I have a leak in solder connection on 1 inch cast copper/brass? "T" .....
this is hot water pipe for Boiler/home heating system..... I have made
several modifications and when I refilled with water and pressurized found
very small leak....about 5 drops a minute.....I thought I could repair with
epoxy putty, but did not work...tried twice and still leaks, seem like the
epoxy putty just does not seal the uneven surface of the cast copper/brass
"T" fitting...and after 1/2 hour or so starts leaking again.........I know
the right way to fix is to drain system and re solder connection, would like
to avoid this if I can till next summer when I have to drain again
anyway........Is there another product that might work?

50 years ago, I fixed a leak in a pipe supplying a rad in the middle of
winter when we couldn't drain the boiler, plus it was a threaded joint that
was slowly leaking, which would mean disassembling a lot of piping.

I took some very small diameter electronic grade wire solder with rosin
core, and a medium sized screwdriver with a new flat bottom to the tip, not
rounded over from use. Wrap the solder wire around the joint and tap the
solder into the area where the leak is coming from to compress and force the
soft wire solder into the joint where the water is dripping. It may take a
few tries, and it may not even work, but give it a try.

This method was used after seeing a cast iron drain pipe sealed with poured
lead, the final waterproofing is to hammer the lead tight against the pipe
edges with a square ended tool.

It worked for me, it may work for you.

wrote in message
...
I have a leak in solder connection on 1 inch cast copper/brass? "T" .....
this is hot water pipe for Boiler/home heating system..... I have made
several modifications and when I refilled with water and pressurized found
very small leak....about 5 drops a minute.....I thought I could repair
with
epoxy putty, but did not work...tried twice and still leaks, seem like the
epoxy putty just does not seal the uneven surface of the cast copper/brass
"T" fitting...and after 1/2 hour or so starts leaking again.........I
know
the right way to fix is to drain system and re solder connection, would
like
to avoid this if I can till next summer when I have to drain again
anyway........Is there another product that might work?

Go to auto parts store get piece of heater hose split small piece of hose
and apply it over the fitting so that the split is away from leak then put
heater hose clamps 2 side by side close together over leak and tighten them
TIGHT I think it will make it till you want to drain it.
"EXT" wrote in message
anews.com...
50 years ago, I fixed a leak in a pipe supplying a rad in the middle of
winter when we couldn't drain the boiler, plus it was a threaded joint
that was slowly leaking, which would mean disassembling a lot of piping.

I took some very small diameter electronic grade wire solder with rosin
core, and a medium sized screwdriver with a new flat bottom to the tip,
not rounded over from use. Wrap the solder wire around the joint and tap
the solder into the area where the leak is coming from to compress and
force the soft wire solder into the joint where the water is dripping. It
may take a few tries, and it may not even work, but give it a try.

This method was used after seeing a cast iron drain pipe sealed with
poured lead, the final waterproofing is to hammer the lead tight against
the pipe edges with a square ended tool.

It worked for me, it may work for you.

wrote in message
...
I have a leak in solder connection on 1 inch cast copper/brass? "T" .....
this is hot water pipe for Boiler/home heating system..... I have made
several modifications and when I refilled with water and pressurized
found
very small leak....about 5 drops a minute.....I thought I could repair
with
epoxy putty, but did not work...tried twice and still leaks, seem like
the
epoxy putty just does not seal the uneven surface of the cast
copper/brass
"T" fitting...and after 1/2 hour or so starts leaking again.........I
know
the right way to fix is to drain system and re solder connection, would
like
to avoid this if I can till next summer when I have to drain again
anyway........Is there another product that might work?