I want to get rid of all my old galvanized pipes and replace with copper, but I am not sure of what size pipe to use. I want to replace eveything starting with the main line coming through the slab in my basement. I am a little fuzzy on how to measure the pipe so I know what I need to buy for any threaded fittings. I am a welder so I think sweating any other fittings shouldn't be a problem.
COMMUNITY FORUM
You probably have copper for a water service and you are going to hook to it with copper so you should not have any threaded fittings except at the water heater. If you have a one bathroom house then 3/4 inch will supply your fixtures. Soldering is not exactly the same as welding as you probably realize. You may want to replace just one fixture branch first to make sure your soldering will be okay.
We go by interior pipe sizing in plumbing. The outside of 3/4" copper is 7/8". The outside of 3/4" steel is an inch.
We go by interior pipe sizing in plumbing. The outside of 3/4" copper is 7/8". The outside of 3/4" steel is an inch.
to meet code, all of your soldering on plumbing must be made with leadfree solder using leed fre solder paste. I use Otay #5 myself. I have found that for a good solder connection on 3/4 copper fittings you really need to use a MAPP torch and MAPP gas to get the fittings hot enough for a good solder wick action.
JMHO
Carl
JMHO
Carl
you just put the flux on, heat up the two peices, touch the solder to the copper and the sloder follows the flux, right?
You need to burnish and clean both sides of the intended joint with emery cloth first.
It is also crucial you use the correct flux and solder.
It is also crucial you use the correct flux and solder.
Soldering for a welder you can master in about 5 minutes, it is a heck of a lot easier then fusion welding as your
depending on capillary action to draw the alloy into the fitting joint.
Personally I like 95 -5 solder (95% tin 5% antimony) But the new silver bearing solders make it a lot easier as the soldering temperature range allows for a wider temperature range to play with and the silver adds to the wetting action.
To find the piping diameter look for a valve and it has the size on it.
Under standard plumbing practices it is common practice to over size the galvanized piping as we allow for this type of system to start to lose the internal area due to corrosion build up.
Normally when replacing galvanized piping it is permissible to reduce the size by one commercial size 2" galvanized can be replaced with 1.5" copper.
There are code charts that you can look into and it tells what each fixture requires (GPM flow) or if your in doubt just replace the piping with the nominal size copper.
depending on capillary action to draw the alloy into the fitting joint.
Personally I like 95 -5 solder (95% tin 5% antimony) But the new silver bearing solders make it a lot easier as the soldering temperature range allows for a wider temperature range to play with and the silver adds to the wetting action.
To find the piping diameter look for a valve and it has the size on it.
Under standard plumbing practices it is common practice to over size the galvanized piping as we allow for this type of system to start to lose the internal area due to corrosion build up.
Normally when replacing galvanized piping it is permissible to reduce the size by one commercial size 2" galvanized can be replaced with 1.5" copper.
There are code charts that you can look into and it tells what each fixture requires (GPM flow) or if your in doubt just replace the piping with the nominal size copper.
