Steam pipe olives

[Maurice Cox 1Participant @mauricecox1]

[Maurice Cox 1Participant @mauricecox1]

Is soft solder acceptable for fixing the brass olives on a steam pipe? The pipe in question is 3/8" diameter, and the maximum preasure is 60 lbs/squ. inch.I have silver soldered one on, but they tend to melt!

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

HI Maurice,

My understanding is that if the stem is wet (i.e. unsuperheated it is unlikely to melt soft solder, but I know it goes weak at well below the melting point.

If you are melting brass olives when silver soldering them, you are using too much heat I would say.

Neil

[mgjParticipant @mgj]

Yes it will work – for a little while if my experience is anything to go by.

I built a 3" traction engine and soft soldered all the joints. And after they failed in less than a month, I had to replumb the whole thing. I don't think I have a single original joint remaing.

So I would stronly advise you to forget the soft solder – unless you enjoy plumbing.

Comsol might be OK – no exerience, but personally, I have no intention of putting soft solder anywhere near a steam pipe again!

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