Connection methods for copper pipes. Overview of fittings for the installation of copper pipes. Connection of copper pipes by capillary technique

Despite the development of technology and the popularity of the use of polymers, metal is successfully used in the manufacture of pipelines for water supply and heating systems. For these purposes, steel, brass and copper are usually used. The latter has excellent resistance to corrosion, mechanical strength and resistance to high temperatures and pressures. Therefore, despite some high cost of this material, its use is fully justified.

Before connecting copper pipes, you need to decide whether to do this with or without soldering.

Solder connection

One of the first options to consider is connecting pipes by soldering. It should be noted right away that soldering methods copper pipes There are two - this is a low-temperature and high-temperature method. As you might guess, the difference between them lies in the temperature at which soldering occurs. At low temperature mode elements are heated up to 300 °C and solders with a low melting point are used. High-temperature soldering is used for the installation of systems that are under significant stress, for example, in industry, the use of this technique for private purposes is impractical.

When connecting copper pipes by soldering, as a rule, connecting elements called fittings, tin-based solders and fluxes are used. The pipe connection process is as follows.

• First you need to cut the pipes right size. In this case, it is worth being careful and be sure to take into account the dimensions of the fitting itself.
• The ends of the pipes to be joined must be carefully examined for the presence of various defects such as cracks, chips or burrs. Their presence is unacceptable, as it can affect the tightness of the connection, therefore, if detected, all defects must be eliminated.
• If the ends of the pipes are in order, then you can proceed to the connection. It should be noted that there are several connection options, for example, more than two pipes need to be connected or pipes of different diameters, so fittings must be selected that suit the purpose.
• pipe end and inner part the connecting element is treated with a flux - a special composition that acts as a degreaser that prepares the surface for a stronger connection.
• After that, the end of the pipe is inserted into the fitting and heated. The fitting is selected in such a way that its diameter is 1–1.5 mm larger than the diameter of the pipe. Heating of pipes is made by means of a gas torch. The space between the connected elements is filled with consumable solder. Modern market offers a variety of ready-made solders that are easy to use, so this should not be a problem.
• After the solder is evenly distributed over the entire circumference, the parts to be joined should be left until the solder has completely solidified, forming a strong connection.
• The final step should be to check the connection, that is, the water must be turned on. Thus, there will be not only a check, but also the removal of flux residues that may remain on the inner surface of the pipes, which is undesirable, as it can cause corrosion.

Connection without soldering

It should also be noted that, despite the fact that the connection of copper pipes by soldering is the most reliable and appropriate in most cases, there are times when soldering is not possible and in such cases it is possible to resort to a connection without soldering using special fittings. Their principle of operation is based on the clamping effect resulting from the threaded connection. The connection process is as follows.

• First, the fitting, which usually consists of two parts, must be disassembled.
• One of the parts is put on the pipe. To be more precise, a nut and a clamping ring are put on.
• After that, the pipe is inserted inside connecting fitting, and the nut is tightened along the thread.

As a rule, an instruction is attached to fittings of this kind, in strict accordance with which all work must be carried out.

Note! The connection of pipes in this way is not reliable enough, therefore even the slightest distortions in the connection, as well as a violation of technology, are unacceptable. For greater tightness threaded connection it can be sealed with special threads, while it is unacceptable for excess to get inside the pipe, as this may prevent the free passage of water.

Whichever method of connection is chosen, the work should be carried out, observing a number of general rules:

• Pipes of the same metal must be used for the connection. If you need to connect a copper pipe with any other, you need to choose the appropriate method. For example, to connect copper and PVC pipes soldering is not suitable.
• If it is intended to connect copper and steel pipes, then the steel pipes must be placed in front of the copper pipes.
• Care must be taken when tightening threaded connections, especially when thin-walled pipes are used.
• In order not to be mistaken with the amount of solder, the length of the wire must be taken equal to the circle pipes.
• To heat the pipes, it is best to use a special burner. The use of a conventional blowtorch is in principle acceptable, but there is a risk of overheating the junction, which will complicate the work.
• Copper pipes are somewhat costly from a material point of view, therefore, before starting work, it is advisable to carry out preliminary calculations of the amount of material. At the same time, one should not forget that the connecting elements also have certain dimensions, which must also be taken into account.

