Best video ever since I have watched regarding Copper-Soldering. Good Job !!! 👍👍

I love how you cross section the valve at the end of the video to prove your instruction throughout the entire video has superb results. I've never done copper soldering before. Looking forward to it now. I'm doing an air compressor plumbing setup with plenty of metal ball valves. This is why I love KZfaq. Thank you for the excellent instruction.

Great job! Taking the joint apart and assessing was very helpful. Seeing the "anatomy" brings important understanding. Well done!

This is a fantastic “ How Too” video for beginners like me. Many others will leave out certain things that they think the beginner already knows.

Great job, Dave. I appreciate your time and effort to record this video, and share your knowledge. God bless!

Great tutorial Dave. I can’t tell you how much I miss soldering with lead solder, it was so fast and easy!

It is a very good, thorough video. Highly recommend.

Very good video,thank you.Many contractors and plumbers call themselves "professionals" and neglect to debur the pipe as you do in the video.Deburring is extremely important as you state in the video because burs can cause turbulance in the pipe which can and will eventually lead to pin holes in the copper pipe.Again thank you for your video and God bless you and your family.

This video is informative in several ways. I've been doing home-owner plumbing for decades and soldering has become so much more difficult. I remember my dad having a big lead melting-pot and he would just dip pieces in so they would be pre-heated/coated at the joints. Almost like Lego, it was so easy. The combination of practical and scientific info here is just right. And that cross-section view is great ! Helped me change out 8 old failing rubber-seat valves for new ball-valves in my basement without frustration.

Destructive testing is the superior method of verification. Thanks for your video.

Nice job David! You have just gave me some confidence to perform plumbing job for my brand new water softener installation.

Very thorough and scientific! Thank you!

heres a cold hard fact Dave.. every guy who calls himself a plumber and makes fun of you on this thread only does it cuz you do nicer work than them at their own full time job. if only everyone cared about the quality of work they do as much as you ...great job thnx for the tips!

I usually braze at my job, so I'm really thankful for this patient and detailed demonstration. Thanks!

Good analysis of the joint and implications on technique towards the end. To be honest, the narration in the beginning is really slow and repetitive - very difficult to watch - but the last few minutes where you disassemble and section the joint really provide very useful info. Thanks.

I’ve watched a few vids. This one is the best. I completely trust his techniques. Thank you for your generosity and time.

Excellent video Dave. I feel confident I can do my ball valve this weekend. Thanks Greg

Dave ... What a great video! I learned how to solder in the Electronics field, and have gained quite a bit of proficiency in that regard. However, when it came to plumbing, I've pretty much been a miserable failure, even though, I finally got all of my solder joints to work they weren't a pretty sight. Many years later, I'm looking at replacing a ball valve (in the vertical position), that I installed a long time ago [20 - 25 years ago]. (It needs to be reinstalled, because it froze in it's open position, and the only way I could get it to move was by tapping on the handle with a hammer. It finally moved and closed when I needed to, but a week or two later it developed a hole in the brass body and begin to spray. All that said, your solder joint in this video is like one of the most nicely done joints I've ever seen demonstrated. Thank you for sharing your expertise.

excellent video...I needed to know the theory behind a perfect joint. all my joints will be better now. thanks dave.

Sir, you are an excellent instructor, thank you so much. I learn so much from this video. English is not my native language but a could understand you and follow your instructions. Again, thank you.

Beautiful. A very comprehensive and detailed tutorial. Thank you.

Excellent job, well done and very detailed. I appreciate it! Thank you

Nice explanation and clear visual examples. Very nice job. Thank you

Very detailed and explained every thing, well done. Most of these videos are just 5 minutes, and dont explain the why and hows. Thank you.

This is a great explanation, thank you!

Wow, so much extra work. Very detailed work. If you just sand, flux and heat it all works fine. The contamination come out of the fittings as the flux boils, wipe with a dry rag, and run your solder. Take off aerators for the sinks down line and flush the system of any excess flux or contaminations that made there way into the pipes.

Good info thanks. Definitely don't want to over heat the connections or use too much solder I can see. Also, I didn't have 40 minutes so I viewed it at 1.5X speed, worked nicely.

Very helpful for the guy who has to put in a valve every ten years or so. Thanks, Dave.

Very good, thorough instructional video. Thank you.

Ok we got it, clean it good. Any one soldering cooper is going to find out, it got to be clean ! Most people now is going to use some quick coupling-even pro plumbers. But very good instructions/training but this is a dying breed !

