Un-done joints

[dwc]

Why would the soldered joints come apart in the crawl space under my cabin? Between last November and this May when no one was there and the pipes had been drained and the well shut down in northern MN. I found about a half dozen spots un soldered.

 

[havasu]

Were the joints unsoldered, or did the solder seam break due to extreme contraction from the cold weather?

 

[dwc]

Not un-soldered. The pipes were pulled apart, I dont think they would have moved that much from cold.

 

[Caduceus]

If it appears that the pipes were "pulled apart" from the fittings, examine the pipe and the fittings to see if the solder is still there. If the pipes and fittings are not completely covered with solder, then the problem was with the solder joint. The expansion of residual water in the pipes could still pull them apart and then melt, leaving no evidence. Maybe a non-toxic RV anti-freeze would be in order once the leaks are repaired. I have seen unsoldered joints pass air test up to 90 psi and then fail once exposed to water and the flux is washed out.

 

[dwc]

Sounds reasonable. Thanks for your reply

 

[bob1231]

it has to do with cold weather

 

[DFBonnett]

I had the same problem at the cabin where my FIL had used electronic solder on some copper.

 

[Mr_David]

That is interesting.

 

[DFBonnett]

Yes, it was and quite perplexing until I found the solder he used in with his plumbing tools, such as they were. Resweating all the failed joints plus any other exposed joints with plumbing solder and the right flux was the cure.