In conclusion, it should be said that the connection of copper pipes is not a very complicated process from a technological point of view, but some difficulties may arise for the first time. In order to have the most complete picture of the process, you can consult with professionals or at least watch a video on this topic.

Video

This video shows the process of soldering copper pipes.

Copper pipes are widely used in various engineering systems houses and apartments. The main advantages of the material is resistance to corrosion and high temperatures, as well as ultraviolet radiation. In addition, copper pipes can be easily bent to any angle, making it easy to do-it-yourself connections.

As a disadvantage, it is often indicated that the material has a high cost, however, with such excellent characteristics of the metal, its price cannot be low. Installation of copper pipelines is carried out using fittings. They can be crimp or solder, depending on this, the connection of copper pipes also differs. Crimp fittings create a detachable connection, and solder fittings create a one-piece connection.

The main advantages and areas of use of copper pipeline

Copper pipes have operating temperature from -200 to +250 degrees, as well as low linear expansion, which allows them to be successfully used for such systems:

• heating;
• Plumbing;
• Conditioning;
• Gas transportation;
• Receiving alternative energy, for example, solar systems.

When installing copper pipelines for supplying cold and hot water, you do not have to worry about overgrowing or silting of the internal section. Also, they are not destroyed under the influence of chlorine, which is added in high concentrations to tap water. On the contrary, chlorine creates the thinnest layer on the inner wall of pipelines. protective layer, which significantly extends the life of the highways. In turn, a small amount of copper is released into drinking water, which has a beneficial effect on human health.

Features of installing pipes for water supply

Installation of copper plumbing for cold and hot water does not differ in technology. However, attention should be paid to appearance pipelines and related fittings: parts intended for hot water are insulated with PVC film. Installation of copper pipes for water supply can be carried out in one of the following ways:

1. With the use of threaded fittings.
2. With soldering.

Collet connection threaded fittings- the easiest and most affordable way to install with your own hands.

Threaded fittings create detachable connections that can be unscrewed or tightened repeatedly as needed. In order to carry out the installation, you must:

1. Slide the compression nut onto the pipes.
2. Put on top of the compression ring.
3. Connect elements together.
4. Tighten the nut.

The crimp ring is responsible for the tightness of the connection, therefore it is not subject to reuse. If the connection had to be untwisted, the rubber ring should be put in a new one. Copper pipes can be bent in any direction, and therefore there is an opportunity to save on the number of fittings.

Solder connection - somewhat more hard way installation, however, is quite doable with your own hands. It is necessary to be careful and observe all safety measures when working with open fire. The connection itself consists of the following steps:

1. Cleaning the ends of the pipe and shaped product sandpaper to bare metal.
2. A thin layer of soldering flux is applied with a brush.
3. The pipe is inserted into the fitting up to the maximum mark.
4. The connection point is heated with a gas burner or a building hair dryer.
   It is very important to evenly heat the elements to be joined, for this it is recommended to use a blowtorch with two burners.
5. When the heating temperature is sufficient to melt the solder, it is injected into the joint.
6. After curing, excess flux can be removed.

On sale are copper fittings with pre-specified solder in a special groove. This simplifies do-it-yourself installation: just insert the end of the flux-lubricated pipeline and heat to required temperature. The solder will melt and flow into the gap between the pipe and fitting, creating reliable connection.

