# Help! Can't desolder old pipe



## vintshave (Jun 22, 2012)

Hi,

Hoping for some help here. I recently found a pipe that rotted out under my kitchen sink. It goes through the floor and into a waste drain in the basement. I used a blowtorch for almost 10 minutes and could not budge it at the closest elbow joint. The propane torch did not even make the pipe glow. I know it isn't steel...could be brass I suppose.

Well, to get to the point, the wife is without her kitchen sink and dishwasher and is NOT happy. I need to replace that length of pipe running to the elbow. Any ideas on what I'm doing wrong and how I could, for not too much money, solve the problem?

Thanks in advance!

John


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## VIPlumber (Aug 2, 2010)

Could you post a pic? That'll help us figure out what your dealing with.

http://www.diychatroom.com/f19/how-attach-photo-post-12559/


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Probably Copper. Post picture. bTW, metal does not rot, it corrodes or disintegrates due to corrosion or rust.


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## TheEplumber (Jul 20, 2010)

sounds like your going to burn down the house.  If you expect the pipe to glow it won't happen.
Is the pipe located in the cabinet or in the the wall?


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## diyorpay (Sep 21, 2010)

The pipe can't have water in it. Won't get hot enough.


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## vintshave (Jun 22, 2012)

VIPlumber said:


> Could you post a pic? That'll help us figure out what your dealing with.
> 
> http://www.diychatroom.com/f19/how-attach-photo-post-12559/


Here are some pictures....One picture is the corroded end of the pipe, another is the elbow I am trying to detach and the last is the end of the pipe going into the drain.


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## vintshave (Jun 22, 2012)

diyorpay said:


> The pipe can't have water in it. Won't get hot enough.


I doubt that the pipe has water in it. And even if it did, I think 10 minutes at 1,000 degrees should have boiled it off


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## VIPlumber (Aug 2, 2010)

vintshave said:


> Here are some pictures....One picture is the corroded end of the pipe, another is the elbow I am trying to detach and the last is the end of the pipe going into the drain.


What I've had to do in the past is hammer the fitting & pipe out while holding the torch on the fitting I'm trying to loosen. Seems like not all the solder will dissolve, maybe some of it's corroded together. Make sure there's nothing that'll melt underneath, as the pipe will be frickin' hot. Maybe have some wet rags, spray bottle and a large pail of water nearby, but not underfoot.


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## vintshave (Jun 22, 2012)

VIPlumber said:


> What I've had to do in the past is hammer the fitting & pipe out while holding the torch on the fitting I'm trying to loosen. Seems like not all the solder will dissolve, maybe some of it's corroded together. Make sure there's nothing that'll melt underneath, as the pipe will be frickin' hot. Maybe have some wet rags, spray bottle and a large pail of water nearby, but not underfoot.


I'd be surprised if the pipe is less than 40 years old


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## jschaben (Mar 31, 2010)

I'd just cut the pipe an inch or so back from the elbow and rebuild from there. With shark bite couplings there would be no soldering involved. A little spendy but for a small job like that they are just the ticket.


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## biggles (Jan 1, 2008)

cut the copper into that elbow on the right side and rebuild it back up into the kitchen forget the soldering.torch might not be hot enough solder should of got wet at least if it was 95/5..might of been brazed in.get away from it and enjoy the weekend..and get the wife smilin' again:wink:.if your mint with soldering might also want to consider cutting that copper into the elbow swet in a FM threaded adapter X swet fitting and go up in pvc


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## Daniel Holzman (Mar 10, 2009)

I had a similar setup in my house. I would cut the copper using a tubing cutter or a sawzall if you are careful about 18 inches above where it meets the drain. I used a Fernco coupling to connect to schedule 40 PVC, which is my material of choice for drainage pipe. Rebuild the entire drain from the stub (the 18 inches of pipe you leave) up. This will give you the opportunity to install a cleanout and a trap. Your wife will love you, and of course you will have the opportunity to easily clean out the pipe should your wife decide to put something untowards down the drain (don't ask me how I know about this particular issue). By the way, you can sell the copper for scrap at $2.50 a lb and make back most of the cost of the project.


