Rite Aid Corporation is an American drugstore chain based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It offers a variety of reliable and affordable drugstore products with quality you can trust. Rite Aid also offers safety and security products such as smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, and personal alarms. Walgreens/RiteAid/CVS sometimes have a tobacco section with lighters and butane.
Rite Aid Corporation is committed to providing a healthy, happy life for its customers. They offer 14x filtered butane fuel, which is suitable for various butane-fueled devices like lighters, torches, and portable stoves. However, butane is a gas, while lighter fluid is a liquid. Consumers with recalled lighters should stop using them immediately and return them to any Rite Aid store for a full refund.
Rite Aid is closing multiple locations after filing for bankruptcy last year. To provide a more personalized digital experience, Rite Aid does share some information with third parties. Customers can manage their prescriptions, shop for their whole health needs, earn Rite Aid Rewards points, and convert to BonusCash for more savings.
Instacart offers same-day delivery or curbside pickup for Rite Aid® Pharmacy Butane Gas Cylinder products. Rite Aid has partnered with Amazon to offer two-hour delivery windows in select zip codes in Newark, NJ and Burbank, CA.
📹 Stop wasting your money on more compression Bandages: Exp dates are a Lie
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Can pharmacists give needles?
A clinical pharmacist can only administer drugs by injection if they have been granted authorization. To obtain authorization, meet the prerequisites and be registered on the ACP clinical pharmacist register. To renew authorization, pharmacists must complete a professional declaration annually stating valid CPR and First Aid certifications, have administered injections within three years, reviewed the Standards of Practice for Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians within the past 12 months, and have the required policies and procedures for handling emergencies.
Do you need a prescription to buy insulin syringes at CVS?
The text states that some pharmacies may require a one-time insulin prescription with unlimited refills, while others may not. The pharmacy can decide whether to require a prescription for syringes. The text encourages users to answer questions to better understand their needs. The information collected will be collated and may be published on the website or used for publication, but composite data will be used.
The form is only for diabetes care questions, and for questions related to children with diabetes, users should use the Contact Us form. If the answer is emailed, the user’s email address is required.
Does Rite Aid have insulin syringes?
Rite Aid Insulin Syringes, 1/2mL x 8mm are a commercial distribution product from Becton, Dickinson and Company Inc. The product is in commercial distribution with a catalog number of 326783 and a primary DI number of 00382903267835. The device is identified by a D-U-N-S® number of 047047543.
Why did Rite Aid fail?
Rite Aid, a leading pharmacy chain, has experienced a decline in its market share due to rising healthcare costs and stagnant revenue. The company’s debt has accumulated nearly $3 billion in net losses since 2018, limiting its ability to invest in store renovations. The rise of online threats from Amazon and in-store pharmacies at major chains like Walmart and Kroger further undermined Rite Aid’s competitiveness.
Fitch Ratings analyst David Silverman explains that the company’s limited ability to invest in improvements led to its continued decline. However, the pandemic provided Rite Aid with a temporary boost in business through COVID vaccine sales, which in turn boosted sales of other items.
Do pharmacies give free needles?
Pharmacies offering needle exchange services provide free injecting equipment to ensure safe injections. They offer different sizes of syringes, needles, citric acid, and filters depending on the area. Supervised consumption of prescribed medicines under the supervision of a pharmacist helps maintain regular dosing. Pharmacists dispense and store prescriptions safely, checking daily intake. They also provide resources and tools to help individuals find additional resources for substance misuse, such as FRANK and the NHS.
Are Rite Aid and Walgreens the same?
In 2017, Walgreens announced the cancellation of its merger with Rite Aid, offering to purchase 2, 186 stores for $5. 18 billion, plus a $325 million cancellation penalty. A revised deal was made, with Walgreens purchasing 1, 932 locations for $4. 38 billion, approved by the FTC on September 19. The revised sale was completed in March 2018, leaving Rite Aid with around 2, 600 remaining stores. Three distribution centers and related inventory were transferred, and most stores were rebranded as Walgreens.
In February 2018, Albertsons announced plans to acquire the remainder of Rite Aid in a merger of equals, but the plan failed to please shareholders and was cancelled on August 8, 2018. In October 2020, Rite Aid announced the acquisition of Bartell Drugs, a Seattle-area chain, for $95 million, which faced criticism from customers due to staff turnover and computer system glitches.