Features of installing a heating system using copper pipes

Installation of copper pipes for a heating system begins with preparatory work. The material can be easily bent and cut, but this must be done the right way. Key recommendations:

1. Before installation, it is necessary to cut the pipes into segments of the required length.
2. It is better to cut pipes for heating with a pipe cutter or a hacksaw.
3. The inner surface of pipelines must be free of burrs and metal chips. To complete this task, you will need a file and scraper.
4. The cut point must be leveled, especially in cases where the cutting was carried out with a hacksaw for metal, which slightly deforms the pipe.
5. You can bend the tubular product manually or using special tool.
6. If curved sections are provided in the heating system, especially complex shape, it is recommended to use a pipe bender. Such a bend will protect the material from unwanted creases, which can subsequently become a place of corrosion.
7. Products should be bent with the minimum allowable radius.
8. The bending radius when performing work with a pipe cutter must be at least 3.5 times the diameter of the pipeline. If pipes are bent by hand, a bending radius of at least 8 diameters should be performed.

The connection of elements of the copper heating system is carried out in two already known ways:

• Crimp fittings;
• soldering method.

Due to the fact that copper can be easily bent, installation is simple and requires a small number of fittings. However, it is necessary to remember some rules for combining materials in a heating system.

Copper pipes must not be connected to aluminum radiators.

If use aluminum radiators cannot be avoided, it is necessary to cross over steel pipe. This will help to avoid the onset of corrosion when joining copper and aluminum. As for radiators made of other materials, such as steel or cast iron, there are no such problems.

The method is based on the capillary rise of a liquid (molten solder) along the thinnest gap between the pipe walls. There are two types of soldering copper pipes: low-temperature and high-temperature soldering. The difference in soldering mainly depends on the melting temperature of the solder. For high-temperature solders, refractory solders are used, for low-temperature solders, soft solders rolled into coils are used. Accordingly, acetylene and propane torches are used to heat pipes during high-temperature soldering, sometimes it is enough for low-temperature ones, fire from a blowtorch. Brazing can be applied to all types of copper wiring, including headers solar heating where pipes can be heated up to 250°C, low temperature soldering more demanding on the heating temperatures of pipes, however, it is successfully used in hot water and heating systems. There are no structural differences in these types of soldering, however, high-temperature soldering is more often used for socket pipe joints, and low-temperature soldering is used for pipe joints with fittings with solder fused into them, although vice versa is also possible.

For the installation of copper pipelines, three types of pipes are used: soft (R 220), semi-solid (R 250) and hard (R 290). As a hardness (hardness) parameter, the tensile strength in MPa (N/mm²) is proposed. Soft pipes are sold rolled into bays, semi-solid and hard - straight rods. The fundamental difference in these types of pipes is the pressure of the transported medium that the pipes can withstand. Hard pipes withstand the highest pressure (290 N/mm²), soft pipes withstand the lowest pressure (220 N/mm²). The pressure that is created in apartment and even cottage pipelines will successfully withstand any of these pipes. And if you need to build a steam boiler house or a mini-production, then you can’t do without calculation and drafting a project, but that’s another topic.

Socket soldering (Fig. 36) uses soft, semi-hard or hard copper pipes with a pre-annealed end. One of the ends of the pipe with an expander is shaped into a socket, similar to a socket sewer pipes, the end of another pipe will be inserted into it. It must be remembered that when you anneal the ends of hard pipes, you release the metal and the pipe at the junction acquires the properties of a soft pipe. This circumstance must be taken into account when designing a pipeline according to pressure criteria.

Rice. 36. Connection of copper pipes by socket soldering

To make a socket, you need to use only those heads on the expander that are designed for a given pipe diameter, then the diameter of the socket will automatically turn out to be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the pipe. Typically, the gap between the inner walls of the socket and the outer walls of the pipe inserted into the socket is approximately 0.2 mm. Such a gap provides "drawing in" of the molten solder and its uniform distribution over the entire inner surface of the socket at any position of the pipe. In other words, pipes can be soldered in any position, even with the socket down, the capillary gap between the pipes will still "suck" the molten solder into itself, which will be evenly distributed over the place of soldering. Using the “correct” expander head is 80% of soldering success - the gap between the pipes and the depth of the socket is set by this particular tool.

