soldering copper piping

[marshguy]

please use only pure copper or pure silver... many solders have lead and other poisonous metals in them,
obviously you dont want to be sweetening your drink with lead
lead pipes leaching metal into water, as well as actually spiking wines with lead, contributed to the downfall of the Roman Empire
plus it makes you stupid

[pounsfos]

Welcome to the forum

thank you for this tip, we try to cover it whenever we can to people giving it a go, in fact we have a sticky dedicated to it
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =15&t=4052

a History lesson as well, I did not know that was what helped with the romans,

hope you enjoy this hobby, and goodluck on your adventures.

[DamianRyan]

Hi Damian here, Ive'e just had my coil leak water into the distillate and have to replace it, is it ok to use new copper pipe used in the air conditioning field, meaning is all copper piping created equal? Thanks

[Prairiepiss]

Copper pipe is copper pipe. Yes you can use refer pipe that new.

To the op. Please step over to the welcome center and give us a proper intro.
Did you think this subject hadn't been covered enough around here? It's good advice that has been posted many many times around here. And is pointed out daily.

[DamianRyan]

Copper pipe is copper pipe. Yes you can use refer pipe that new.

To the op. Please step over to the welcome center and give us a proper intro.
Did you think this subject hadn't been covered enough around here? It's good advice that has been posted many many times around here. And is pointed out daily.

Sorry I've been around for a few years now, I've been out of touch for a while due to that bad accident I had, it's taken a while to recover.

[googe]

Copper pipe is copper pipe. Yes you can use refer pipe that new.

To the op. Please step over to the welcome center and give us a proper intro.
Did you think this subject hadn't been covered enough around here? It's good advice that has been posted many many times around here. And is pointed out daily.

Sorry I've been around for a few years now, I've been out of touch for a while due to that bad accident I had, it's taken a while to recover.

He's talking to the original poster mate, glad your all good now

[DamianRyan]

Thanks googe

[DamianRyan]

Ok! I had the local hardware guy make me a coil from new pipe, the type they use in air cons and refrigerators. I questioned him about the solder and he replied that they use it in the repairing of the water coolers on the fridges as well.
Now is it at all possible to clean the copper and joints prior to connecting or will I have to do a cleaning run? In other words can the pipe be flushed with vinegar and the joints scrubbed or must I run the still? I only ask as I would have to do 200L minimum.
The creative coil, notice it coils the wrong way? is thanks to the worker who for some reason could not copy the example I left with them,namely the old coil.
Will that 90 degree bend effect the flow of the gasses at all? Thanks Damian

[Brendan]

I questioned him about the solder and he replied that they use it in the repairing of the water coolers on the fridges as well.

That doesn't guarantee that they used the right stuff, but you can only hope they are good at what they do and follow safety procedures...

Now is it at all possible to clean the copper and joints prior to connecting or will I have to do a cleaning run? In other words can the pipe be flushed with vinegar and the joints scrubbed or must I run the still? I only ask as I would have to do 200l minimum. Thanks Damian

You will have to do a cleaning run, as some of the compounds and residues from soldering flux will not be "leached"/cleaned out until they are subjected to boiling vapour temperatures...and nothing is a better cleaner than hot ethanol vapour...hence the sacrificial alcohol cleaning run

edit: sorry, I just realised that it is your product cooling coil, so only the start of it will be in contact with hot vapour. I would recommend running vinegar and letting it steam through for a few minutes (without cooling water, so steam comes out of the output...watch you don't burn yourself...and DON'T do this with ethanol), flushing it with water vapour would be a good rinse after the vinegar...

[DamianRyan]

That doesn't guarantee that they used the right stuff, but you can only hope they are good at what they do and follow safety procedures...

No way I will go and see him today and if it isn't right he can do it again

[DamianRyan]

Thanks Brendan, the coil is at the end of a 3 foot pipe.

[DamianRyan]

Brendan, thank you for the advice. The guy who did the welding used silver solder with flux on the rod, is this ok. Damian