"BobK207" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Feb 25, 8:49 pm, "Eigenvector" wrote:
"Sacramento Dave" wrote in message

...



"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
et...

"Eigenvector" wrote in message
The sources that I've read, and actually there are quite a bit of
them,
all say that a green flame indicates the joint is ready. It does
seem
to work that way too, the solder typically doesn't melt until that
point
is reached.

Some years ago I worked at a place where they did production soldering
of
joints. Thousands of joints per day. No one ever used a green flame
as
a guide.

Nor have I ever seen a Bernzomatic heat up a joint in ten seconds,
especially for the lead free solders.

Practice a bit more and heat a bit more.
Sometimes the flame will change color when you gas is getting low
especially with acetylene. I have never heard about a Green flame as an
indicator the pipe is ready, but do I know I'm just a plumber.

Read my response to Ed, that's where I picked that up.

EV-

Forget that green flame thing, not a good indication of proper temp

I can tell by how the fitting color changes...too localized color
change, not spreading the heat good enough...move the torch around,
"paint" the fitting with heat

Do not overheat / burn the flux.

Forget the propane, not enough heat, switch to Mapp Gas (might work
with your current BM head)

I used Benzomatic / propane with my dad 40+ years ago.....not enough
heat unless you're doing small joints & no wind. About 25 years ago I
switched to an air breathing acetylene rig for big / lots of joints;
can sweat in a wind storm.

For the one off or few joints...Mapp gas...less hassle than dragging
out the tank, hose & torch.

cheers
Bob


Well for now I'm using it, but not relying on it. It does generally seem to
be a decent indicator of when the copper is hot enough, but so far in the
tests that I'm done it can mean the joint is TOO hot - in which case the
solder beads up and rolls off rather than wicking into the joint.

1 perfect joint, 6 crappy ones, 2 failures.

A second question, is it common for those joints to be very tight when you
fit them together? I was wondering if my pipe cutter was flaring the ends
and making the joint too tight to fit. On some of them I simply couldn't
get them all the way together - not a problem on practice joints but in
future I'll want them together obviously.