The Difference Between Pipe Brazing and Pipe Soldering
A critical aspect of construction is plumbing because it involves the control of water flow for a building or a home. The standard plumbing system usually has two components: a water line and a vent system. For the former, a series of piping connections are usually required.
Types of Plumbing Pipes and Their Acronyms
Although modern plumbing pipes may look the same, they actually differ in terms of materials, durability. and life expectancy. Below are some of the most commonly used plumbing pipes and their acronyms.
1. PEX
PEX is a plumbing acronym for Cross-Linked Polyethylene. It is a cost-effective and versatile material used in industrial and residential plumbing. It is known for its durability as it can withstand extreme water pressure. The PEX pipe is rigid but flexible enough to pass through crawlspaces and walls. It is often used for water supply requirements and has a color-coded system for hot and cold water.
2. PVC
PVC is short for Polyvinyl Chloride and is a common pipe material for residential plumbing. PVC pipes are lighter than traditional plumbing materials and are also more durable and less expensive.
3. ABS
ABS, or Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, is similar to PVCs but is only available in black color. This pipe type is used primarily for drain lines.
Understanding the Difference Between Pipe Soldering and Pipe Brazing
Brazing and soldering are critical in the understanding of metal pipe connection. These two processes are often seen as the same since they are both defined as melting a third-party source so that metalwork pieces can be connected.
Soldering and brazing, however, have several differences, as clarified by trusted plumbers in Denver. For example, brazing is ideal for copper pipes, with joints usually connected at a temperature of 840 F. Soldering is more commonly used when connecting metal pipe joints.
Soldering
Pipe soldering requires lower temperatures, making it more straightforward than brazing. Soldering typically uses the following:
1. Self-Lighting Torch
This has a uniform torch head that is more energy-efficient than matches or lighters.
2. Tubing Cutter
This helps you create straight cuts and square ends for a better pipe fit.
3. Steel Brush
This is used to clean the pipe ends thoroughly and increase soldering success. An emery cloth with some sandpaper is often used to smoothen the pipe further.
4. Solder
This is a metal alloy that is used to fuse metal pieces.
5. Flux
This is usually applied to the pipe after cleaning but before soldering. Flux prevents the solder from leaking.
Brazing
Because the final pipe product is stronger, brazing is the best choice for high-pressure plumbing. Although brazing follows the same process as soldering, the former requires higher temperatures and is often used in large-scale copper pipe jobs.
Steps In Brazing Pipes
There are six steps involved in brazing, as listed below.
1. Material Preparation
Prepare the metal to be processed. The metals must have a minimum of 0.005 inches between them to allow the filler to function.
2. Material Cleaning
If the material’s surface is dirty, brazing will not work properly. To ensure the filler will work, clean the pipes and smoothen any edges.
3. Assembling
Assemble all the pieces precisely and make sure that the inserts fit.
4. Brazing
The process consists of heating the base metals, then applying the filler. To ensure that the filler fits without any problem, apply equal heat to both metals.
5. Fluxing
This involves applying flux to the materials that have been brazed. Flux, a compound often found in liquid form, is used to protect joint surfaces from heat.
6. Joint Cleaning
After brazing, you must clean the joint so flux residues can be removed. For easy and quick cleaning, use a wire brush and warm water.
Four Ways to Braze Pipes
Pipe brazing can be completed in the following ways:
1. Torch Brazing
This method of brazing pipes involves the use of self-lighting torches.
2. Induction Brazing
This brazing method uses electrical induction heat.
3. Furnace Brazing
With this method, plumbers place the flux in the material that needs conjoining, then place this into a furnace to melt the flux.
4. Resistance Brazing
This is where electricity is applied to the material set to be fluxed. The material’s resistance against electricity generates heat that melts the flux.
Key Takeaway
Regardless of the type of pipes used to install your plumbing system, each must be joined together. This can be done either by soldering or brazing, two of the most common pipe joining methods.
Soldering and brazing are often thought to be the same, especially since they both involve similar processes. This is not entirely correct because the type of pipe that will be used has to be considered. Generally, soldering is applied to pipes made of metal, while brazing works best for copper pipes. Also, soldering involves a shorter and simpler process. Meanwhile, brazing has additional steps and can use electricity, a torch, or a furnace to complete the work.