@Dave Daved - Thanks for sharing the Great Video Dave! Very Thorough and well detailed. I was just soldering some 1/2" copper pipe yesterday... I also clean the inside the pipe after using the brush, and I also use the same style debur tool too _(but stand alone, never saw that style on a pipe cutter)_ as I too thought it did a much better job than the reamers on my pipe cutters. *Glad to see someone agrees!!* LoL :-) :ThumbsUp: Sandpaper works great to clean the outside of the pipe, but I found that 00 steel wool works great too. Oh and I cut off my fitting wire brush tool, and use it in my drill, makes it a lot faster when cleaning a fitting :-) lol

It looks like an important consideration is to remove the valve from the assembled plumbing, and solder it in an ideal position as you showed. Soldering in-situ can be difficult, as when in a vertical position, and getting the solder to flow upwards, and not having complete visibility all around the joint. Nice job!

I wish I had watched this before melting a ball valve seat. Oh well, I got the 2nd one done correctly thanks to your video.

Great detail nice video. One improvement would be to test the joint under actual home water pressure. Close the loop of the copper tube at one end, add a joint or valve in the middle and at other end add a thread connector and do a water pressure test. That way you see if the joins leak and then cut it open to show why it worked.

Wow a lot of effort and really good demonstration.

Awesome video. Didn't leave anything out, very informative! Thank you!

Thanks for the video. I always wondered how I should have these valves (opened or closed) when soldering. I knew that the older globe valve types were supposed to be soldered while open so you didn't melt the washer, but I was never sure about ball valves (which are much better valves in my opinion).

Best on the topic. Thanks!

Nice video, very informative and thorough.

Excelent and instructive video, thx!

Well I certainly learned something, I will be doing some copper in a couple of weeks and was looking for some pointers thanks Dave.

The video I've been looking for to sweat a ball valve. Nice job. Thanks for the info!

I too thought this was a thorough informative video. I wonder about the comment regarding affecting the gap by heating one side or the other first but presumably one would try to have both sides of the joint at the same or really close to the same temperature. Thank you.

thanks for the science lesson. AWESOME :)

Thanks for vid and very thorough explanation. I think in a ball joint you need to be very careful to get the brass fitting hot enough to accept the solder, without heat-damaging that plastic seat washer. The proof is in the pudding and you showed us all the solder coverage in your cross sections.

Good video. I am glad you mentioned that the heat can damage the seals inside. That is why I always take apart the valve before applying heat. It vary simple and only takes a few seconds to do and well worth the time. I apply wet rag to cool it down (which it can be done shortly after soldering) to cool it down for reassembling the valve and it comes out clean, just like you have demonstrated. Very well detailed video. thanks

Nice video and instructions ! Thank you !

I have seen lots of videos and yes yours its a very very very explanatory and thank you, I learned a lot. great job.

Thanks Dave, great video.

The last 10 minutes or so are what really makes your video worth sitting thru (kind of repetitive dialogue dragging the first half down). Thanks for de-constructing the joint - showing the solder penetration and the vulnerable location of the valve seal; all very educational. Thanks for taking the time and putting so much work into this video.

Great job sir.! Very good detail.

Good study on removing ball Teflon. You should also do a study for without removing the ball Teflon. How to avoid heat damage if the ball Teflon not removed during soldering?

Good video, Thank you!

Dude your soldering probably the best among I saw on you tube and you do everything to the absolute best!!!! I must give credit for everything you said because it is damn valid all I said that in real life when you work on a construction site simply there is no time and need to be such a perfectionist. Your work is flawless but unfeasible in real life situation that's all!

Excellent, thorough job on this video that covered all of the important and relevant details. I'm glad you took your time, I found every second of your presentation worthwhile. Wish some of the incompetent boobs out there that masquerade as "professionals" that think PEX is God's gift had a quarter of your focus, instead of cowering behind a box of Sharkbites and running for the shelter of their ProPress tool. Keep up the good work Dave.

I just watched a video from copper.org and they give lots of reasons for NOT heating the value cup first. 1) it does conduct heat as well as the copper tube, 2) it expand the cup and increases the airspace. If you start with the tube, it expands to decrease the airspace.

Useful. Informative. Very good video. Thanks

excellent video with tear down

Good Video!

good job, I love it, but I would like to see the rest to see if there is no damage to the other components

Love those gloves. 10 For $11 at HD. I wash them and reuse about 80% of them.You can pick up dimes with them.

dave daved Have you seen corrosion failures of these valves? We have some Mueller B&W 3/4 inch ball valves (red handle) which were installed around 2005. The problem we have is, they have white corrosion spots on them! It's almost as if they're leaky, but they aren't ... they feel dry. We have some NIBCO 3/4 inch ball valves that were installed at the same time. Those don't have any corrosion at all. We do have hard water, so could that have caused the valves to leak or corrode ever so slowly? Oh and the corroded valves are on both hot and cold water pipes...