How to get cash back at Rite Aid?
Rite Aid Rewards is a loyalty program that allows customers to earn points on eligible purchases made in Rite Aid stores, online, and through the mobile app. Points can be converted into BonusCash in three increments: 1, 000 POINTS = $2 BonusCash. The program offers various ways to earn points, access special promotions, and personalized offers. Members can earn points for as little as 1, 000 points, access exclusive member deals and promotions, members-only instant BonusCash promotions and pricing, new personalized offers and fun challenges around the brands they love, and participate in the special Rite Aid Rewards 65+ program for customers aged 65 and older. Members-only digital coupons (formerly Load2Card) are redeemable in-store and online, and the program also offers the opportunity to participate in the KidsCents round-up program.
Can I get insulin needles at pharmacy?
Insulin needles are classified as prescription-only medications and are typically packaged in small vials. Disposable medical syringes, with and without needles for injection, are available over the counter at the majority of pharmacies without the necessity of a prescription.
Does Apple Pay work on ATM?
To use Apple or Google Pay at an ATM, customers need to open their Google or Apple Pay Wallet, select the right debit card, and tap their phone against the contactless symbol for the ATM. They then need to enter their PIN number as usual. Cardless ATMs offer numerous benefits, including security, convenience, and avoiding the need to carry a physical wallet. Capital One’s report highlights three benefits: avoiding the risk of germ spread, eliminating the need to carry a physical wallet, and acting as a one-stop shop, as customers already use their digital wallets for multiple purposes.
Does Rite Aid take Apple Pay?
Rite Aid accepts Apple Pay for in-store, online, and in-app transactions, and Google Pay exclusively for in-store purchases. In order to complete an in-app purchase, the customer is required to input their address, email address, and name. The option to make a payment via Apple Pay will become available as of September 15, 2022.
Do you need a prescription to buy syringes?
There are no age restrictions for the personal possession of sterile syringes, nor are there any limits on the number of syringes that an individual may possess. It is not mandatory for pharmacies to sell syringes without a prescription, and pharmacists are at liberty to determine the quantity of syringes to be sold.
📹 An Awesome Alternative To Brazing HVAC Lines. Staybrite 8 Soft Solder
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Former paramedic. In regard to bandage sterility, it’s not as big an issue as many think. Odds are the penetrating trauma has already caused some level of contamination to the wound, a clean dressing is not going to cause further injury or infection. In the field, clean is more than sufficient for traumatic penetrating injuries.
Especially useful when you have multiple Medical Kits. One for the Range Bag, Car, Duty, Backpack, in the house for HD. Buying and replacing multiple IFAKS can get really expensive. As long as they’re still good, why not keeping them. Especially in case of a rough time seemingly getting closer every year.
Learned this about gas mask filters & ceramic armor. The “expiration” date is a date to get the government to buy more, because if everything lasted forever, the company fulfilling the contract would go bankrupt. It also gives the companies some leeway since they can’t exactly control how the military stores their products. Some warehouses or depots might have better storage conditions than others. The “expiration” date helps to ensure that the product always works, regardless of how poorly it was stored within it’s “expected” lifespan. The truth is all about how you store your stuff. Ceramic armor doesn’t expire. There’s articles of Ceramic armor from VIETNAM stopping 7.62×51 ball 50+ years later. Gas mask filters from the 1990s & 2000s (that are sealed) still have active carbon that can remove odor from air. And don’t even get me started on ammo… all of us have probably shot grandpa’s ammunition he bought in a drugstore 40+ years ago at $0.02 a round.
In the late 90’s, I bought a couple of WWII vintage wound dressings, just on whim. Being unfamiliar with these things, I thought the rock-hard feel of the things was a Bad Sign, so I opened one. To my surprise, that thing puffed itself up in all it’s snow-white pristine glory. And thanks for the info on the outer packaging; I’ve got a couple of the Israeli type and would probably have tossed them if that outer layer had leaked. Thanks!
If it has an NSN, it has an expiration whether it should or not. Theres military vehicles that never left the garage other than off the hauling truck into said garage that get auctioned off because they “expired.” Some medical you have to be careful with but most are only an issue if exposed to temp extremes (mainly heat) and UV.