Today, pipe manufacturers produce ready-made fittings and couplings, on which sockets are already made (Fig. 37). The use of such parts makes the pipeline more expensive, but completely eliminates the "human factor" present during self-manufacturing expander socket.

The pipes at the place of the solder are covered with a flux (Fig. 38), which will act as a lubricant for the solder and a “pickle” (cleansing of the metal) for copper. When high-temperature soldering with silver or bronze solders, borax is used as a flux. It is mixed with water until a viscous slurry is obtained. Flux is applied without excess only to the collar of the pipe that will mate with the fitting or socket, and not into the fitting or socket. After applying the flux, it is recommended to immediately articulate the parts to prevent contact with wet surface foreign particles. If, for some reason, soldering will take place a little later, then it is better for the parts to wait for this moment already in the articulated form. It is recommended to rotate the pipe in the fitting or socket, or vice versa, the fitting around the axis of the pipe, in order to make sure that the flux is evenly distributed in the mounting gap and to feel that the pipe has reached the stop. Then it is necessary to remove visible flux residues from the outer surface of the pipe with a rag.

For soldering copper pipes, solder rods with a diameter of 3 mm from copper and silver or bronze alloys are used. After the socket is made, or when using a ready-made fitting with a socket, the pipes are inserted into each other. The junction is heated from all sides with a propane or acetylene torch. Heating is carried out until the solder bar brought up and pressed against the socket begins to melt. With the acquisition of experience, the heating time of the pipes is determined by the change in color of the pipe - until a "red glow" is reached. Threaded fittings for connecting them to other pipelines or to plumbing fixtures are made of bronze and brass and require a longer heating time when soldering. To determine the solder consumption per joint, the following method is usually used: the solder bar is bent in the form of the letter G, making the bend slightly larger diameter bell. As soon as the place of soldering is warmed up to the desired temperature, the solder is pressed against the gap between the socket and the pipe inserted into it and is led around the pipe without stopping the heating of the joint. The solder melts and flows into the gap. It is necessary to melt the entire bent end of the solder into the gap, no more and no less. An increase in solder consumption leads to the fact that it can flow through the slot and melt the inner section of the pipes. A decrease in solder consumption leads to non-soldering of the joint.

When soldering pipes, you must follow basic safety measures for working with open flames. It is necessary to work in canvas gloves, it is better together with an assistant, to hold the pipe away from the place of heating. When working alone, use clamps to temporarily secure the pipes.

After cooling, the assembly is ready for operation - this is the most reliable connection of copper pipes and is not difficult at all. Experience in soldering copper pipes comes quickly, and for those who already own the technique gas welding, is immediately clear. True, to heat pipes, you need equipment for gas welding. Sometimes (for soldering joints of small diameters) you can use the hot air of a powerful building hair dryer using the hot air cone limiter to heat up faster. Another way of heating without a flame are electrocontact devices. Outwardly, they look like big ticks with interchangeable copper heads to cover pipes of different diameters.

Upon completion of soldering of the assembly or the entire pipeline, it must be flushed to free the internal cavities from flux residues. As already mentioned, the flux works not only as a lubricant for solder, but also as an etchant for copper, that is, in fact, it is an aggressive oxidizing agent. And if so, then there is nothing more for him to do inside the pipes, he must be removed from there by washing with water. From the outer surface of the pipes, the leaked flux is removed with a rag.

Butt soldering of pipelines is not allowed. If it is necessary to connect the parts end-to-end, then they do not solder the pipes, but weld them. In principle, almost the same operations are done as in high-temperature soldering, except that no flux is required, and the heating of pipes and fittings is increased to the melting temperature of the metal.

