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Hi Kev,
You are not real clear on what it is you are trying to replace.
As to soldering it is not that difficult.
You need emery cloth to clean the ends of the pipe and a fitting brush to clean the inside of the pipe.
Use a paste type lead free flux and brush onto the end of the pipe to the full depth of the fitting you are using as well as inside the fitting socket.[Dont be shy}
Use a lead free solder such as silbrite. A torch that uses MAP gas is best as MAP burns hotter. Insert the pipe in the fitting and put your flame onto the fitting not the pipe.
When you see the flux start to bubble and the fitting start to change color put the end of your solder to the edge of the fitting where the pipe goes in.
The solder will be pulled into the joint. Use an amount of solder = to the pipe size . IE 1/2 pipe =1/2 inch of solder.
As to the idea of PEX for potable water it is great stuff but it does require tools to install and different brands of pex use different ways to make connections therefore different tools.
One other suggestion is to look into SHARKBITE fittings.
They are available at H.D. and simply push onto the pipe and can be used to join PEX to PEX or PEX to copper.
And yes I am a plumber
My husband & I replaced the floor in our laundry room and had to un-hook the eletric water heater. When we put it back ane replaced the copper hoses, we noticed that one of the hoses had a tear in it. How do we repair it?
I love working with copper pipe, and if I can get any moisture away from my work area, I can get a leakproof connection just about every time, but I gotta agree, go with the PEX. If for no other reason, when you go on vacation you won't come home to find your new copper all ripped out.
As other have stated, PEX is the way to go. The tubing itself is inexpensive, but with all the necessary fittings and such, you might end up spending about the same as you would with copper, but you'll save yourself a whole bunch of time and aggravation. In an existing structure, you have the ability to just fish it up walls, as you would Romex. As it's run in homeruns, there are far less joints to be made, and, although sweating copper can be learned with a little patience, doing it properly in some of the spots and positions one might have to in a re-plumb isn't something for the average diy'er, imho.
You can find most, if not all, of what you need at HD or Lowe's - at least, in my area. The biggest expense is in the necessary crimping tool, though you may be able to rent or borrow one somewhere. Last I looked, the one for 1/2" was around $110 at HD. If I were to purchase one, I'd spend a little more and get the one with multiple dies, which covers 3/8" - 3/4".
The biggest expense is in the necessary crimping tool, though you may be able to rent or borrow one somewhere.
You must be confused- there is no crimping tool.
It's an expansion tool. PEX has a molecular memory to it- you expand it, insert the fitting, and the PEX shrinks down around the fitting. Done.
You must be confused- there is no crimping tool.
It's an expansion tool. PEX has a molecular memory to it- you expand it, insert the fitting, and the PEX shrinks down around the fitting. Done.
O.K. I stand corrected.
But I don't understand why anyone would use that antiquated system. That system was originally designed for polyethelene and polybutelene because they didn't have the elastic properties that PEX has.
The connections my plumber used (pro-pex)on a remodel job were the type that required the tubing to be expanded on the end. Once expanded, a barred fitting was installed and the tubing would contract around the fitting, and the connection was done. No fooling around with crimping rings.
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