working on 54mm copper pipe

[roonfish]

Hi all, im after some advise. I need to replace a small section of 54mm pipe. The pipe is part of a hot water loop from the boilers. I have been seeing on forums that some people say use standard solder as you would for smaller pipes and others saying to braze the joints with high content silver sticks.

What are the pros and cons between the 2 methods? Would standard solder not be up to the job using Map gas and a decent torch

Thanks for your help

 

[Scott_D]

You can braze or solder 54mm. Also press fit or compression.
Braze requires silver solder rods and oxy-acetylene kit.

 

[markfxy]

just soft solder it, braze or silver solder is only required for higher temperatures

 

[roonfish]

Hi mark. When you say high temps. Exceeding what temp for silver solder?

 

[SJB]

Solder it, might need to get two torches on it though

 

[turnpin]

Soft solder with mapp gas will be fine...regards Turnpinunk:

 

[Alanc]

Hire a crimper and fittings

 

[Whyme]

soft solder just remember to keep working your blowlamp all the way round constantly.

 

[IDCHAPPY]

or use a 9kg bottle and a big head to get plenty of heat into the fitting. If using compression fitting then its 24" stillsons to give it a good nip up

 

[cr0ft]

I've soldered 42mm with a normal Rothenberger Superfire torch before and MAPP gas. I can't imagine 54mm being any different. Just keep moving the flame round the fitting. It will still get the copper hotter, you just need to solder one bit at a time if that makes sense.

 

[kris]

Ive done same as kieran ive done 42mm with the rothy torch at Denholms fishselling depot 2 month ago, fine change workin the big stuff,

 

[wetdrip]

My nipper picked up a DVD from ebay, and in it the Polish instructor states that they only braze abroad, never use solder. Is this true?
That's for all piping.

 

[brum]

or use a 9kg bottle and a big head to get plenty of heat into the fitting. If using compression fitting then its 24" stillsons to give it a good nip up

no offence bud but stillys are likely to squash/deform nut better off with large shifters (learnt this by knackering a pump valve nut once)..brum

 

[Ermintrude]

Use compo if it wet .

 

[roonfish]

Thanks for all of ur replys

 

[MarkAqua]

Xpress fittings, if its a bit tight then get a slip coupling - you wont regret it. Dont stress, press

 

[stevetheplumber]

54 will be a mare to solder with a hand bottle torch get a decent sized gun on a seperate bottle

 

[IDCHAPPY]

no offence bud but stillys are likely to squash/deform nut better off with large shifters (learnt this by knackering a pump valve nut once)..brum

On 2"? I just don't think it get them tight enough, unless your talking about the mega big shifters that are like £70 ?

 

[MarkAqua]

I don't like using 28mm comp', personally. Let alone 54mm. company i'm doing work for at the min wont allow comp on heating or flexi on Doms

 

[missplumb]

im with markaqua, use x-press straight connector and slip joint and hire a crimper with 54mm headset, youll have it done in 2 minutes and not have to worry about whether the solder has ran allway around the fitting. We use 54mm all the time and use press all the time, we learnt not to use compression as the copper expands and contracts too much for the brass ring to keep up and you are forever going back and nipping it up, even with tape and paste on.

 

[MarkAqua]

im with markaqua, use x-press straight connector and slip joint and hire a crimper with 54mm headset, youll have it done in 2 minutes and not have to worry about whether the solder has ran allway around the fitting. We use 54mm all the time and use press all the time, we learnt not to use compression as the copper expands and contracts too much for the brass ring to keep up and you are forever going back and nipping it up, even with tape and paste on.

Finally, someone agrees unk:

I've said it before, and I'm probably drunk, but i would not use compression, or solder or anything else that isn't Xpress or Mapress. I honestly cannot remember the last time I ran a job using Yorks' fittings, don't get me wrong they have got me out of trouble, but generally we're just not using them any more. although I don't think they will ever die out - tried and tested N' all that.

 

[Ermintrude]

What even in domestic?

 

[MarkAqua]

How many 54s do you see in domestic? Lol

 

[Ermintrude]

Quite a few if the home owner spent more than £54k on his renewables

 

[missplumb]

all our jobs use press, even the 15 + 22mm, but if i was putting a heating system in a 2/3 bedroom house then getting the press gun under floorboards would be a major pain in the arris... back to solder for them jobs.