For low-temperature soldering, fittings with solder fused into them are used. Outwardly, these are the same fittings for socket soldering, but a belt is squeezed out along the surface of the socket (Fig. 39), inside which manufacturers poured solder even at the stage of fittings manufacturing. Both refractory and low-melting solder can be poured into the fitting, thanks to which both types of soldering can be performed. However, most often, low-melting solder is poured into the fittings, so the joints on such fittings are classified as low-temperature soldering.

The technology for connecting copper pipes on fused solder fittings is even simpler than on conventional fittings. Pipes and fittings are processed in exactly the same way as described above. The pipes are then inserted into fittings or couplings. The fittings are heated by the fire of a blowtorch or the hot air of a building hair dryer, the solder embedded in the fittings melts and spreads along the socket, soldering the parts (Fig. 40). That's the whole technology: I stuck the cleaned and fluxed parts into each other, heated the assembly with a blowtorch and let it cool.

Brazed copper pipe joints can be used for all types of house piping, with the exception of high temperature pipes (about 150–250°C), which ordinary house can not be.

Even taking into account that polymer pipes increasingly used, hardware are still enjoying great success. As a rule, copper, brass and steel are used as the metal. AT better side copper differs in terms of resistance to corrosion and high temperatures. Actually, the connection of copper pipes will be discussed in this article.

Even despite the fact that copper pipes are distinguished by their high cost, given all the characteristics of the material, their use is quite justified.

First of all, before connecting copper pipes, it is worth deciding how to connect them, by soldering or otherwise.

Connecting pipes by soldering

Consider the connection of copper tubes with fittings, followed by soldering, which can be low- and high-temperature. In the first method, soldering is carried out at a temperature of 300 ºC. The second method is used when arranging systems with high loads for industrial purposes.

Couplings act as connectors for copper pipes; tin-lead solder and flux are additionally needed.

The pipe soldering technology will be as follows:

• First of all, a pipe of a certain size is cut. This process must be carried out carefully, taking into account the dimensions of the existing fittings.
• Pipe ends should be inspected for any defects such as chips, cracks or burrs. If they are not eliminated, then there will be problems with the tightness of the connection after all work has been completed.
• After making sure that the ends are cleaned, you can start connecting. Due to the fact that several pipes will be connected, and they can be with different sections, the fittings must be selected accordingly.
• Next, the end of the pipe and the inner walls of the couplings should be treated with a flux, which will degrease the surfaces to obtain the highest quality connection.
• Now the end of the pipe is threaded into the copper tube connector and heated. It must be selected so that the cross section is 1-1.5 cm larger than the pipe section. The pipes are heated with a gas burner. Gap between pipe and coupling filled with molten solder. Nowadays, you can find any type of solder to suit your needs on the market, so choosing should not be any problem.
• After the solder is evenly distributed around the circumference, the parts to be joined must be left until it has completely hardened.

• At the final stage, you need to check the connectors for copper pipes and the entire system by running water into it. At this point, not only the system will be checked, but it will also be cleaned of flux residues, which over time can cause metal corrosion.

Tight joining of copper pipes without soldering

In addition, it is worth noting that, despite the fact that connecting pipes by soldering is considered the most reliable method in most cases, there are still situations when it is not possible to use this method. In such cases, you can resort to connecting copper tubes without soldering. You will need special fittings that will ensure a secure connection due to the clamping effect that is formed during the threaded connection.

In this case, the connection is made in the following sequence:

• First, the fittings are disconnected, which often have two components.
• One of the elements is put on the pipe. As a rule, this is a nut and a clamping ring.
• Next, a pipe is threaded into the fitting and the nut is tightened.

Typically, such fittings are equipped with a detailed instruction, which in without fail must be adhered to, otherwise the work performed will be of poor quality.

It should be noted that before connecting copper tubes without soldering, it is worth realizing all the risks, since it is quite difficult to get a high-quality connection. Minimal distortions of the connected parts are not allowed at all, otherwise the technology is grossly violated. To make the threaded connection extremely tight, it is desirable to additionally seal it with special threads. At the same time, care should be taken that they do not end up with inside pipes, as subsequently the water may not pass through the system properly.