As a rookie cop I admit to falling for this without giving much thought, any that would expire I would use as a training tool to show loved ones how to use them and then toss them. Later in life I realized some of your points and quit lol. Its nice to hear someone with more training and experience validate. I never thought of boiling bandages to reuse, Thanks for the information.
As someone who hasn’t even taken a medical class YET. This is fantastic information. I have only started carrying medical on or around my person in the last year. This is great info that can be passed along but also to put in my “toolkit”. I never thought about expiration dates as it hasn’t come time to annually inspect my equipment, but will be a great money saver down the road when it’s time to replace some pieces. As most gun shops that carry IFAKs typically have gloves, pressure bandage, CAT and packing bandages. I can just go online to more dedicated websites and replace one or two items instead of all of them.
With the Israeli bandages even if the packaging is completely compromised and not safe for medical use they could probably still be used in training, as long as the bandage itself is still in good shape of course lol. Also I think on alot of things the “expires on” date is just a ploy to get you to buy more lol, kinda like how Christmas is just a corporate holiday along with many other holidays.
The standard of care is to use only sterile items when working internally. Items that are past their expiration date are no longer considered sterile and move into the category of Hygienically clean. Items that are past their expiration date can be re-sterilized by placing them on a platform (above the water) in a pressure cooker at 121 C, 15 psi for 45 minutes. Finish processing by exposing them to low heat until dry.
Typically when something expires or is no longer sterile I’ll throw it into a training box. Good on you for bringing this up, had a buddy recently ask me about it and I told him the same thing. I remove the grey wrapper from the israeli bandages to save space and make it easier to access under stress.
Excellent point and well explained. I use Prometheus Olaes bandages and check them every year, likewise we still have a load of Israeli bandages in the store that are in perfect package order……just 10yrs+ out of date, they would still do the job now. People need to check their kits and know what can be pushed on a few years and what cannot. Good to see you showing cambat guaze in a secondary bag, protect the packages and the item will last much longer.
Well presented. Personally I take the outer packaging off of my double sealed bandages when I put them in my Ifak, jump kit or blowout bag. In a blowout I don’t want to waste time with two packages.. Most likely whatever has caused the damage has already contaminated the wound track, not oblivious to contamination and infection, but mostly concerned with plugging holes. The Trauma doc, ER, field hospital, or at a time when I can focus on some specific more preventive care, look after that problem.
Clearing out my moms pantry on a house move in 2021. Campbells soups from ‘90s. Tuna tins. Sardines. Liquor from ‘80s. Inspected….All good to go. Experation dates are “flexible” 😂😂. I bet trillions of dollarsworth of goods are wasted each year in first world countries because of the all mighty experation date. D😎🇺🇸🤙
Good article. I’ve said similar. I’ve done trauma for several years in a trauma center. Never paid attention to dates then. Also have government experience. Government just pitches perfectly good medical supplies because of an arbitrary date…such a waste. But dates are written into government contracts. Keep the federal dollars rolling.
Combat gauze is typically listed as only good for five years while Israeli bandages are typically listed as only good for eight. I think the issue with combat gauze is that the chemicals inside them actual break down, making the hemostatic function less effective or even cause burns. I’m not certain if this is what happens, but I would just discard old combat gauze.
same thing goes with chest seals. just because they are dated by someone with a date that some human determines they are outdated, dont mean that the item is defective. if theitem is still in good condition, then the item is still good. food might be a little different. except for canned goods. those last decades.
It depends how are you planning on using your bandages. If you are prepping for possible gunshot wounds or industrial accidents etc, I would not really worry about the sterility. With penetrating wounds from heavy machinery, bear traps and especially gunshot wounds, there is always going to be contamination in one way or the other. The wounds has to be cleaned in the surgery anyhows and having a bit “unsterile bandage” really makes no difference there. The bigger problem in these kinds of situations would be that you would have no compression bandage at all.
These are solid tips, I’m currently in EMT school and since that medical kits are mostly around in stores and such, I am planing on having trauma kits in my car and an IFAK cause medical kits we carry on the “bus” (ambulance) are in very limited quantities. I have spoke to my instructors about this issue he said to me buy your own TQ, bandages, needles and such cause the ones on the bus are not really great while the ones you buy are going to perform and stop the bleeding on that patient quicker and more efficient, the downside he told me was that it’s gets pretty expensive don’t go to crazy just basic stuff you’ll need get those instead. He even told me that bandages, dressings, and TQ should be the main priority if you want to buy your own stuff. Buying medical stuff is a common thing in the field of work meet a paramedic who has like 8 TQs 4 in his bag and 4 on himself. 6-8 he told me was the amount of TW you should have on you because 1 is never enough 2 is ok, three is great but not terrible, 4 is serviceable, 5 is good but what about the others, 6 is the sweet spot of the amount and medial professionals should have on their kits. Remember folks most deaths in medical field is people die by bleeding out and not having the bleeding controlled, of course there’s other things that are fatal but by you stop that person from bleeding his/her survival rate will increase ten fold.
