of 1/4" inch r/o tubing and shove it into the pipe until it will not go any further or at least 2'-6'+ feet. Then blow and blow until no water comes out. Then put the brushed fitting on to the sanded pipe with flux, flux the pipe, and solder it. Of course you will want to have the fittings brushed, and the pipe sanded, and fluxed. Also have torch and solder ready near bye to use as quickly as possible to solder the fitting. I have been plumbing since 2000 and went to a plumbing technical college and the r/o tubing trick is the best one I know of, no bread stuck in water line or mess from it. I always use this trick on top outs when the manifold stub out from the underground plumbing has to be cut, sanded, reemed, fluxed and fittings cleaned fluxed and put in to the pipe. You want to flux the pipe after getting the water out of it with r/o trick. I have heard of the bread trick but never used it, and I have done the plumbing on hundreds of homes, 30 + commercial buildings, and around 1000 apartments. Plus plumbing service some and add on's or extended water lines.
sounds like a cool idea!
Stop water flow as much as possible by turning meter off and on a few times , then find lowest supply which most likely would be the toilet water supply valve and remove line from shut off valve , use a to do or small lan under to catch leaking water , that will give you enough time to solder pipe , or loosening the meter adapter ( the big nut with the ruber washer , ) water won't go up the house , I've done it many times if the bread doesn't work , the bread trick only gives you like a minute or less depending on the amount of water leaking trhu . I'll try the bread first then exhaust the other options , one of them it's gonna work .and never give up. Get it done no matter what...
A we did it the opposite here we tried turning on all the faucets and all the other rooms and sinks and nothing helped because the gate just simply was not closing all the way on the valve. Also in many condos you can't just go outside and cut off the main because you'll take out other people's units with it which is a big problem with some of these older condos. They want to sign on the elevator with 24 hours notice about water being shut off tomorrow. In our case the bread trick held back the water for probably at least 10 minutes while we were filming this scene.
To make the job faster , before you put in the bread , you can clean the outside of the pipe and don't have to do the inside. you should have pre soldered the joint on the second pipe ahead of time and cleaned the inside of that pipe. Then shove in the bread the dry the inside and give the outside a quick once over with an emery pad. Then not so much torch flame.
Those Benzomatic torches give you way too much glame
disconnect the Nut on the city side
break it loose so your bypass is contained inside meter box,reconnecting is super easy just dont lose gasket
The part of the video sound at 6:39 is Priceless
Jet sweat stick is well worth the investment
Yes we have one now, whole kit does all 3 sizes
Wave the torch 1/2 way around fitting,solder joint facing wall first. You have to run solder around edge of fitting to get it to flow around. Then move to outside edge and continue moving torch around fitting and run solder around joint. I use 3 fingers and bend that amout of solder at 45° angle from end of roll . You dont put flux inside pipe or fitting . Flux fitting and pipe. Hope this helped .
If you have a basement,open laundry tub faucet to relieve water pressure from first floor .
Yes, adding the flux was a goof, was more focused on making the video, and not thinking clearly in 90 degree non air conditioned bathroom, but it is also water soluble flux.
bend your solder twice the diameter of the fitting and sweep it over the top and pull it under the bottom. check far side for coverage. inspect front side and make a little swipe on the bottom in case you missed a spot. on 1/2 and3/4
open all the other valves in the house to relieve back pressure.
Yes, we had done that, even the bath tubs. When the water is still running, it's because the gate valve no longer closes all the way. If water has not stopped after 10 minutes, then it is never going to stop,
@@jeffostroff then you go out to the yard and turn of it off at the meter like a REAL plumber! And if you can't, you use a jet sweat kit and solder in a valve in somewhere like a "professional".
This is totally unprofessional and you should be banned from youtube! It's like a mechanic replacing brake pads with a sticking caliper piston!
@@m_soko Oh, take note, everyone! Here Ye, Here, Ye, master plumber @Mike Sokolowski is here! In condos, you are not allowed to shut of the meter, it affects other people, they have to post signs days in advance, get permission, etc. Homeowners don't have the street tool either, and pliers hardly ever work. Nobody likes an arrogant snobby plumber like you. The purpose of this video just sailed right over your head and you missed it. This is a DIY video for homeowners (plumbers don't need to be told), and no homeowner is going to spend $50 on a Swet Jet to use once in their lifetime. But even so, we have the link to the Swet Jet in description and you missed that too. Plenty of plumbers use this trick and there is nothing unprofessional about it because it solves the problem, just look at all, just because the great high horse master plumber Mike Sokolowski decrees that it is unprofessional. I'd like to see how you waste your clients money if you could not find your Set Jet, what would you do then? Read all the the comments from people who said this totally appropriate method helped them. The only unprofessional here is you. You need to be brought back down to earth.
