Joining two 15mm pipes end to end

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niftyprose
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Joining two 15mm pipes end to end

Post by niftyprose »

Hi guys,

I want to join two 15mm copper pipes end to end in such a way that they're demountable.

Triclamp seems to be the way to go, because the large flanges make the joint mechanically strong.

I've never worked with it before.

Is it possible to solder copper pipe to triclamp? What would be the best fitting to use?

Thanks for all advice, NP.
yakattack
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Re: Joining two 15mm pipes end to end

Post by yakattack »

For 15 mm pipe you can use union. Has a bell and a flare end and screws together. Use a lead free one, and it's easy to solder on. Vapor and liquid seal is no issue. Safe for consumption and easy to assemble and disassemble.
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niftyprose
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Re: Joining two 15mm pipes end to end

Post by niftyprose »

Hi Yakattack, thank you very much for the fast reply. Over here in the UK, union fittings are less common than in the US. Could you recommend a specific brand that I can pick up on eBay? Best, NP
niftyprose
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Re: Joining two 15mm pipes end to end

Post by niftyprose »

...this one, f'rinstance, or would I better of with one of the three-piece type?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/End-Feed-Male ... XXVpuLrzjw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Best, NP.
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der wo
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Re: Joining two 15mm pipes end to end

Post by der wo »

No. This: Edit: Yes, "the three-piece type"
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-2-Copper-Un ... SwH71XOuyv" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
1/2" is OD 15.3mm. So probably you will have to fill a small gap with solder. AFAIK there are no metric mesuarement copper unions unfortunately. Also no metric lead free brass ones.
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der wo
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Re: Joining two 15mm pipes end to end

Post by der wo »

This one shipping is cheaper:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Copper-Union- ... Sw5UZY--rk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
I don't think you will find it in Europe.
You will find it made from brass for sure. But brass contains always lead in Europe. You could copper plate the brass.

There are other options. Look here, how the Gin basket is attached without any special fittings:
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 16&t=28791
I use this system on all my connections. It's cheap and seals well.
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Kareltje
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Re: Joining two 15mm pipes end to end

Post by Kareltje »

I use pressure union in brass. It seems you can not get them.
In that case I would use a 15-15 connection in copper. These fit quite close. You could solder the connection to one of your pipes and fit the other pipe onto it.
I do this too without problems. But if it should leak or sweat, you could roll some white tape around it.

It seems brass always has some lead in it. But the exposed brass surface is very small. And I think the uptake of lead in the passing vapour is very small and on top of that: ethanol is a poison too.
The Baker
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Re: Joining two 15mm pipes end to end

Post by The Baker »

Just thinking....
This is what I have done.....

Can you cut a piece off the pipe, anneal it (basically heat up until it is red and let it cool, others will tell you if that is not quite right);

then take it to your muffler man and get him to expand it so that the original pieces of pipe just press fairly firmly into it.
You have a union!
Couple of turns of plumbers tape around the join...
Easy to take apart if you want to...

Geoff
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der wo
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Re: Joining two 15mm pipes end to end

Post by der wo »

Yes. The result is the same like what Kareltje writes. I consider it easier to solder a 15-15 connection than to anneal and expand a pipe. But it's up to you.
The problem is, both will not seal very well. According to my practical experience. And at least compared to an union or triclamp.
That's why I posted the link.
I try it with pictures, perhaps it's easier to understand. The green stuff is ptfe tape:
First picture like The Baker describes:
1.jpg
1.jpg (9.06 KiB) Viewed 1742 times
Now the same, but a ring (a cut off either from a 15-15 connection or from the expanded pipe) is soldered around the inner pipe. Now the ptfe is compressed like a sealing ring and the seal will be as strong like with a union or triclamp:
2.jpg
2.jpg (9.79 KiB) Viewed 1742 times
Last edited by der wo on Wed Oct 11, 2017 12:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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niftyprose
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Re: Joining two 15mm pipes end to end

Post by niftyprose »

Thank you everyone. That was just what I needed. (Constantly amazed by the amount of experience on this site.) I'm going to do some serious research and see if I can't find a supplier who will send copper unions to the UK. Best, NP
niftyprose
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Re: Joining two 15mm pipes end to end

Post by niftyprose »

Hi guys, further to that last note: this topic *ought* to be closed as I got excellent advice from US forum members. The ideal fix for a not-particularly-great plumber wanting to join two 15mm pipes end-to-end and have them be unscrewable would be to buy an all-copper 1/2" union and solder it carefully. Let's label that fix #1.

There were some other fixes which sounded workable too, but I liked #1 best and tried to source some unions to make it happen.

So far I've drawn a blank. I may be driven to fix #2, 3 or other, but before I get to that I wondered if any other members on this side of the pond had a source of those copper unions? If not, is there any other easily-available fitting which does the job?

Best, NP
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Kareltje
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Re: Joining two 15mm pipes end to end

Post by Kareltje »

Do I understand correctly you can not buy 15 mm joints for copper pipe in the UK?
If so, and if you need one, I can send you one by mail. Piece of pudding!
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Swedish Pride
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Re: Joining two 15mm pipes end to end

Post by Swedish Pride »

Tri Clamp is the strongest and best in my opinion.
a compression fitting from B&Q works too, you'll have to make your own mind up about the lead in it though.
you can also use a one of these
Image
Solder in one end and slip fit the other end and cover with some flour paste.

I've used all three options at one time or an other, I'm the happiest with the triclamp
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shadylane
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Re: Joining two 15mm pipes end to end

Post by shadylane »

niftyprose wrote:Hi guys,

I want to join two 15mm copper pipes end to end in such a way that they're demountable.
Compression fitting or copper union
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Kareltje
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Re: Joining two 15mm pipes end to end

Post by Kareltje »

2017-10-15-01.JPG
To be clear: we have 3 types.
Left: copper, wall thickness 1 mm. To be soldered.
Middle: brass, wall thickness 2.2 mm, in the middle there is a rim of about 1 mm. To be soldered.
Right: brass, in the middle a rim of about 1 mm. To be compressed.

Edit: there might be on that must be soldered on one end and compressed on the other, but I am not really sure about that.

(I can not upload these picture in a pm. Sorry!)
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