Lead solder on potable water
- Thread starter dianef
- Start date
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D
DeltaT2
So your worried about the lead that is in the solder.
The boiler will have brass fittings in it this brass will contain up to 2% lead in it that will leech out are you going to contact the boiler manufacturer to ask for them to redesign the boiler.
Have a look at the link below our OP has a split personality and is also jesteh(jester) Then look at his history in the past month he has fitted a heatin and so has his plumber.
TROLL just looking to start debates but not clever enough to remember what he put
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=276616[/QUOTE]
The OP does state in their post that they installed the 'pipework'.
So, of course he/she is going to be looking over the shoulder of anyone working on the system. But they're making a mountain out of a molehill, chances are the rest of their Plumbing system is full of joints made with lead-content solder...........
J
JonasX
I think that may be because of the people who assemble the boards using leaded solder all day. It seeps into their hands. Old plumbers had this problem when only lead was used for pipes. Plumbers when older were regarded as barking mad because of lead in their system. Many did not wash their hands after using the lead pipe as they were not aware of the dangers.
J
JonasX
Best flux is Yorkshire traditional, but I doubt most mordern plumbers could use it.
Get yourself a pot of Laco jonasX.
What is so good about Laco and lead-free solder? I rarely see Laco being sold, so can't be that popular.
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D
DeltaT2
Best flux is Yorkshire traditional, but I doubt most mordern plumbers could use it.
Get yourself a pot of Laco jonasX.
Flux the pipe only and wipe the excess off with a damp cloth then solder.
Oh, and heat the damn fitting not the pipe.
It always amazes me how many Plumbers heat the tube doitall!!
Even with solder ring fittings!!
I just wonder if 'jonasx' is permitted to use his blowlamp is his padded cell??
D
DeltaT2
Best flux is Yorkshire traditional, but I doubt most mordern plumbers could use it.
Get yourself a pot of Laco jonasX.
What is so good about Laco and lead-free solder? I rarely see Laco being sold, so can't be that popular.
You'll certainly get less 'lock-up' with Laco, but each to their own.
Personally, I use what ever flux I can get when I'm on the tools, but I read the instructions on the tub. some say flux the tube only, others say tube & fittings.
Why didn't the OP use push fit plastic?? I go to jobs where the DaftyDIY'ers have connected the boiler with PF!!.........
That is very inconsistent of you, Dick. You have been very vociferous in your derision of CCs and short course cowboys, but are defending some very unprofessional work. Are TS plumbers allowed to ignore the Water Regulations when they like?
The reason for the bans on lead in fuel, paint, solder, shot, electronics, etc., is that minute amounts (microgrammes) have been shown to cause damage. There are still large amounts of lead in the environments and water systems, but they date from times when there were no alternatives and when the effects weren't known.
By way of a comparison, you should read one of the usual specifications for jointing steel pipes by welding. I don't have a spec to hand, but the usual requirements are something like all certificated welders, all joints to be marked by individual welders, the contractors allow for 5% of welds to be cut out for testing (i.e., allows for 5% more joints, plus the 2 or 3 joints additional joints required where a weld is cut out) and a similar percentage for each welder may be checked by ultrasonic or radiographic testing. If any of that 5% fail, then a further 10% are tested. If any of that 10% fail, all the welds by that welder are cut out. Welders are good or they won't get work.
In comparison, the problem with soldering is that any fool can do it and , sure enough, many fools do and they get away with shoddy work so long as it doesn't leak.
Commercial specifications also usually require solder ring fittings to be used on copper potable water services because they are marked as being lead free (YP = Yorkshire potable, or similar). This is a splendid idea, but not foolproof; fools being so ingenious. I caught a 'plumber' topping up a potable solder ring fitting from a yellow reel of solder. That was on a school job.
I've never seen a lead test kit in use on a site; having read some of the comments on here, I'm going to find out where I can get them from. I'm now sure that the fools are winding lead solder onto green reels.
WARNING!!! YOU CANNOT BRAISE COPPER PIPE OR FITTINGS!
Likewise, you cannot braze lamb.
The temperatures are all wrong.
Medical gas pipework is generally degreased, therefore you cannot use flux, therefore you cannot solder.
WARNING!!! YOU CANNOT BRAISE COPPER PIPE OR FITTINGS!
Likewise, you cannot braze lamb.
The temperatures are all wrong.
Medical gas pipework is generally degreased, therefore you cannot use flux, therefore you cannot solder.
How about Braze.
There was brazen bull, but it wasn't popular
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazen_bull
BG mentioned medical equipment in relation to the solder used in medical electronic devices. I don't think he meant medical gas pipework.
D
DeltaT2
That is very inconsistent of you, Dick. You have been very vociferous in your derision of CCs and short course cowboys, but are defending some very unprofessional work.
I think if you put your 'readers' on son, you'll see I have stated it's wrong what this chap has done. But it's no big deal.
OMG!! Am I being inconsistent, oh the shame & dishonour!!...........
I think if you put your 'readers' on son, you'll see I have stated it's wrong what this chap has done. But it's no big deal.
OMG!! Am I being inconsistent, oh the shame & dishonour!!...........
And any fool can call themselves a plumber
unless they want to do gas work - like fitting the OP`s boilerI'm more in favour of brazen hussies myself.
Nope - the majority of boards are wave soldered - it goes through a large machine.
The reason lead was banned in the electronics industry was the perceived risk of lead leeching out of apparatus that was condemned to landfill.
The reality is the new lead free rubbish is far less environmentaly friendly to produce, a nightmare to work with in the electronics field, causes premature equipment failure due to incorrect soldering procedure and/or tin whiskers and the whole lead free thing is a load of rubbish in almost all electronic engineers views.
As previously stated, lead free is exempt in critical applications - i.e. medical equipment, military and certain automotive applications. You will also find exemption in minature electronic devices where the terminals are too close to be reliably soldered with lead-free.
Some good reading here : http://www.edn.com/article/462284-Roll_back_the_lead_free_initiative_12_ROHS_myths.php
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