its not back pressure...... chances are its an old gate valve that leaks by...... and DEFINITELY DO NOT OPEN OTHER VALVES... that is the worst thing you can do..... once you break the vaccuumm you have completely negated all efforts of draining the pipe.... the worst thing a person can do when u have the water off is open something...... which they do..... all the time..... at the worst time possible the same principal that causes water to syphon , keeps it in the pipe despite gravity
@@m_soko your an idiot...... and obviously you have never been in some real word situations..... if u actually had the chops and the experience.... you would know.... sometimes.... the simple low tech answer is the right answer.... not always can u get a jet sweat to work... for instance... what if that pipe doesnt go straight back any amount of distance.... chances are it goes down.. maybe it was real tight and the soft copper comes up to a tee..... or any other myriad of situations where you may have had access and the room to work before the top out.... but when u come back to service it in 5 or 10 years not so much,...... not every time does the jet sweat with its what 12" handle work......
I'm trying to get my skills up for a bathroom remodel. I'm realizing this guy is wearing brand new leather gloves to solder a copper pipe and just watched four other videos before deciding to make his own. I was hoping for an experienced plumber and I got this guy.
Like many trolls before you, you use the wrong metrics to determine whether somebody knows something or not. Just because I'm using new leather gloves doesn't mean anything we are constantly buying new tools and new gloves and new everything to try out and do two review videos on.
I never wear gloves... why? It's easier to deal with small parts and I'm not going to burn myself so?
Oh, no pad for me thank you!
Some say the bread 🍞 still in there 😜
I’ve just used a rubber cork with a pull handle and plug the leak then and when done pull the string to remove
that's a great idea Jim!
I've had 10 hours on a plumbing course and I can't understand why he fluxed the inside of the pipe, why he used a wire brush to deburr instead of a deburring tool, why he didn't use a compression fitting, why he wore big thick leather gloves. I don't know enough yet but would a SharkBite fitting not have sufficed?
Lol. Yes I goofed putting the flux inside the pipe that was a momentary lapse of focus there. I did not de burr with the wiring brush I had already de burred with my regular burring tool which you can see sitting on the shower curb at the very beginning of the video. I just wanted to clean the inside of the pipe nothing wrong with that. There was not enough pipe coming out of the wall in my opinion to put a compression fitting because then if anybody ever had to do anything later to the pipe there wouldn't be enough pipe behind it to make any repairs so I wanted to leave the owner of few inches of pipe out of the wall. As for the shark by and I don't believe in using them long term especially on a sensitive location like that although the fact that it's outside the wall would make me feel a little bit easier about using it. I typically use shark bites to cap off a pipe temporarily. In by the way when this was all said and done I did put on a compression fit quarter turn shut off valveBut the owner just want a little bit more pipe coming out of the wall that is why we sawdered that fitting on there to begin with to extend it out a few inches.
Sharkbite may be nice but it's an increased cost and no matter what that o ring will eventually fail
@@jeffostroff flux stuck on the inside of the pipe said to cause pinholes eventually
@@ashleeverma112 Yes but we cleaned it off and it is water soluble flux this is not the standard old flux that the rest of you use.
@@jeffostroff Clean is good. I am told by experienced plumbers water soluble should in theory be just that, but still a potential issue - and usually a lot longer than 2 years to be an issue. Also the reason flux only used on the outside pipe joint so it can't be pushed into the inside. Just more for information, but saw others referring to it in the thread. I am currently fixing this exact problem on a bunch of pipe joints...can you say replace pipes! yes it would be the old flux
had to use this trick just a week ago was brazing some under the slab line and the hot water would not stop leaking so I had some left over biscuits form breakfast and shoved it into the line both direction and stop it long enough to braze, try it it works
I have used it a hald dozen times, works like a charm. I also have a Jet Swet, a pro tool for doing this same thing
In extreme conditions use a compression fitting and valve
gary, That's not an extreme condition actually, the compression fittings are the norm in our area. We went on after this repair to install a compression fitting. We had to cut the old one off and extend the length of this copper pipe from the wall because the stub out was too short to begin with, then we added a lot of thickness for the tile and thin set mortar, and the homeowner was disabled and wanted the pipe to come out further from the wall to them to reach the compression valve, if they needed to which we installed at the end of this pipe.
