Solder

---

In reply to message posted by Douglas Tedeschi:
How can I tell the difference between rosin core solder for electrical work and plumbing solder? I am using solder from an unlabled roll. It makes great sweated joints, but I want to make sure it is not for electrical work. The labeled roll of plumbing-type solder does not work as well – it does not melt as quickly and it is much more difficult to get the solder to flow into the joints. The unlabeled solder has a label which states it contains lead. Is lead solder easier to work with? By the way, these repairs are on hot water heating system pipes. I am meticulously preparing the pipes for sweating, and using enough flux.

---

If you cannot “Solder” with so called plumbers solder you should not even attempt it.

The rosin core type of solder does contain lead and you have NO IDEA of the composition of tin added

Solder can be 70-30, 40-60, 50-50 60-40,95-5, 98-2, ETC., not knowing the lead content means you have no clue to the actual tensile strength of the joints being soldered.

To find out if it is self fluxing solder just get a match and hold it to the end of the solder and see if it smokes If it gives off smoke or fumes your using a self fluxing solder.

You may want to contact a licensed plumber and hire him/her to teach you how to be an EXPERT at soldering.

To be an expert should take the average person 7 minutes as I taught a 4 year old to do it to prove a point and it took her 5 minutes.

The reason I feel the 4 year old is slightly faster then a grown up man as the child had no bad habits YET and is willing to learn.

You see sir not all self fluxing solders are rosin core and thus some may contain an acid that will continue to corrode the copper tubing long after the installer leaves the job site.

It should be quite interesting in a court of law to hear the verdict of a jury hanging someone for criminal neglect because the soldered joint gave up the ghost when it could not expand and contract properly under heating conditions.

Imagine 190+ degree water spurting all over from an inferior joint.

Plumbing solder is solid. It does not have an acid or resin core. Flux core solder can work on open joints such as twisted wires or a copper seam, but with plumbing work the flux has to penetrate into the joint and the core solder flux will boil away before that happens. That is why you have to preflux the tubing and fittings before you solder the joint. Any good plumbing manual will tell you not to use a core solder for sweating pipes. If you are having a problem with the “plumbing” solder, it could be 95/5 solder which requires more heat and solidifies faster than 50/50 or its equivalent lead free solder.

That is why you have to preflux the tubing and fittings before you solder the joint.WRONG,WRONG,WRONG

Hercules as well as other companies are now offering (now means over 30+ years ) a solder in FLUX form that is a one step operation.

As a “plumber” I braze copper with a silver bearing rod with NO FLUX required as the siver content acts as a wetting agent and thus it is considered self fluxing

Any good plumbing manual will tell you not to use a core solder for sweating pipes.WRONG ,WRONG,WRONG

Rosin core is NON acid and thus rosin is one of the “approved” fluxes used in soldering COPPER,lead etc..

I know for a fact Rosin core solder in the hands of a semi skilled mechanic can solder a very decent joint.

This is especially true on working with old copper drainage lines where it is not possible to remove all the oxidation

The most likely problem when having difficulty with soldering is joint not cleaned enough (that is why the Rosin core works wonders)

The regular flux (soldering paste could be contaminated)

You either over heating or under heating a joint.

» This message has been edited by SylvanLMP on 31 January 2002

» This message has been edited by SylvanLMP on 31 January 2002

Hercules and SwifSolder, and similar, are applied to the pipe and fitting before they are heated. Core solders are applied after the joint is heated and will not flow into the gap by capillary attraction. Brazing is not soldering, even if it is called “silver soldering”.