Comment SOUDER du CUIVRE ? Tuyaux & Plomberie 2023

Vous voulez souder deux tubes ou deux raccords en cuivre ? Mais vous ne savez pas comment vous y prendre ? Pas de panique ! Nous vous disons tout dans cet article ! Retenez déjà que le meilleur moyen pour assembler deux tubes en cuivre demeure de braser un raccord au cuivre.

How is copper brazing done? What elements will you need?

What is brazing?

To join two copper parts, we speak of brazing and not of welding. Why do you ask? Because copper tubes or fittings are not melted down to join them. They are simply glued together with solder, which liquefies at a lower temperature than copper.

Copper is one of the best ways to transport water, gas and a wide range of fluids. Firm, unalterable and self-protecting, it is generally found in the sanitary and gas in a house. Here are the different techniques for assembling these conduits and their accessories. There are two types of brazing: soft and hard brazing.

If you want to weld You can use both soft and hard soldering for water pipes. However, there are some limitations to soldering. If you plan to solder gas lines, you must follow the rules and avoid using this method because of the danger. If you do not use approved materials, you may have to re-install.

Soldering

Here, the temperature is 400°C either at the level of the tubes or fittings. Reserved for the ice water posts, it is made with tin brazing.

Brazing

The temperature varies from 600 to 800°C in the rooms. For boiling water inlets and heating ducts. It is made with silver or copper-phosphorus brazing.

The most commonly used copper fittings

Copper fittings are classified into several diameters: 6-8, 8-10, 10-12, 14-16. The number that comes first represents the inside diameter and the second the outside diameter. Also, the copper fittings exist in a plurality of forms: elbow, tee ... which is determined according to the needs of the installation.

The different steps to solder copper

Prepare the brazing area

You must ensure the cleanliness of and shine of the assembly parts. Clean with a household metal pad or wire brush with the help of sandpaper.

You can increase the preparation of the copper by purifying it with a cloth soaked in methylated spirits. It is imperative to keep this alcohol away from the flashlight flames. Use a heat shield to protect the soldering area.

Scour the area to be brazed

Depending on the type of solder, you must use the flux recommended by the soldering rod dealer. Most of the time, a bowl containing a brush is used to put this product on the 2 parts to be joined, i.e. the inside of the ring and the outside of the pipe.

Brazing the copper

Unlike soldering with tin, you don't necessarily need to put filler metal before soldering. You just need to to join the two pieces and to heat them evenly to the required temperature. Put the rod next to the joint and when it starts to spin, make sure that a metal bead is holding the bond point correctly.

If it is a silver solder, the bead is made quickly. Once done, move the slug away from the heating area at the same time. Finally, place the tube and fittings in ice water or use a wet cloth.

Checking the tightness of the brazing

Put the system into operation and if there is a leak, empty the entire system and rework the deficient joints. Provide purge valves at the bottom of the system to empty the pipes when not at home to prevent freezing of unprotected areas.

The essentials for soldering copper

Competence

Brazing does not require any special skills. All that is required is careful cleaning of the copper tubes and fittings to be joined and even heating of the tubes for proper brazing.

Duration of the realization

It takes an average of 5 minutes per braze.

Recommended number of people

Only you can successfully braze.

Tools and edibles

You will need a soldering lamp or oxyacetylene flashlight depending on the braze selected, tin, a metal household buffer, a fitting and a stripper.

Protective equipment

Goggles, respirator, work clothes, welding gown, welding gloves, safety shoes and safety shield are the equipment you will need. This list is not exhaustive. It is up to you to adapt the protective equipment to your work situation.