@@jeffostroff No man I mean in an extreme situation where the water keeps running. You install a compression fitting so you can shut the water down and continue work
Don't put flux on the inside of the pipe. It invites solder to pool inside the pipe, creating an obstruction. In a cold water system, it can cause corrosion inside too.
Yes that was a slip of the wrist inside a 90 degree bathroom in July, end of day, lack of focus.
I use another method, I open all the water valves going to the hose bibbs. Then take a air compressor to blow the excess water out of the house long enough to solder the joint. It gives you about two minutes till you have to get done, but it works. You should blow the compressed air into the pipe to be soldered, for about fifteen seconds and time the waters return. This gives you the amount of time you will need to finish the solder joint. Using the bread as well should buy you more time. Using a vacuum to suck the water out into the lawn hose, should give you all the time you need. Great video. I never tried the bread trick
Will the compressor stop even this flow of water that we showed here? This was more than a drip, it was actually flowing. Every minute or 2 the water would also gush a little bit, then drop back.
2019,simple solution,use a shark bite fitting. No sweat ,no torch, put it together and walk away.
@@ddmau7995 I'd rather not use a Shark bite, I only use them for temporary work, and never inside the wall. Although I would be open to using outside the wall, where you can see if anything goes wrong with it.
Bread trick works good for pvc too.
Yes it should work in any pipe that it can create a blockage in.
If it gets too hot ,its toast!
I've used this trick many times with success but the last time it ended up clogging my bathroom faucet. Unfortunately I had to dissemble the faucet and clean it out to get it to work again. I probably should have unhooked the line from the faucet before I turned the water back on so the bread could exit the line.
Danny H. Yes that can happen that is why you always want to plan ahead with your exit point, where it is going to be for the bread and make sure there is nothing on that exit point so that the bread can shoot right out.
!Not bad!👍👍
Thanks for watching Raul!
Sweet. Thank you Betty much.
Someone may have said it but I got the water to stop leaking but turning on every faucet in the house (while main water line was shut off) to stop dripping. It takes a few moments for the dripping to stop. I waited about 5 minutes.
Not going to watch the video but saw the thumbnail and instantly thought FLEXTAPE!!!!!!
No flextape, LOL, but this trick has been used by plumbers for decades
I carry a 12" piece of 1/8 " steel brake line with a flare on one end. Slip a balloon over the flared end and wrap rubber band several times to hold and seal it tight. I use an old squeeze bulb from a soccer ball pump on the other end. Slide the balloon through the fitting several inches past the area to be heated. Pump a squeeze of air to inflate the balloon and then do the solder job. Release the pressure and withdraw the tube with the balloon still attached.
The actually make commercial devices that work this same way but require multiple sized inflatable bladders...and the size you need is always missing from the tool box. The balloon system has never failed me. I have even used the method on natural gas and oil pipeline welding repair. (keep a sniffer handy)
That's another great idea, thanks! Just watch out for the snobby arrogant plumbers out there who call it amateurish and unprofessional.
You my friend are a genius. I'm going to the garage to put one together. Can't wait to try it. Thank you.
Brilliant!
ya know REAL Plumbers watch these DYI S for entertainment
David Cohn exactly!
Ya know, REAL plumbers wouldn't waste their time being arrogant cutting down others and trolling videos of people trying to make a difference. In your arrogance, you missed the point of this DIY video which show homeowners how to fix problems with what they've got, not how a plumber with $2000 in tools would do it. So while you're sitting on your high horse snubbing your nose down on the rest of us, we are all successfully helping those in need who are wondering where their next meal is going to come from, and could never afford a REAL plumber.
@@jeffostroff Jeff I just recently started watching your videos. I hope you take my advice. Stop responding to losers. Seriously. It will wind up getting to you. If you are going to make it in the public eye just ignore them. I do want to say one thing though. Because I am in the business it bothers me that there is so much how to info out there that there is a shortage of work. It will stop bothering me when I start my RUclips career and start making my living making videos and showing people how to do things. Ha lol 🤣😭😂
@@sal.pizzurro I love engaging these guys, the more engagement, the better our videos rank.
@@jeffostroff no one is cutting anyone down
there is truth in his statement that was by no means mal intentioned in nature
Rookie. Prep your pipe before sticking the bread inside and always heat the bottom of the fitting first, especially if there’s water in the pipe. The solder will always catch on top but it’s the bottom where the water will be traveling is where you will have the trouble if there’s water in the pipe. Also if your water main shutoff is not completing shutting down the water you can brake the nut on the water meter as well.
