Did you hear about Solder Free Tube Connections?
Do you know where we use them and how to do them?
Do you know what the difference is between them and Soldering & Brazing?
Are you interested in on-site mechanical or MEP installations?
If your answer is yes to one or all the above questions, so this article is for you.
In this article, we will discuss the common connection types we use to connect copper pipes, along with their fittings.
Why do we use copper pipes in the water and HVAC piping systems?
Copper is a valuable material because of its useful properties. It is heat- and corrosion-resistant, and inexpensive.
Because of these properties, copper is used in a variety of HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) plus in water supply applications.
In HVAC, a copper pipe is a type of tubing used to transport coolant and is found in all HVAC systems.
Metal piping is a standard component of HVAC systems, but it has a few drawbacks.
First, it is very expensive and difficult to replace parts. Additionally, if it is damaged, it can cause serious damage to the entire HVAC system. If we need to maintain it, we have to weld it to repair the damage, but it is very difficult to fit a replacement pipe in the same place.
That’s why the engineers developed a new technique for connecting and repairing metallic tubes, especially copper tubes, to avoid the disadvantages of soldering. This is a new technique we call Solder Free Tube Connections.
Old Techniques of Joining the copper tubes and fittings
I will first talk about the most common techniques we used for many years to join and connect copper tubes and their fittings: Brazing and Soldering.
What is the difference between the Brazing and soldering of copper tubes?
Soldering and brazing are both processes that are used to join metals. While both processes are similar, they are not identical.
In both brazing and soldering, the metals to be joined are first heated to a temperature at which they will flow freely, which allows them to be joined.
In brazing, the two metals are joined by sliding them together, whereas in soldering, the metals are melted, and the molten metal flows into the joint.
In this video made by Tigtime, you can see the difference between the two processes.
Solder Free Tube Connections
Disadvantages of the Brazing and soldering of copper tubes in the Water Supply & HVAC system:
Soldering can be performed on thin metals that require minimal heat, but it can be inaccurate depending on the temperature and the metal type.
Grinding down the metal and connecting the pieces by melting them together is a pretty standard method of joining metal.
This is because the method is much easier than soldering, making it ideal for the hundreds of uses in pipes for HVAC & Water Supply systems.
Unfortunately, this method can also cause problems. For one, the pieces can be weakened by the heat of the brazing process, making it more difficult for air to flow through them. That means they could fail sooner, which would cause your HVAC system or Water Supply System to fail.
Moreover, Brazing is more expensive than Soldering.
Note: In Some Projects, the specifications specify using copper pipes for the water supply system, not PPR, as is usual in most projects.
Solder-Free Tube Connections:
What are they? How do they work?
If you’ve ever heard of them, you probably think that they are a recent invention poised to change how we connect things as we know it. However, you may not know that they date back to the early 1900s and that the idea was inspired by and described by Nikola Tesla.
Soldiering & Brazing of metallic tubes often cause problems in the installation and repair of refrigeration and air conditioning systems.
That’s why the engineers found a solution to overcome the problems caused by the soldering process. This new technique for connections, which we call solder-free connections, is finally making normal soldering connections a thing of the past.
What is the concept of making a soldier-free connection?
This Solder-Free Tube Connection is created completely without any heat generation, which means you save all the necessary safety precautions for soldering.
The fire regulations and soldering permits cease to apply. So there’s no additional bureaucracy and bothersome waiting.
Elaborate safety gear and heavy soldiering equipment are no longer needed on construction sites, even in busy offices.
One of the most important benefits of solder-free tube connections is that you can install them without interrupting operations.
However, specialized companies in this type of connection, ” solder-free tube connections ” (Ex: VULKAN), don’t just make the installation is easier, but quicker to each knock reconnection is 40 percent faster than a shoulder joint.
Cause when Solder, even experienced professionals, can’t always avoid damaging the air conditioning system with heat or solder residue.
Handling lokring, on the other hand, is easy to learn and straightforward, so after only a short time, you can apply a system quickly and reliably.
Step-by-Step How to make the Solder-Free Tube Connection practically On-Site:
1- First, deburr the tube and thoroughly clean the tube ends.
2- Use the stabilization insert to give the connection more stability.
3- Mark the insertion depth of the tube
4- Apply lock prep evenly to the entire cube circumference.
5- Lock prep penetrates even the finest cavities and fills them completely.
6- Now push the tube’s end all the way into the connector, and press the lokring into the connector using the hand assembly tool.
That’s all, as you can see, it’s straightforward.
No matter what connection you’re creating, lokring offers the best solution that fits every installation’s situation.
For over 30 years, lokring tube connectors have been successfully applied in the refrigeration and air conditioning industry. More than one billion lock rings have been installed since then.
This is a summary of the tools & fittings that are used in the video during the Solder-Free Tube Connections :
1- TUBE DEBURRER
2- ABRASIVE MAT
3- STABILISATION INSERTS
4- PERMANENT MARKER
5- LOKPREP
6- JOINT
7- LOKRINGS
8- HAND ASSEMBLY TOOL WITH ASSEMBLY JAWS MB EVP.
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