Planning for New Install

[jebatty]

"Planning" is the key word. Comments from time to time on the cost of fittings, plumbing, circulators, controls, etc. I knew a year in advance I was going to do an install of my Tarm and storage, did the plan on paper, and then started hunting for the fittings, etc. in *bay. Saved a small fortune by getting parts in advance, fraction of the cost of buying at the local hardware or plumbing supply store. Do the homework, save a bundle; and it's never too late to start. By planning in advance, you can wait for the good price or the steal and not pay top dollar. Cheers.

 

[mikefrommaine]

I did the same. Found a few things on Craig's list as well. Spreading out the cost helped ease the pain a bit.

 

[BoilerMan]

Same here, I figure I saved about 60% on the total install from fleabay and CL. Also got all of the copper to plumb the hetire house back in january 2009 when the bottom fell out of the copper price. Still had some 1-1/4" in the attic which I returned and got the current price for........... TS

 

[kopeck]

I shopped around and it paid off. Some of my stuff I got online, other stuff locally.

Things I learned, don't try and save pennies on cheap big box store iron fittings. I have no idea how many gray hairs I gained from those things. In the end, the best thing I can tell anyone is learn to sweat copper. Yeah, the materials cost more but all you your investment in tools is almost nothing and their all very portable. I watched a few videos on youtube, practiced a few times, did a sloppy job but quickly got he hang of it. Now I it's piece of cake.

K

 

[BoilerMan]

I shopped around and it paid off. Some of my stuff I got online, other stuff locally.

Things I learned, don't try and save pennies on cheap big box store iron fittings. I have no idea how many gray hairs I gained from those things. In the end, the best thing I can tell anyone is learn to sweat copper. Yeah, the materials cost more but all you your investment in tools is almost nothing and their all very portable. I watched a few videos on youtube, practiced a few times, did a sloppy job but quickly got he hang of it. Now I it's piece of cake.

K

I found they still sell lead solder at ACE much to me suprise! It is much easier to work with than the silver solder that is used for potable water. Just do not to use it on anything that comes in contact with drinking water. Oh and need I mention, use with good ventelation, as with any solder.

TS

 

[kopeck]

I started with the older lead stuff, I had some that either my grandfather or father bought, it was nice to work with. Where I really noticed the difference is on valves. Doesn't the lead have a lower melting point? Seems like I have to heat the snot out of valves (or anything brass with some mass) to get the new stuff to flow. On normal fitting it doesn't seem to bad.

I went to MAPP as the propane was killing me.

K

 

[tom in maine]

Lead solder will not yield as strong a joint as 95-5 or Silvabrite.
The trade off is the higher melt temps you have to deal with.

Of course there is that nasty lead poisoning thing if it winds up being used in a domestic water system.

 

[kopeck]

Of course there is that nasty lead poisoning thing if it winds up being used in a domestic water system.

Details....

Seriously though, once things are up to temp it seems to flow the same for me. I just noticed that things with more mass take a lot more heat. I always get a little nervous about ball valves as I know you can over do it on them.

What I've heard from some plumbers is that the thing that's really changed in the last handful of years is the flux. I can't say as I've been using some dated stuff all along but one fellow told me that yesterday's cheap stuff was as good as today's premium. Not sure why, didn't go into detail.

K

 

[tom in maine]

I share your concern about damaging ball valves, but have never done it.
I do keep a wet rag to cool it down as soon as it is soldered. I think the seats are teflon, although that is no insurance against causing damage.

 

[BoilerMan]

Lead solder will not yield as strong a joint as 95-5 or Silvabrite.
The trade off is the higher melt temps you have to deal with.

Of course there is that nasty lead poisoning thing if it winds up being used in a domestic water system.

This is true, if you've ever seen a freezup in a place with 50/50 solder sometimes the ice will push the joints apart and not burst the copper pipe. The pressure rateing for such joints is 200 psi for 50/50 (tin-lead) and 1090 psi for 95-5 (lead free tin-antimony) However....... that pressure is higher than we will ever see in domestic water and MUCH higher than a boiler system will ever see. Any copper plumbing install that was done before 1986 it was done with 50/50.

TS

 

[kopeck]

When I was doing ground work around my house I had some copper damaged underground heading out to the barn, it had been under there for many, many years. The guy hooked it with the excavator and pulled the pipe apart about 3 feet from a Tee but that darn fitting held! I don't expect the plastic that I replaced it with to hold up like that!