Mandatory Connection Rules

For any type of connection, the list of work performed will look like this:

• The pipes to be joined must be made of the same metal. In case you are going to connect a copper pipe with a pipe made of any other material, you must decide on the desired connection method. For example, for joining pipes made of copper and polyvinyl chloride, the soldering method cannot be used.
• When connecting a copper pipe to a steel pipe, the copper pipe should be placed after the steel pipe.
• When tightening a threaded connection, you need to be extremely careful, especially if you have thin-walled pipes at your disposal.
• To correctly determine the amount of solder needed, a piece of wire must have the circumference of the pipe to be soldered.
• A special burner is best suited for heating pipes. You can, of course, use a simple blowtorch, but in this case, you need to be prepared that the junction will overheat, and the whole workflow will become somewhat more complicated.
• It is no secret that copper pipes are quite expensive material. In this regard, even before the work, it will not be superfluous to carry out preliminary calculations of the volume required material. However, remember that all connecting parts also have their own dimensions, so they must be taken into account.

In conclusion, it would not be out of place to note that the connection of copper pipes is technologically a process of medium complexity. If you are engaged in such work for the first time, then you need to be prepared for the fact that some nuances may arise. To understand the process and get as much insight as possible about it, it will not be superfluous to get advice from professional workers, or at least to get acquainted with the available video materials.

Thanks to their almost unique performance copper is today one of the most popular materials used for the installation of communication systems. It is especially common in private homes, where water supply and heating systems are made of copper pipes, the connection of which is carried out using various methods.

One of the main reasons for the use of copper in communication systems is the material's outstanding resistance to high temperatures and high pressure from the side of the medium circulating through the pipes. So, for example, calculations show that in the case of installation single pipe system heating, if you want to get a water temperature in the radiator of 70 degrees, at the inlet it must be at least 120 degrees. Many modern materials just not designed for this temperature. As an example, plastic (or polymer) pipes, which are so popular today, can be cited here. They are light, not too expensive (especially in comparison with copper), do not cause difficulties during installation and look quite aesthetically pleasing. But the maximum temperature for which they are designed is 95 degrees Celsius. With more high temperature pipes just start to melt. At the same time, copper easily withstands temperatures up to 300 degrees.

During the operation of a domestic pipeline, the reverse situation may also occur - freezing of water in pipes. At the same time, the vast majority of materials cannot withstand the linear expansion of frozen water and are destroyed - ruptures or cracks appear on pipes made of polymer, cast iron or steel. Copper perfectly copes with this problem due to its ductility.

In general, copper pipes are universal elements. They can be used not only in water supply or heating systems. Often, specialized pipelines are installed from them in refrigeration units or air conditioners. Due to the gas impermeability of copper, they are also used for the installation of gas pipelines, both domestic and industrial. Besides, in recent times copper pipes for electrical wiring have become quite common, which allow you to reliably protect all its “intricacies” from mechanical and other damage.

Types of connections of copper pipes during the installation of networks.

For connecting copper pipes to single system various methods are used and additional details. The choice of a specific method depends on the characteristics of the pipeline, and on its purpose, and on its location, and even on national traditions. As for the last point, today in Europe, where copper pipelines are used most often, there are two traditional approaches to their installation:

• "British approach" is a fitting-free connection of pipes to each other (pipe bending, flanging, bending, soldering, welding, etc.). This method makes it possible to simplify the design of a copper pipeline as much as possible, in which practically no additional elements(connecting parts are only required to connect the instruments to the pipeline). But it is worth noting that this approach requires enough great experience and highly qualified installers. In addition, you can not do without special tools here;
• "German approach" - connecting pipes to each other using fittings. This approach has a number of advantages: the use of fittings requires less time to install the pipeline and less effort on the part of the installers. It can be used for laying pipelines of any configuration and guarantees high quality connection, practically independent of the experience and qualifications of the installer. The disadvantages of the method include the complexity of the pipeline design and the need for regular checks of fitting connections.

