I duct tape a piece of 3/8 copper in my shop vac hose and stick it in the pipe I'm soldering, works great.

 

I do something like that to get crud out of floor drain traps.

 

I use drain down couplings. Pricey, usually you have to special order them, but I just charge the customer. Bought a case of 3/4 this summer, came out to almost $8 each...

No code against using them here, but check into your area.

 

Are you speaking of a sweat X sweat X FIP fitting? If so, I have used those too. Then just stick a plug in it when done.

 

These...

 

I use 3/8" PEX. It's pretty flexible. I cut whatever length I want and stick it down the pipe to pull it out, like you grab water with a straw from a glass a water. Dump the water in my handy Folger's coffee canister I keep for all purposes and I'm good to go. A little slower than a vacuum I guess but that's what I do. Keeps me from having to duct tape it all up to the vacuum hose.

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Why not use a rubber stopper with 3/8 hole, that way you won't mess with the stickess from the tape..

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Just spend the $50 on a jet sweat. If you really are a service plumber full time you are costing yourself money not buying one.


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Back in the day just starting out I decided to make a set. I had all the material except for the EPDM rubber, so I ordered two of each 1/2 and 3/4. When the box arrived I received two full 1/2 and 3/4 jet sweats.

 

I will blow through he pipe, use a hard supply tube if it's vertical, or wedge the pipe upwards if it's horizontal. I've never used a jet sweat and don't see a use for it personally for me. I really don't find it a big deal sweating cooper lines that have had water in them. By the time you turn off the water, drain down, cut the pipe, then you start preparing your fittings and pipe, the water is almost always gone.


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Same with me,I have never had no trouble draining down a system and sweating copper,to me it would be a dust collector

 

propress, I wouldn't even think about soldering any thing with latent water in it.

 

You all know the issue well I'm sure: making sure you get the water out of the pipe before sweating copper fittings together. <snip>

Other tricks from the past ... Jelly Beans, I used many a box they worked!

 

https://www.zoro.com/test-tite-twis...2OzTsSJAAzEt8sB8Zj4zyCC-xBK-rhoWNa17QO3vzC3YR73pJXQ0scNhoCAlbw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds


Or the Jet Pack, but the full set is pricey.

http://www.plumbing-deals.com/index...9vABRCY2YmkpO2OzTsSJAAzEt8s4iKi29Xs86HsCZ_dWAntTjpc9PQvJQY4oXeMRF45iBoCJBLw_wcB
Works every time, first time. Just use a full port ball valve, solder the leaking side, shut the valve, join the pipe and your done.

 

You all know the issue well I'm sure: making sure you get the water out of the pipe before sweating copper fittings together. <snip>

Other tricks from the past ... Jelly Beans, I used many a box they worked!

They still sell those at Menards here

 

I just posted in the propress thread about having to mooch a piece of bread from customers for that situation!

 

My bottom line is if you have problems with water sweating in a residential situation you need to find a new job, it's fairly easy


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Agreed

 

This is what I have used to steam all the residual water out of a copper line under a slab. First, the shop vac. Then this fitting just in case some water droplets are still lurking.

 

I use sharkbite fitting to make the connection, then I go home, hang up my tools and never work in plumbing ever again...

kidding!

Ive never had to use the swetjet or whatever it is called but I am tempted to buy it because I end up spending a lot of time figuring out different ways to weld... often I end up welding a new valve and the trick I use often is to prepare everything, heat the pipe up and then last minute, I flux, slip on the valve and I just elevate the pipe at an angle that I have a bit of time to weld before the water continues to drip up towards where I am welding. Not sure I am explaining right. BUt yet, works great on 1/2 pipe.

 

I use sharkbite fitting to make the connection, then I go home, hang up my tools and never work in plumbing ever again...

kidding!

Ive never had to use the swetjet or whatever it is called but I am tempted to buy it because I end up spending a lot of time figuring out different ways to weld... often I end up welding a new valve and the trick I use often is to prepare everything, heat the pipe up and then last minute, I flux, slip on the valve and I just elevate the pipe at an angle that I have a bit of time to weld before the water continues to drip up towards where I am welding. Not sure I am explaining right. BUt yet, works great on 1/2 pipe.

Sweating or welding?

 

jet sweats rule, use to keep in the shop now keep on the truck

 

I have a set of plugs with a diverter 1/4 inch diverter tube that makes it possible to push it in the pipe divert the water while sweating a valve on then you simply pull it out. This eliminates the problem of pressure build up.

 

I made a tool to divert the water while i sweat a ball valve on. Simply a plug with a 1/4 inch pipe 12 inch's long. Simply push it in and the water diverts threw the 1/4 inch and the pipe walls are dry. After soldering you pull it out and shut the valve.

 

Also always try make your joint on a vertical piece of pipe, or make the last fitting you sweat on a vertical piece


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I'm sure RJ has some trick that involves a folding ruler.


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I came into this thread with the intention of making a Sharkbite joke, but I see others have beat me to it...

 

An old cojer taught me how to use bread. In a pinch

 

Same here. An old timer taught me the bread trick in a pinch. He said it has to be white bread {not rye, etc.}, and to remove the crust.

I have had a steam hole leak. They are so tiny, that you almost can't even see it. But when you cup your hand around the soldered joint, you feel tiny, tiny water stream on your hand.

 

If I have a straw available, I'll use that to grab the water out of the pipe. Bigger diameter pipe, I'll stick a smaller size piece of pex in to pull it out. If I'm able to slant the pipe slightly so the water runs back the pipe, I'll do that. Other than that, I just stick my mouth on it and suck. Kekeke

 

Sounds grody, but I'll blow air into the pipe or in some case use a bicycle tire pump and some fitting I've rigged to put air into the line. A ton of water usually pours out afterwards and drains it well enough to solder. Getting the water out was one of the first things I learned.

 

I made a set of cylinders with o ring seals in the middle I drilled a hole and taped it for 1/4 inch pipe. When soldering a problem line the cylinder is pushed into the line and the water is diverted. A full port valve is used to then control water.

 

the problem with using bread like that is it will go bad and turn rancid in the water lines and someone will get sick, then who is to blame??? also add in what if someone is gluten intolerant? and gets a glass full of dissolved bread? just remember" nothing happens till something happens"..if you want, call your insurance company and see if they will cover you for food poisoning if you use bread, is this a certified practice?..yes it sounds stupid and petty to state, but wait for the first time you get sued for something you do all the time and never had an issue..the lawyers are circling anyone and everything to see if they cant bleed you out of some $$$...you wont use any fixtures if they arent stamped or have cert #s cast into them, so why use non certified methods that could cause sickness.....ok a small piece of bread in a residential single family home doesnt have much risk if you explain and or ask the homeowner if anyone is allergic and you can flush that line clean, but the comment above after using a loaf of bread in an apartment building, that the maintenance guys are still getting bread a month later in aerators , is not good..

 

I agree. It was not us, but some other plumber engineering hired while we were doing a shut down for something else. Personally, I would brazed in flanges.

 

I said in a pinch. Maybe a 1/2 inch line and making sure you flush it and pull aerators and shower heads. But even I know knot anything like a 5" high pressure main.