Handyman work, professional plumbers only use acetylene turbo torch, and use different torch tips depending on the size of the pipe you need to solder, thats a big flame for a 1/2" pipe. Have you ever heard of jetsweat tool?? You also left money on the table, next time replace the main water shut off first, you are not providing good service if you dont fix the valve
old trick and it works don't use the crust.
Bend your solder so that you're feeding the end, not laying the wire on the joint. Heat rises. So have the flame pointed at the bottom of the fitting(if possible). Start at the joint nearest the bread and... the tip of the blue cone everyone.
Good tips, thanks!
6:38 Your bathroom after a night of spicy wings and beer
LOL that's me after wings and beer
Old plumbers don't wear gloves because their hands are as oil free as rawhide. Also the smell of that bread after it's being toasted is delicious
Maybe next time we try some smoked beef jerky to plug up that pipe.
Jak to jest tak 😃 to się spodziewaj tego samego wszystkiego 😂
Where did you get that fire blanket.....i somehow soldered witha. Dripping pipe and it sealed, don't ask me how because im no plumber but it worked.
I bought it at home depot they sell it right next to where the torches are.
Heat from the bottom, no excessive solder. I also run my flux brush around the soldered joint which not only cleans the joint up it also spreads the solder around the joint a little more 👍
Good tip! But keep in mind, I've read research that says not to flux the joint after you sweat it because the cold flux is a temp shock which can crack the heated solder joint. So I quit doing it, but yes it does make things look nice and clean.
@@jeffostroff If you see a drip, just use a dry cloth to gently wipe the joint, while the solder is still liquid, then won't cause a crack.
I did that too, but it messes up the flux brush bristles, a dry cloth works better and not as messy
huge thanks for posting. Is it OK to use a compression fitting for connection where solder is not possible because of water?
I would only use one if it were outside the wall
@@jeffostroff thanks for the advice. I tried it with a piece of rope. It was a 3 inch of vertical piece of pipe which then bent into horizontal. Pushed the rope in. Waited few seconds and pulled it out. It was soaked and I saw no water left in the 3 " vertical. Slid the pipe and the coupler on. It took the solder no problem. No leaks.
one thing I would suggest is to put that hot blue part of the flame right on the joint I think you'll get a lot quicker heat up time
I can't believe that bread held back the water for that long. I use jet swets, but you have to install a ball valve with them. Going to try it.
Jim Weishaupt with The water down to a dribble there isn't a whole lot of water to hold back so it should last 5 to 10 minutes before it finally dissolves and gives way.
Nice to know. Is it ok to leave the bread in if it's a closed solder joint?
Jim Weishaupt No you should never leave bread or anything else inside the plumbing system it must be flushed out 1st it could dissolve get to lodged and who knows we're could end up in the system and cause problems elsewhere so it's best to always flush it out.
Jim Weishaupt : those of us in the trade use the bread trick when needed I have used it many times as a casino facilities engineer.and yes ya gotta flush out the bread at some point down the line .
I absolutely agree there's no way that little bit saturated bread would've held back that drip , I sense a cheat.
R/O tubing and blowing the water out the line works best. Another trick is a 3/4" unreemed copper pipe that's about 6" long to scrape the dry wall mud off of the copper pipe first then sand it before putting a angle stop.
Recommend adjusting your flame down.
That’s quite a lot of heat there you brazing it 😂😂
Seen a few things that I disagree with. No need to add flux inside a pipe if the connector goes on the outside. Should always heat the pipe up from the bottom then add solder on the top. He said he uses 1/2" long piece of solder for each end of connector but doesnt look like he used a 1/4" for both. The first joint I seen needed more solder for sure. The bread trick can work, but not every time. They make a tool called a Jet Swet that plugs the pipe so you have time to sweat the pipe and not be so rushed. Plus, who happens to carry a loaf of bread around with them everytime.
I just finished plumbing in a pressure tank for our well. I had 4 joints spraying water afterwards. I realized I had applied the flux using my finger do you think the oils from my finger in the flux cause that failure
Aaron, yes, oils from your finger could have caused it, and also maybe just an incomplete soldering and heating. Did yo brush clean all the parts where solder will be? Did you heat from underneath and let the flame heat rise up? Did you use the correct amount of solder? Did you push the tip of solder around the connection seam and let the solder melt on the pipe all the way around, and not try to follow the solder around the pipe with the flame? Did you apply heat to only the fitting and not the pipe to allow capillary action to suck the solder into the connection joint? Did you leave the heated connections ALONE, undisturbed after you turn off the flame and let it cool down by itself to room temperature? You want to be sure you don't use a cold or wet rag while the pipe is still cooling down. Let me know how you did with this check list, it could be a combination of issues.
