Reuse a soldered fitting?

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newmex999

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Is it ok to unsolder and resolder a fitting? The fitting in question is the brass female threaded winged fitting on top for the shower head.

Thanks
 

Jadnashua

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Yes. You still need to clean and flux it for reuse, and you may need to bang it on a hard surface while hot to remove excess solder so the new pipe can fit inside, but yes, unless it is split or otherwise defective, it is reusable.
 

Gary Swart

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It does take a little time and effort to get the old solder cleaned off so the fitting will fit over the pipe, so you might want to consider if saving a few cents is worth it. Even a seemly small amount of solder will prevent the pieces from slipping together. Other than that, there is nothing wrong with reusing fittings.
 

Terry

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Do you feel that there are no compatibility concerns between older and newer solder?

No.
The new lead free mixes well with 50/50 and a new coating of flux
The lead free makes a much better joint.
I'm able to "break" an old 50/50 joint by twisting the fitting.
That would never happen with a Leadfree joint.

 

Ian Gills

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Ah, but you can't beat the flow of 50/50 with quicker wetting out as the solder heats up, and quicker setup as the solder cools.

If you plumb for art* rather than drinking from, then it's the solder of choice.





* Plumbing for art involves soldering together dry plumbing systems for the fun of it but never actually collecting them to a potable water supply for use. Not many people do it but a few of us solder joints for the thrill, normally at the weekends. Enjoying plumbing is what distinguishes DIY'ers from paid professionals.
 
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