The one time I had to try n use a 6″ Israeli bandage & combat guaze to stop a large laceration to forehead, on traffic accident I drove upon on way to gym. A flat bed 1.25-1.5ton flatbed tow truck rear ended a late 90’s ford ranger who guessing was t wearing seat belts. What threw me is a the damn thing had a string that got hung up every wrap around head, that’s assuming if need to use w/ only one hand. What I learned was likely combat guaze was overkill @ had the bleeding been time sensitive, my lack of familiarity with it wouldn’t have helped things at all.
This never even crossed my mind with these. We were never even told that in the military when I was in. Good info I’ll have to dumpster dive from now on to get free unopened bandages. Life or death I wouldn’t care I’d use one on me or someone else. What if you throw it away and you need it the next week…well the garbage man already came so your SOL
I have a non article related question for you. Is there a OCP issue poncho? I can’t find any info whether they even exist. I ordered 2 supposed real ones from Colemans and they are high quality like a real one would be but the hoods are too small to fit over a helmet and there’s no NSN number. If they do exist and you have been issued one does the hood fit over a helmet? If they are being issued do they have them in Clothing Sales yet? I don’t know where you’re stationed at but I was SF at MAFB and still live in the area.
The first Emergency Care Bandages (ECB’s) produced in 2008-2009 did not have vacuumed outer packaging. Only the inner clear packaging was vacuumed. By 2011 they stared vacuuming both inside and outside. The man made fibres of the pad and the elastic in the bandage degrades over time. I recently opened up some 2009 examples on one of my courses to show the pad degradation. It basically flakes apart on the surface. The elastic snaps when the bandage is stretched. These have a life of about 12 years from production unlike the old British First Field Dressings which survive indefinitely if kept in good condition.
Another thing I don’t believe you mentioned regarding opened, damaged or expired bandages. They can be used as training tools. I’ve seen in the past Marines using their actual IFAK contents for training purposes which was frankly… stupid… save up damaged or expired gear for that so your actual IFAK can be kept pristine until it’s needed.
Even completely screwed kit can (sometimes) be used for training as well. How many times have you seen someone screw up with a TQ or some sort of bandage? They aren’t super handy if you don’t know how to use em. So, before I actually toss anything that’s not serviceable, I consider if it might be useful for training myself or family/friends, and if it is, I dye it and store it seperately.
I can see expiration dates on stuff like hemostatic agents whether it’s in gauze or powder form, I know no one recommends using powder anymore but whatever I still have some and I don’t care, or with devices such as chest SEALS or chest vents where the glue is going to age out and not work when you want to stick that thing on a chest wound that has compromised the lungs of the victim or even burn packs or burn pads where the gel obviously has a shelf life I think. But throwing out your Israeli bandages or pressure dressings because of an expiration date is pretty ridiculous unless there’s some hemostatic agent in them that’s impregnated into the bandage and that’s going to age out or expire but even then okay if the hemostatic agent doesn’t work oh well the pressure dressing still works unless there’s some danger of the hemostatic agent when it goes bad possibly causing wound problems I can’t see any reason why you would throw any of these out. Also the vacuum sealing things a little confusing and I just want to ask about that because most is really or pressure bandages are double bagged so they’re in a clear bag inside of that darker opaque vacuum sealed bag. At least the ones that I bought and researched were double bagged which is super cool because then if you have a compromise to the main bag the thing still technically sterile.
With a lot of medical goods, even aspirin, the mfr puts on an expiration date by waiting one year or two, testing it, and then slapping that “known good” date on it. To give it a five year date they’d have to wait five years. Wanna wait for ten years? Meanwhile the DoD tested military warehouses of drugs and found most were almost 100% effective up to 20 years, in proper storage.