@@jeffostroff thank you very much for the kind and extremely straight forward reply. I'm using the checklist to start over. What a pickle I'm in now, bit with your help I'm on my way to success
@@AaronRiegel One more thing, go watch this 5 minute how to solder video, it's the best one out there, this guy is the best: ruclips.net/video/JyVbjDsric4/видео.html
All you had to do is use a compression fitting. Not to mention always use the tip of the BLUE flam. It's he hottest part, but it MUST be the tip of the BLUE flame. Plus, the flame should always be OPPOSITE the solder. Back to school bro!
if you shut the main water off and it still trickles out, then opening the hot and cold valves of the sinks or tubs below the line your repairing should do the trick. it worked for me.
Jerry, That simply was not possible in this case, this was a toilet water supply line, already the lowest point in the property. Also, what you are proposing does not work when you have continuous water more than a trickle flowing, your solution works to relieve water still in the system after the water has been successfully shut off.
Would the water had come out if you only used the vac, like if you held if on the pipe for 1 minute?
excellent presentation and good video quality.
mark witte Thanks mark I'm glad you found our video useful.
The WC connection is the lowest point in a house so unless you have a hose cock lower that you can remove the top assembly and letting the water to flow out there, the only way to stop water affecting the joint is to disconnect your house at the meter where the main meter cock is that you shut down.
There should always be a union connection where the main water comes in allowing physical disconnection of your house from the main.
If you use the correct flux, you do not need to worry about all that mucking about cleaning the pipe.
AND you certainly do not need to clean the inside of the pipe not unless you are using a fitting that goes inside the pipe, (they don't exist).
The best flux to use is LA-CO soft soldering flux. It is water soluble and does not need to be cleaned up. When the water is turned on, all residue LA-CO will flush away.
You should never put the flame directly onto the fitting when SODERING a joint. The flame should be applied 25mm away from the joint allowing the heat to travel along the pipe to the joint at the same time occasionally touching the joint with the soft solder to test if it's hot enough.
If that's a "drip," Niagara Falls must just be a leak.
Someone off camera shut off the main valve! This shows no cap and check for leaks!
Soldering the fitting to the pipe seems very hit and miss for success. In the UK we would use 'Yorkshire Fittings' which have rings of solder already in position. Just clean off the pipe ends, flux, push on the fittings and heat.
Yes I heard of those and was very intrested in trying some of those out. My only question is how do you know when the solder has flowed because it's in the middle and you can't see it so how do you know?
When the solder is fluid it will pop out of the sides, and that's it. I am not a plumber, but have found these quick and sure. But, of course, cleanliness is the key to a good joint and you made a good key point re not touching the clean pipe ends. There are a couple of videos regarding these Yorkshire fittings on YT. Best wishes.
Just loosen the union on the downstream side of the water meter. It can leak all it wants in the box. I wish my problems were all this easy lol.
Might try that sometime, but man, scary thinking about unscrewing the city's stuff.
Exactly what I do in this situation. Problem solved.
now how you going to put the chrome plate on with the coupling in the way ?
So many questions on this video. But this is a good one!
You can get by with a little water in the pipe as long as the steam can escape and doesn't blow out your solder joint.
To make the job go a little faster add some butter to said joint once all soldering is complete. Don’t butter the bread whilst soldering tho as this will give you burnt toast
That' what we've been doing wrong all these years!
@@jeffostroff I think plumbing has sent me round the bend Jeff
The way I was taught is to take bread, roll into a ball, not hard, big enough to fill the leaking pipe, it clogs the water temporarily so you can do the solder. When finished, turn the water on and the bread will flush out.
Yes, that is exactly how we did it here.
That's what I get for not watching your video. Thanks for not beating me up over it.
By the way, I now have seen it and your very thorough. Very professional.
So tried the bread. Nope.
Turns out that even tho the main valve at the meter was turned off, water was still leaking thru.
My solution: disconnect the main line before the meter (and after the valve) If any water was bleeding thru that, this would let it leak out BEFORE getting to the house.
Worked like a charm. Stupid water.
Sometimes you have to shut off the main out at the street by the water meter. But yours sounds real drastic. I have never seen a case where water at the meter main would not turn all the way off. Most cities have updated their ball valves or are in the middle of doing it. But remember the bread trick timing is everything. Don't stick the bread into the pipe until seconds before your flame turns on.
jeffostroff : yeah, I'm guessing the valve is 20+yrs old......
wow, you are smart enough to be a plumber!