[Olivero]

Hello hello,

I did a pipe weld for a co worker yesterday, I have not done water pressure piping before but figured I would give it a shot. It was an 1 1/2" to 2" or something like that. It was technically a socket weld, ran 6013 root in 3/32" and my hot and cap were 7018 with an 1/8" rod.

He called me today told me there was a tiny leak so I figured I would ask, the place its leaking is where another pipe is blocking good access, in order for me to do anything on it, I had to bend the electrode slightly in a couple of places to get a decent angle, I thought I got it but I was wrong.

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It had a burn all the way around on the inside of the pipe, except for the spot it leaked (figures huh?) I was hoping it would be okay because it was slightly burnt but not showing that good burn the rest of it was. I am guessing that burn shows the weld is good? It was a very small leak but a leak is still a leak.

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I might have gone into this a bit over my head but hey, you gotta learn somehow

How do you guys go about tying in your welds? I start a bit further back on the bead, is that correct?

And when you get into a position where something is blocking your straight angle of the electrode, how do you get to it? bending the electrode is okay?

[Coldman]

There's lots wrong with the weld before you got to the restricted position.
If you hadn't done pressure welding before you should have researched the correct procedures and practised first before diving into the deep end.
Also 6013 is a poor choice for a root pass and is the main cause of your problem now. Likely a slag inclusion that if you weld over now will merely chase around the pipe.
Best solution would be to cut it out and start again.
If you don't know how to use 6010/6011 rods for the root, do the whole job with 7018.
You can try grinding out the leaky part and filling it up with 7018. Fortunately its only water so the pressure isn't big.

[Otto Nobedder]

Cosmetically, one would not expect that weld to leak, but...

Looking at the circumstances, I would not have done a "root pass" or use a 60-anything on that. I'd have gone 7018 all the way, and wasted as much rod as it took making bends and welding a short distance. The 6013 does not restart cleanly (it just looks that way), and you needed many restarts in places I'm sure you couldn't/didn't grind and feather.

Steve S

[Olivero]

Okay, I messed up on which rod I used, I have both on the shelf but I used 6010, not 6013. You only use 6010 rods for a gapped/open root or whats the idea with that? I thought it was standard for every pipe weld to have its root run in 6010 open or not.

Please do explain, I am trying to learn from my mistakes. We took it out, ground it down a little bit and cranked up the amps and ran over that area with some more 7018, now its all good.

So bending the electrode is the standard way to reach a restricted area like that?

[PeteM]

So bending the electrode is the standard way to reach a restricted area like that?

I don't know that it is standard, but it is pretty common. Sometimes work-overs and stuff that looks good on paper just don't translate well to the actual objects, and ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

Good job on a tricky fix. If there were any possible way to cut out the original stem and weld directly to the larger pipe, it would have been a much more accessible joint, but thats all "woulda, shoulda, coulda".

6010 is typical for root passes in open root pipe for its penetration, fast freeze, and back bead characteristics, but isn't exactly necessary unless specified. For filling gaps on bad fit up or do-over, non code type stuff, it can be pretty much anything goes at times.

[Poland308]

Standard on pipe is a 6010 root. Either 6010 or 7018 hot pass. Then 7018 all the way out. That would be with a open butt joint without any backer. However if that's a socket weld fitting then standard would be 7018 all the way. Because it's the equivalent to a standard fillet weld in that configuration.

[Olivero]

Cool, so if I run 7018 I am pretty much solid all the way but for pressurized piping or when its needed due to the fast freeze on the gap, 6010 is recommended.