Section B - Using The (Sweat) Soldering Method - Reliance Water Heaters FVIR C3 Instruction Manual

SECTION B
USING THE (SWEAT) SOLDERING METHOD
(See Figure 19)
FIGURE 19.
1. Position the water heater so that the existing piping will require the
shortest distance between connections. Make sure that you are
able to reach the drain valve and all connections when the water
heater is in place. This will make it easy to service the water
heater. The water heater must be level before you begin the
piping.
If a water heater is installed in a closed water supply system,
such as one having a back-flow preventer, check valve, water
meter with check valve, etc. . . in the cold water supply, means
shall be provided to control thermal expansion. Contact the water
supplier or plumbing contractor on how to control this situation.
2. Put two or three turns of teflon tape or pipe joint compound around
both the threaded end of the 3/4" x 3" nipples, and using a pipe
wrench, tighten the nipples into the "HOT" and "COLD" fittings of
the water heater, see Figure 20.
FIGURE 20.
3. The pipe cutter is simple to use, screw the adjustment knob until
the opening of the jaws will allow the cutters to be placed around
the pipe. Then close the adjustment until the cutting blade is just
tight against the pipe. Do not over tighten. Make one or two
revolutions of the cutter around the pipe. Tighten the adjustment
knob slightly, and revolve the cutters around the pipe once again.
Continue this procedure until the pipe is completely cut in two.
4. Cleaning and brushing the piping and fittings is one of the most
important aspects of sweat connections. Clean the ends of each
piece of copper pipe with emery cloth as shown. Clean the inside
of each sweat fitting with the wire brush as shown. Make sure
you do not touch the cleaned areas, see Figure 21.
5. Using the diagram map out the installation. Screw the nipples into
the tank and fittings onto the nipples, hand tight. Then measure
and cut the copper tubing.
Remove the nipples and fittings, then go to the next step, see
Figure 22.
6. The 3/4" female threaded to sweat connectors and two pieces of
copper pipe to connect the water heater to the house plumbing
should be cleaned, fluxed and assembled. Do not screw the
connectors into the nipples in the tank before soldering.
Solder pipe/connector assembly as shown. When solder flows
into and completely around the joint, you should remove the solder
and the heat immediately, see Figure 23.
7. Using your pipe wrench, secure the pipe/connector assemblies
onto the nipples.
8. Flux the ends of piping and inside the couplings.
9. Put the pipes and coupling together and solder as shown. Solder
the top first, and then quickly solder the bottom.
13
FIGURE 21.
FIGURE 22.
FIGURE 23.