Very knowledgeable about this project

The fitting brush may have had particles on it from its last use. It also may have removed a bit of surface tarnish from the inside of the valve. That's what it's supposed to do. It's not a bad idea to wipe out the valve before soldering.

They recommend tinning flux and low temp solder for lead free fittings 👍

Thanks for the video. You attributed the small spot with no flux present as being caused by a lack of heat. Question: Could that be caused by less than perfectly round pipe, where the spot with no flux was a small area with a pinch (interference) fit between the two parts? The reason I ask is that I desoldered a pipe fitting and have sanded/brushed the old solder away as best as possible in order to install a new fitting. The fitting fits, but a snug in a couple spots. I don't know if the capillary action will work its way into a slight interference fit.

You're supposed to heat up the tube first my friend. The Alloy Valve is delicate, so the copper pipe must be heated up first.Then after you've heated it up well, then you heat up the valve. Then start touching with the solder all around. Good Luck with everything.

I'm waiting for another video about copper pipes....success for " dave daved"

Could you use acetone to clean up the surfaces? It works well prior to painting as it dries quickly

I did the copper plumbing on my home addition ~27 years ago, and now have a dripping leak on one of my fittings! 🙃

Dave I liked your video and learned some useful things. I have a question: I have unsoldered a couple of half inch ball valves. Was planning to reuse them on another system. Can I do that or are the valves damaged by the heat of melting the original joints?

good video

Do you solder with the valve open or closed. Nibco says closed...other manufacturers say open....which would possibly damage the seats more? Thanks

The NIBCO video recommends soldering with the valve closed!

What is the best grade sand paper 2 use 4 nice smooth silky copper ends,? ( no scratches, gouges, etc.)

A perfectionist ! but in tight cramped dark areas harder 2 perform this VERY critical area of work.

Thanks for posting your work. I learned more about soldering copper to lead free brass. Thank you.

Nibco requires that ball valves be soldered in the closed position, gate vale are soldered in the open position

good training for 1st timers

Thank you

proper video, nice so rare on this youship

Hmmm. That looks like a cold solder joint. It didn't flow properly around the joint

The other problem with those loose copper burrs is that they may eventually break free and get stuck in the down steam shut-off valve/faucet seal, causing a drip issue!

Cant believe anyone that does not mount the bench vice to the table

I HAVE A PROBLEM DESOLDERING A 3/4 INCH BALL VALVE, I VE APPLIED HEAT TO IT WITH A HIGH HEAT MAP GAS TORCH, I HOLD IT THERE FOR A WHILE AND NOTHING..IT IS MAP GAS THAT I AM USING, HOW DO I GET IT OFF?

The pieces broke apart to easy and that is why it is a cold joint you need much more heat to solder it well.

Over in the UK it is nearly impossible to find valves with soldered ends. Valves are only available with compression ends or sometimes pushfit ends for plastic pipe!

Additional info at copper institute that shows more even and through pre heating.

Nibco says to solder their ball valves while CLOSED. Please check before soldering. @MrTooTechnical was told open, but Nibco's own video says closed.

Best way2 clean off hard lumps of solder left on copper pipe area 4 my sharkbite ball valve ( reheat wipe with rag, or?)

Which torches model number you used?

👍🏻

Dave thanks for trying but this would be similar to me posting a how to on plastic surgery.

So That's silver solder. Whats the reheating all about? why you mess with it again? It's not a Rembrandt. Thank's for the demo.

wow

Great video and very meticulous and thorough, BUT not very practical if you're doing a lot of joints.Wiping a joint is potential for creating a leak.If you look really close when he solders, at the point where he first applies the solder, the solder beaded up which indicates the pipe did not get hot enough for the solder to flow and properly bond with the copper.he applied the heat at about 7 o'clock, the little at 1 o'clock and 12 o'clock. A little more at 3 or 4 o'clock would have been a bit more evenly heated.That is most likely the same area where the void was in the joint. Then when he reheated it and wiped it, it did seal the rim. I have repaired a lot of burned joints because those who burn them are not moving the torch around enough. They have a tendency to hold the torch at one place and use too much heat.Again great Video. Like David said, don't quench the joint. It crystalizes the solder and weakens the joint.

Just want to make the point about the valve being open or closed when you solder it. In a closed pipe system the heated air inside the pipe is expanding and the solder will not flow into the joint because the air is venting there. Always solder with an opening in the system to allow heated air to vent and the melted solder will be sucked into the joint.

The operative word here is move on...Dude you are OCD at its highest level! Haha! Don’t beat yourself up over it not being perfect. You did a goood job!

40 min video on a 5 min solder job... wtf.

Good job man but i don't think you would make that deadline...lol