All types of copper pipe connections that exist today can be divided into 2 categories:

• one-piece;
• detachable.

Permanent connections- this is a structure that cannot be disassembled without destroying its individual components. These include:

• soldering;
• welding;
• pressing.

Soldering or welding can be fittingless. Factory connectors for copper pipes (various fittings) are also used. For pressing, special press fittings are required, which are supplied with crimp sleeves.

All types of permanent connection can be used in the installation of water supply, gas supply and heating systems.

Note! When installing water pipes and heat supply systems for pipes of small and medium diameter, low-temperature soldering is most often used, and welding is used for pipes large diameter. When device " warm floors» The most common technique is pressing. If it is required to connect copper to steel, then usually soldering or welding is used, depending on the diameter of the pipes (solder - bronze). But when installing a gas pipeline, high-temperature soldering is necessary.

plug connection- This collapsible design. It is obtained using various types fittings:

• threaded;
• compression;
• self-locking.

In addition, in this case, a flange can be used - a connector for copper pipes of large and medium cross-section. And in case of emergency repair of the pipeline, a turnbuckle can be temporarily used to connect pipes of the same diameter.

Most often, a variety of fittings and connectors are used to connect various equipment, consuming devices or fittings to the pipeline. The convenience of such connections is that they can be easily disassembled if necessary (for example, if a pipeline needs to be repaired or the equipment connected to it needs to be replaced). They are very reliable and do not require much qualification from the installer. In addition, a minimum of special tools is required for installation - most of the work is done literally by hand.

But at the same time, detachable connections need periodic inspection and maintenance activities. They are weakened by temperature and pressure drops in the system, and sealing elements wear out over time. That is why they must be located in such a way that access to them during the operation of the pipeline is open at any time.

Note! Threading is prohibited on copper pipes. Therefore, special transition type fittings are used to connect copper with threaded elements of the system. Such parts, on the one hand, have a socket for connection with a pipe by soldering or crimping, and on the other hand, a thread.

Whatever type of connection is chosen when installing a copper pipeline, you should know that in any case it does not reduce mechanical strength systems. On the contrary, any of the joints, except for welding, increases the thickness of the walls of the system, which means that this part of the pipeline is even more durable than the pipe itself. Concerning welded joint, then it (initially softer due to the peculiarities of the process) becomes stronger with time.

Preparation of copper pipes for connection during installation of communication networks.

Before connecting pipes to each other, they must be prepared. Preparation includes several stages.

• Cutting.

To complete this stage, it is best to resort to the help of a pipe cutter. The whole process of using this tool is extremely simple. It is necessary to put a pipe cutter on the end of the pipe where the cut is to be made, advancing it to the place marked for the cut. After that, it is necessary to tightly tighten the clamp (screw) of the tool and start rotating the cutter around the pipe. The screw will then be tightened, causing the pipe to be cut off at the location of the cutter.

Note! The use of a pipe cutter allows you to make an accurate perpendicular cut. But in the process of cutting the pipe, do not use excessive force - this can crush the end of the copper product. It is better to make a couple of extra turns of the pipe cutter.

Of course, everyone knows about the plasticity of copper and that it can be cut with an ordinary hacksaw. But to achieve good quality such a cut and its perpendicularity is quite difficult. When working with a hacksaw, the edges are too uneven and require additional processing. True, in the event that there is no special tool at hand, the hacksaw turns out to be the only way adjust the pipe to the desired length. But then you have to turn Special attention on the edges.

• Pipe edge processing.

After cutting, burrs and irregularities will remain on the edge of the pipe in any case. Before making a connection, these defects must be eliminated. To do this, use a file or file of a rounded shape.

