Can I make one suggestion? The quality of flux can matter quite a bit - especially for a vertical solder like the one @JohnRob has shown. A long time ago, a plumber friend recommended Nokorode flux, and I have never had a sweated joint not work ever since. So much better than the Oatey crap at HD or Lowes.
Edit - one more addition to @JohnRob's excellent instructions. Wipe any excess flux off after a minute or two. This will prevent pipe discoloration. Flux is acidic, and wiping it off will also prevent any acid damage (etching) to the copper.
I worked as a plumber's helper one summer when I was in college. I learn how to do a lot of things, including sweating copper. There are several keys to doing it right:
Wear proper personal protective equipment including leather gloves and safety glasses. The copper and the solder will get quite hot and can cause painful burns.
Measure carefully. Cut the pipe to the correct length and make sure all burrs are removed from the ends of the cut pipe. The pipe must be the right length to go all the way into the fitting.
Make sure both the outside of the pipe and the inside of the fitting are cleaned with sandpaper until the copper is bright and shiney. Wipe off any dust with a dry rag.
Use a solid core solder designed for plumbing use. Rosin core solder designed for electronic work contains lead and is prohibited for plumbing.
Use a good flux designed for the type of solder you are using. When used for potable water systems, the flux must be water flushable.
Use plenty of heat. A MAPP gas or acetylene torch is better than using propane. Do not try using one of the butane micro-torches.
Make sure there is no water left in the piping. Water will absorb the heat and prevent a good solder joint.
When soldering, be sure you heat the fitting rather than the pipe.
You can wipe off any excess solder with a dry cloth. Do not use a damp cloth. Let the pipe and fitting cool slowly.
Before working on your main water pipe, be sure to check your local building codes to be sure you are in compliance.
I was JUST going to say....since he's having a plumber out anyway. I'd be surprised if your plumber is happy with doing this, they're usually really anal about where sharkbites get used.
That said, I have indeed installed a main shutoff with a sharkbite on one side of the pipe array because of the difficulty of sweating a particular copper fitting ....and my fear the valve may fail someday.
So here's the proviso:
a) I can get to and inspect this shutoff, and
b) I have a water sensor monitored by HE under it.
You really hit the key points in this post. And it's amazing how easy it is when all of those are adhered to. There are some good videos on youtube that are worth watching to see all those points in action.
Since you likely learned this... I'd suggest you edit #7 and add where exactly he should be placing the solder relative to the heat.
Oh, and the trick to roll out and bend for ease just a little bit more solder than the circumference of the pipe so as you drag around from one side to the other you have a rough gauge on "how much is enough".
Yes, once the fitting is properly heated, you can touch the solder to the point where the fitting and copper tubing meet. The solder will be sucked by capillary action up into the joint to make a tight seal.
As with many jobs, prep work is the key to success.
So back to my original point about the water monitoring and the auto shut off. Today I went out to confirm exactly what valve I have and it appears that the water company changed it out not long ago. This new valve doesn't appear to be compatible. Does anyone have a good experience with a alternative to flume. Maybe I should be looking at something that does both monitoring and shut off and just be ready to spend 400 or so.
Nope. Nothing I've used worked for monitoring actual flow (and supported smart data collection) other than flume.
That said, water flow meters are not rocket science. You can certainly out your own in.... But the data collection portion would have to be something custom (Arduino or other if there is power, maybe Zigbee or LoRa if there isn't).
My local water company has water meters that report usage every hour! They communicate by sending the data to a satellite! I can get this data from their website.
So I would suggest you check with your water company before spending $$ for the addition of data collection. As I previously posted, I have a WaterCop for local shutoff but data is from the water company.
UPDATE: Grammar fixed, Apparently I have typing dyslexia
The problem with that is that I don't exactly trust my water company. In my area they are kind of like the bane of the community if you get stuck with them as it is a private company. I didn't learn that until I moved in, but it is a huge problem.
However before you feel too sorry for yourself; I replied to a post in the Arduino forum to a person wanting to automate a water pump based on flow, with the goal being to boost flow when water is being supplied. Their public water company only supplies water for 30 to 50 minutes a day and not every day