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## vintshave (Jun 22, 2012)

biggles said:


> cut the copper into that elbow on the right side and rebuild it back up into the kitchen forget the soldering.torch might not be hot enough solder should of got wet at least if it was 95/5..might of been brazed in.get away from it and enjoy the weekend..and get the wife smilin' again:wink:.if your mint with soldering might also want to consider cutting that copper into the elbow swet in a FM threaded adapter X swet fitting and go up in pvc


Are you suggesting cutting the elbow itself right down the middle? If so, what sort of connection would I use to connect to the now halved brass elbow? And what would you then use to run the pipe up to the kitchen? More brass?


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## vintshave (Jun 22, 2012)

jschaben said:


> I'd just cut the pipe an inch or so back from the elbow and rebuild from there. With shark bite couplings there would be no soldering involved. A little spendy but for a small job like that they are just the ticket.


Can I cut brass pipe with a pipe cutter? I think it might be brass rather than copper, but I could be wrong.


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## vintshave (Jun 22, 2012)

Daniel Holzman said:


> I had a similar setup in my house. I would cut the copper using a tubing cutter or a sawzall if you are careful about 18 inches above where it meets the drain. I used a Fernco coupling to connect to schedule 40 PVC, which is my material of choice for drainage pipe. Rebuild the entire drain from the stub (the 18 inches of pipe you leave) up. This will give you the opportunity to install a cleanout and a trap. Your wife will love you, and of course you will have the opportunity to easily clean out the pipe should your wife decide to put something untowards down the drain (don't ask me how I know about this particular issue). By the way, you can sell the copper for scrap at $2.50 a lb and make back most of the cost of the project.


 
SO if you are looking at the last picture, which is where it meets the drain, there isnt 18" of pipe on the vertical piece. Are you suggesting that I cut the pipe on the horizontal section, install a fernco there and run 40 PVC from there to an elbow and then up to the kitchen?


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## Alan (Apr 12, 2006)

vintshave said:


> Can I cut brass pipe with a pipe cutter? I think it might be brass rather than copper, but I could be wrong.


It isn't brass.


two things : One already mentioned above if there is any water in the piping at all, the heat will draw the water toward the joint, and it won't get hot enough.


If you OVER heat the fitting, it's almost like you can't even see the solder turn soft, the pipe will expand inside the fitting, and it will never come out.


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## vintshave (Jun 22, 2012)

Daniel Holzman said:


> I had a similar setup in my house. I would cut the copper using a tubing cutter or a sawzall if you are careful about 18 inches above where it meets the drain. I used a Fernco coupling to connect to schedule 40 PVC, which is my material of choice for drainage pipe. Rebuild the entire drain from the stub (the 18 inches of pipe you leave) up. This will give you the opportunity to install a cleanout and a trap. Your wife will love you, and of course you will have the opportunity to easily clean out the pipe should your wife decide to put something untowards down the drain (don't ask me how I know about this particular issue). By the way, you can sell the copper for scrap at $2.50 a lb and make back most of the cost of the project.


Where would you suggest installing the cleanout and trap? Pictures of what you recommend would be great!


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## Thurman (Feb 9, 2009)

You stated that you were using a "blowtorch". A bit more specifics as to what type of "blowtorch" you were using. It would be possible that your torch would not heat this joint hot enough. I have had situations where a small LP gas torch would not get the joint hot enough and had to change to MAP gas.


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## jschaben (Mar 31, 2010)

vintshave said:


> SO if you are looking at the last picture, which is where it meets the drain, there isnt 18" of pipe on the vertical piece. Are you suggesting that I cut the pipe on the horizontal section, install a fernco there and run 40 PVC from there to an elbow and then up to the kitchen?


Just cut it somewhere between the second and third picture, giving yourself room to rebuild back with whatever you choose. Don't cut the elbow, cut away from it far enough to couple to the old pipe and get another elbow in place.


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