Soldering near Pro-Press fitting

mpdb2

Any rules of thumb for sweating pipe near a Pro-Press fitting? Is wrapping the fitting with a wet rag sufficient? How close can to a Pro-Press fitting can you solder? I use map gas, which runs pretty hot.

ChrisJ

mpdb2 said:

Any rules of thumb for sweating pipe near a Pro-Press fitting? Is wrapping the fitting with a wet rag sufficient? How close can to a Pro-Press fitting can you solder? I use map gas, which runs pretty hot.

Mapp alone doesn't run pretty hot. It's barely any different from LPG. Honestly for this type of situation where you want to get the soldered connection hot fast before much heat can transfer into something else, it kind of stinks.

I don't have any experience with soldering near Pro-Press but the least I would do is wrap it and the pipe by it with a wet rag. Keep the rag as far as you can from what you're soldering but make sure it keeps that O ring fairly cool. Don't let any water get near your joint or flux.

hot_rod

MAPP does burn a bit hotter, the torch and type of tip has a lot to do with it. Hotter than LP, not as hot as an Oxy/Actylene torch.
You can silver solder or braze with MAPP.

You can buy heat sink paste also. I use Hot Dam, a clay like product, just wet it and use it over and over. You can heat right up against it.

https://www.ecmdi.com/hot-dam-heat-sink-compound-12-oz-tub-75828

pecmsg

It would help defining NEAR!

Personally another Pro-Press

ChrisJ

hot_rod said:

MAPP does burn a bit hotter, the torch and type of tip has a lot to do with it. Hotter than LP, not as hot as an Oxy/Actylene torch.
You can silver solder or braze with MAPP.

You can buy heat sink paste also. I use Hot Dam, a clay like product, just wet it and use it over and over. You can heat right up against it.

https://www.ecmdi.com/hot-dam-heat-sink-compound-12-oz-tub-75828

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
Most consider Acetylene turbo torches to barely be hot enough for brazing, but they do get the job done. A typical Mapp torch not so much unless it's really small stuff. Mapp\Oxy and Propane\Oxy is a different story.

That said,

Why do you choose Hot Dam rather than an old shirt?

Jellis

Viega offers a chart with some explanation in the attached file.

hot_rod

ChrisJ said:

hot_rod said:

MAPP does burn a bit hotter, the torch and type of tip has a lot to do with it. Hotter than LP, not as hot as an Oxy/Actylene torch.
You can silver solder or braze with MAPP.

You can buy heat sink paste also. I use Hot Dam, a clay like product, just wet it and use it over and over. You can heat right up against it.

https://www.ecmdi.com/hot-dam-heat-sink-compound-12-oz-tub-75828

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
Most consider Acetylene turbo torches to barely be hot enough for brazing, but they do get the job done. A typical Mapp torch not so much unless it's really small stuff. Mapp\Oxy and Propane\Oxy is a different story.

That said,

Why do you choose Hot Dam rather than an old shirt?

Correct, small size brazing, refrigeration tube, etc with MAPP. Most DIYers, probably many plumbing pros don't own Oxy/ acetylene rigs HVAC or refrigeration shops do.
Better pinpoint control with a welding tip in a O/A rig. Less need for that wet rag.

Rag or tee shirt seems kind of amateurish to me. Right up there with push grip fittings. And I have watched plumbers light off rags.

EBEBRATT-Ed

If you need solder near propress, obviously the best would be to solder first, cool it then put on the propress fitting.

I would use a wet rag if I had to solder near propress. Never had much luck with the heat block paste, but that's just me.

As far as torches go. propane is fine for soft solder and much cheaper (and a lighter tank) versus acytelene . Mapp is in between propane and acytelene heat wise. You can braze or silver solder with Mapp but only up to about 7/8"od copper and that may be a struggle outside in the wind on a cold day brazing a 7/8 valve. Same thing with acteyelene. It depends on the outdoor conditions, size of the joint, mass of the fitting, how quickly you need it brazed etc. You could probably braze a 2" joint with the largest Turbo tip but it would take a while and use a lot of fuel

Oxy-Acetylene is the way to go for the best brazing results

mpdb2

The viega article helps. The propress is an existing tee put on by a plumber with the pipe capped about 4 to 5 inches away, I’m (home owner) adding to the pipe. It’s a 1” pipe, so I’ll be a little better than the minimum 3” distance propress requires. Optionally, I may cut out the tee and not have to worry about it.

ChrisJ

mpdb2 said:

The viega article helps. The propress is an existing tee put on by a plumber with the pipe capped about 4 to 5 inches away, I’m (home owner) adding to the pipe. It’s a 1” pipe, so I’ll be a little better than the minimum 3” distance propress requires. Optionally, I may cut out the tee and not have to worry about it.

If you wrap a wet rag around it, it'll stay at or below the boiling point of water. I'm sure it'd be fine.

EBEBRATT-Ed

Propress is approved for low pressure steam which is 212 or more. So if you put a sopping wet rag around it (as @ChrisJ mentioned) it will be ok. The rag will make it take more heat to solder it so use a big enough torch to heat it quickly and you will be fine. Just avoid cooking it for a long time so the rag doesn't dry out.

DrewM

I once crimped the run of a propress tee and then could not get the gun onto the bull. I wrapped the crimped ends with a wet rag, pulled the o-ring from the bull, and soldered it (with an acetylene Turbotorch).

I was on that particular job site for 2 more years, and no problems ever developed in that time period.

1 1/2x3/4 tee, if I recall correctly.

mikeg2015

I think they use neoprene seal. Should be similar to a TXV or service valves in a refrigeration’s system. Just wrap it in a wet rag and should be fine.

I’ve never done it myself, but that’s what I’d do. We dont do pro press at our shop. Not enough boiler or water heater installs to justify the tool cost. We lean towards PEX if quick and cheap is the goal.