Joining Pipes With Copper Endfeed Fittings

Copper pipes are used often when dealing with plumbing and gas. When copper pipes need to be joined together, people use copper endfeed fittings, which are just copper tube pieces that have a larger diameter than the pipes what will be connected. A bit of soldering is needed to make the connection secure. Here is a quick rundown of how to effectively secure one of these fittings between two copper pipes.

Before joining the pipes with fittings, they must be cut and de-burred first. Wire wool should be used to clean the pipe ends. Certain pads, like Scotchbrite pads, can clean pipes without leaving behind residue. The fitting should also be cleaned with the wire wool. All of the cleaned areas should look shiny and be free of debris. Only clean copper pipes and fittings will provide a good solder bond.

Use a clean rag to apply flux paste to the cleaned pipe ends. The flux paste is acidic, so it should not be spread with your fingers. The paste will make the joint more secure. Insert the pipes all the way into the fitting and wipe away any flux that may have been pushed out with a rag.

Use a heat gun or blow torch to add heat to the fitting. Once heated, remove the blow torch or heat gun and touch solder to area between the joint and the pipe. The heat will melt the solder and it will naturally be drawn into the joint. Don’t just apply the solder in one area. Do the heat and solder application again on the joint’s other side, making sure that the joint is entirely covered.

If the pipe will carry water that will be used for drinking or washing, flush it out for five minutes at least with water before using it.

It’s pretty easy to use copper endfeed fittings to join pipes once you know what to do. Just be safe and make sure everything is clean, and the pipes should join successfully.