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daleaherman

pipe sweating: does this look OK

daleaherman
13 years ago

Remodeling the bathroom. Hired plumber... I've done some copper soldering, but the joints sure looked better: Thoughts ?

Comments (13)

  • weedmeister
    13 years ago

    I think mine look better, and I'm strictly an amateur.

  • homebound
    13 years ago

    I would take a very close look at the joint on that cold elbow. Aside from the slop, hopefully you can see the solder wrap all the way around without any bare spots.

  • bubblah
    13 years ago

    The joint on the elbow in pic #2 looks terrible--does it even hold pressure? It looks to me like either not cleaned, not enough flux, or too much heat (which burned the flux)

    BUT... I am an amateur.

    Out of the 30+ joints I've done the only ones that looked like that were screw ups that didn't hold pressure.

    As that appears to be a shower valve I'd be particularly nervous about it because it will be subjected to some minor stresses when the valve is operated.

  • Oilyrover
    13 years ago

    These Hansgrohe valves have to be suspended by the four ears on the back (tabs on green body) or via the adjustable (black) face plate.

    The system is great, the entire shower/tub line is covered by two (universal-ish) rough in boxes that have half the shower valve built in (supply and fixture connections, as well as the service stops). You can then chose from their line of trims (which includes the top half of the valve).

    I'm not connected with them, just think it's a clever system, when installed correctly.

    I hope the original poster was joking, when they asked if the sweating was "OK".

  • alphonse
    13 years ago

    That be some fugly right there.

  • daveho
    13 years ago

    Crap job. Nice pipe straps... You might have hired a plumber, but that's not a pro job. Hope you didn't pay, 'cause I wouldn't let him touch it again.

  • ionized_gw
    13 years ago

    Might just as well have melted a pot of lead and poured it over the whole thing.

  • brickeyee
    13 years ago

    Has anything been pressurized yet?

    Some of the joints look like they may not have solder fill and could leak form the moment the water is turned on.

  • daleaherman
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    The inspector came and OK'd everything.... I specifically asked about the joints and the odd mounting for the valve... They said everything was good. Yes, they have been under pressure for several days. For the record, this was a "master plumber", but he failed the first drain test...

    Hmmm, I will have to read the Hansgrohe installation manual myself to see if they followed the recommendations...
    Thanks for the feedback.

  • daleaherman
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Actually, my contractor hired the plumber. I wanted to boot him after I saw the drain pipes being mangled....

    I'm not sure there is 8" from valve to valve... Arghhh...

  • brickeyee
    13 years ago

    It looks more like a complete novice who has never made a copper sweat joint.

    Poor cleaning, bad flux, inadequate flux, overheated cooking out the flux are only some of the mistakes that could have caused that.

    Based on no scratch marks or fresh copper surface being present I would almost bet on inadequate cleaning.

  • ramona1976
    13 years ago

    Maybe I'm confused, but aren't we looking at the back of the iBox? If we were looking from the other side, shouldn't the hot be on the left and the cold on the right?

  • daleaherman
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Hey Ramona1976,

    THANKS!!! I had looked twice and then forgotten when I saw how bad the joints were done...