The outer surface of the edge must also be cleaned, removing the oxide film and contamination from it. This work is done with the help of fine-grained skins. In addition, before joining, the inner surface of the edge should also be cleaned. For these purposes, special napkins or brushes are suitable.

Note! Edge cleaning should be carried out until its surface becomes shiny. But at the same time, too much zeal should not be shown, since there is a great chance to remove too much copper layer. In this case, when making a connection by soldering or welding, difficulties may arise.

Connection of copper pipes using capillary soldering.

One of the most common ways to connect copper pipes is capillary soldering. For its implementation, special fittings are used to help the solder be distributed at the place where the seam is obtained as evenly as possible, regardless of the position of the pipe itself. Great importance while having right choice fitting diameter - it should be 0.1-0.15 mm larger than the pipe diameter.

Flux must be applied to the end of the pipe to perform capillary soldering. This is special composition, which, when melted, dissolves the oxide film present on the pipe. In addition, it perfectly protects copper from oxidation, which inevitably occurs when it is heated.

Note! Flux is a highly reactive compound, which means that it can interact with the metal it is applied to. Therefore, when applying it, you should be careful not to use more flux than required. It is best to use a brush, applying the flux exclusively to the part of the pipe that will fit inside the fitting. Moreover, this must be done immediately before soldering. After that, immediately insert the end of the pipe into the fitting until it stops, turning it around the axis of the pipe - this is required so that the flux "lies" as evenly as possible. If in this case some part of the flux appears on the outer surface of the pipe, it must be removed immediately.

After the pipe is inserted into the fitting, the junction must be heated. Heating must be uniform over the entire circumference of the joint. For this you can use open flame- For example, gas burner with two nozzles. Often used more safe way- industrial dryer. You can determine the degree of heating using the flux or solder used. In the event that a flux is used, which includes tin, the achievement of the temperature required for soldering will be indicated by silver drops that appear at the junction. If a different type of flux is used, then you can understand whether the connection has heated up to the required temperature by applying the edge of the solder to it. If the solder immediately begins to melt, it means that it can already be introduced into the gap between the pipe and the fitting. At the same time, you can lead the solder bar both from right to left and from left to right - in any case, it will fill the gap and securely connect the parts together.

The amount of solder required is determined very simply - by the diameter of the pipe. To do this, even before starting soldering, you can wrap the pipe with wire, which will act as solder, and cut off a piece of the required length from it.

Note! Capillary soldering fittings are commercially available, inside of which there is already solder in the right amount. Working with such fittings comes down to heating the junction to a temperature where the solder begins to melt. Adding additional solder in this case is not required.

After soldering, the joint must cool down in vivo. During this time, it should not be subjected to any mechanical influences. Only after the solder has completely solidified can the pipeline installation process be continued.

Other connections are made in a similar way during the installation of a water supply or heat supply system at home. After the entire system is mounted, it must be flushed hot water- this will help remove flux residues from inside the pipes. If this is not done, then the composition remaining on the surface of the copper can lead to corrosion of the copper elements. From the outside of the pipeline, all joints should also be inspected and, if there is any remaining flux or solder on them, clean them with a damp cloth.

Connection of copper pipes with elements from other materials.

Often, when installing a private copper water supply, sewerage or heating system, it becomes necessary to use elements made of other materials. In this case, it should be remembered that in no case should direct contact between copper and galvanized steel be allowed due to the electrochemical processes that occur in this case. As a result of such contact, corrosion processes on the steel surface develop at an accelerated rate, and it is destroyed. In order to avoid this, a brass fitting must be placed between the copper and steel sections of the pipeline. In addition, it is very important here that the galvanized steel parts in the pipeline are located in front of the copper ones - that is, the water circulating through the labor first passes through the steel section, and then enters the copper section. But the contact of copper with plastic, brass or acid-resistant steel is safe from this point of view and does not affect the service life of the pipeline.