Tim S wrote:
Stephen Howard coughed up some electrons that declared:

On Mon, 20 Oct 2008 13:50:40 +0100, Tim S wrote:


snip

How do you gauge when you've fed enough solder in? Any tips on getting the
pipe to the right temperature would also be appreciated. I heated the
fitting with a blowlamp until the solder melted, and then some. I did
notice that the lead-free seemed to go from solid to practically water
instantaneously, where the leaded had more of a plastic phase.

It's something of a knack really - I tend to rely on the sound the
flux makes when it reaches a certain temperature.
It gets complicated when you're using solders with different
characteristics, as what works for one type might not work for
another.

Hi Stephen,

Flux sound - check. I did notice it making noises - I'll try to pay some
attention to this next time. I'm using Fluxite for leaded (because that's
what my Dad used) and Powerflow Lead Free Solder Flux for the other.

Getting the right amount of solder in is largely down to trial and
error ( aka experience ) and what I tend to look for is how fast the
capillary action is during the course of the job.
It gets tricky near the end of the job because you can reach a point
where there's slightly too much solder in the joint, but not so much
that the surface tension can't hold it in. One drop of solder past
this point and the tension breaks, which results in solder either
being blown out of the joint or simply running out.

Ah

Doesn't really matter if you have too MUCH solder..it juts makes an ugly
blobby mess..but you can wipe that off while its molten with a thick cloth.

You only need a small ring of solder held in by capillary action inside
the joint.

The key to getting that is to wire wool the pipe exterior and the
connector interior, if its anything but shiny new, wipe flux all over
the ]ipe, strick it togeher and heat te whole lot BEYND the melting point.

Then solder will simply wick into where it needs to go, and, provided
enough is in, form a watertight seal. There is no actual necessity to
fill the whole hole!
I have had mist leaks as a result of not being able to get the whole
pipe hot enough, or minute pinholes blown in the solder by e.g. it being
the last fitment on a closed system of pipework.