Last couple days, in the middle of our Holiday celebrations, my
mother-in-law mentioned that her water heater finally bit the bullet and could I put a new one in.
Anyhow, this ended yp being a bit bigger project than I planned. Getting the old one out was a nightmare, darned thing was still draining late this afternoon. After 3 hours of draining, it was still way too much for me to manhandle so I enlisted the help of my neices BF, Young man is willing but has no idea what work is, We finally got it out onto a dolly and out to the curb.
Moved new one in and no way was it going to connect with existing plumbing. It was a direct replacement according to Sears but it was 2-1/2" taller. Not having many tools, I decided to roll the bones and see if I could make it work, Everyone got hot showers last night but a few fitting were overstressed and leaking, not bad but too much for comfort, So I said I would be back today and finish the job properly.
This AM, scrounged my plumbing supplies and got some 1/2" and 3/4" copper pipe, a box of assorted fittings, pipe cutter, torch, - needed a refill, wire brushes, sand paper, etc... and no where to be found was a roll of solder. No problem, was going to stop at home depot on the way for some mapp gas, Picked up the only solder they had, lead free with flux and a brush. Had to make an extension and a drop. ! connector and 3 ells so not to bad to solder. Pipe was dry no problems... I could not have been more wrong. Cleaned pipe and fluxed just like package said. fitted everything and started soldering. Did all 8 joints and I was happy, figured not bad for 30 minutes. 2 leaks same fitting,,, took apart dried, recleaned and fluxed, reassembled and soldered... still leaking, Several rpeats, even new fitting a couple times and finally rooted around and found some old 50/50 acid core in my recently deceased father in laws garage and finished the job.
Now on to my question the lead free solder does not seem to glow very well and even when I too the joints apart, did not feel the solder wicked the way it should have (or that I am used to with old lead solder) So what is the secret to using lead free solder? Anyone.... I'm sure I will run into this again.
mother-in-law mentioned that her water heater finally bit the bullet and could I put a new one in.
Anyhow, this ended yp being a bit bigger project than I planned. Getting the old one out was a nightmare, darned thing was still draining late this afternoon. After 3 hours of draining, it was still way too much for me to manhandle so I enlisted the help of my neices BF, Young man is willing but has no idea what work is, We finally got it out onto a dolly and out to the curb.
Moved new one in and no way was it going to connect with existing plumbing. It was a direct replacement according to Sears but it was 2-1/2" taller. Not having many tools, I decided to roll the bones and see if I could make it work, Everyone got hot showers last night but a few fitting were overstressed and leaking, not bad but too much for comfort, So I said I would be back today and finish the job properly.
This AM, scrounged my plumbing supplies and got some 1/2" and 3/4" copper pipe, a box of assorted fittings, pipe cutter, torch, - needed a refill, wire brushes, sand paper, etc... and no where to be found was a roll of solder. No problem, was going to stop at home depot on the way for some mapp gas, Picked up the only solder they had, lead free with flux and a brush. Had to make an extension and a drop. ! connector and 3 ells so not to bad to solder. Pipe was dry no problems... I could not have been more wrong. Cleaned pipe and fluxed just like package said. fitted everything and started soldering. Did all 8 joints and I was happy, figured not bad for 30 minutes. 2 leaks same fitting,,, took apart dried, recleaned and fluxed, reassembled and soldered... still leaking, Several rpeats, even new fitting a couple times and finally rooted around and found some old 50/50 acid core in my recently deceased father in laws garage and finished the job.
Now on to my question the lead free solder does not seem to glow very well and even when I too the joints apart, did not feel the solder wicked the way it should have (or that I am used to with old lead solder) So what is the secret to using lead free solder? Anyone.... I'm sure I will run into this again.