I’ve always been told that stuff like saline solution and adhesive dressings are best used before the expiration dates and for sure the amount of expired adhesive dressings I’ve almost tossed while covering scrapes is epic (the glue dried out) but a bit of coban works great to hold a boo boo patch in place, not sure about the saline eyewash as typically use it for cleaning scrapes and loosening dressings stuck on wounds 🤔 never had issues on my own wounds
FINALLY I use to argue that a clean dressing was better than nothing given that the wound would probably have contamination in it and your BIG three goals was to stop the bleeding, secure an open airway and restore breathing if possible. I always carry my newest Israeli bandage as a minimum on any trip; city or the field.
A bandage won’t prevent any contamination that happened before it’s application. Any major wound will need a major broadband antibiotic anyways, so there is nothing you can prevent or fix. Buy enough israeli bandages to stock up every first aid kit you have, and then keep them until you either used them or your child is inheriting them.
You could be wrong plastic does expire its flexibility same with the streatchy rubber the plastic clip used to secure the bandage can become brittle thats why hard hats have a expiration date…the plastic no longer bounces objects off it becomes brittle and cracks not to say this happens right after the date but I would assume temperatures and years may cause a failure.
So true. Unless you are dealing with a surgical dressing in a sterile surgical suite, any non-feces encrusted bandage is going to be better than nothing in the field. Let the docs and pharmacist deal with the proper antibiotics that would be administered regardless of the expiration date of the bandage.
Like another fellow on here I got some surplus ww2 Canadian bandages from a local gunshow. I only bought the one to have a peek and sure as shit it was good to go. Package still had its seal and it was still bright white and smelled sterile even after all the years. So I went back and bought the last 4 the fellow had.
Thanks for the info. I worked for a medieval device company and we had to determine the expiry of products. Many times we didn’t test it to failure, we tested it to some reasonable point in time. Many times we’d test it to 3 years and say “that’s good enough” but the device could last 3 times that long, we just didn’t want to put the effort and cost into that long of a study.
Re: bandages – if you have a wound that warrants opening one of these, infection is of secondary concern. They can also be used as absorbent batting on top of a sterile bandage like you’d use an ABD pad. Unless there’s actually a time-sensitive ingredient or component, “expired” just means “based on condition”.
Its cloth….there’s nothing to expire so why would I ever throw it away? Sterility isn’t a huge deal b/c in the event that you have to use one you’ve already got way more pertinent problems. You’re going to get pumped full of antibiotics during surgery anyways. I had to use an Israeli bandage on a guys head one time. He got ejected from a vehicle and was laying in the middle of the interstate when I got there. He was gushing bright red blood from his head and it was flayed open on the back and I could see his skull. I had to kneel in blood just to get to him. I had someone gently support his neck in an elevated position so I could place the bandage, then I stabilized his head and neck until EMS arrived. I was the only one on scene with any kind of medical kit. Pretty sure most of the stuff in my kit is expired and its fine. I knew the guy didn’t have a serious neck or spinal injury b/c he kept trying to get up and he was fighting us for a minute. All limbs were working and he was breathing regularly. Dude was completely out of it from the knock to the head. He never said a word and just blankly stared once we got him calmed down. No idea what happened to him. I tried to track him down, but no luck.
I am a prepper and I prepare for a long-term collapse. I consider that for me any large-scale method of stanching bleeding is useless. The question is what to do after applying a tourniquet or stopping a large scale bleeding? The reality I am heading for is one in which there will be no hospital, no medical access. Large scale bleeding requires complex surgical treatment. Something that even if I am in a group – and I am not, I am completely alone – could not be done. So I have to be conscious. If I am in a situation where I need to apply a tourniquet to a limb of my body, or contain a major bleeding: I am going to die. Anyone should have this awareness. Preppers are not soldiers or policemen, who have a whole logistical support system at their disposal.
Dressings should be sterile (But as soon as you open the package, it is no longer “sterile”), bandages do not need to be sterile (but should be clean). You can use an older bandage over newer gauze dressings, to hold them in place. I am considering buying Maxi-pads (5X9’s) and Mini-pads (4X4’s) as emergency dressings, just as a cost savings. And tampons, for use in gunshot wounds.
So glad to see this article. We are at the start of our journey into diy HVAC and running into the sil fos wall. It’s hard to demonstrate such things on YouTube and I’m glad to see the kind advice given by folks about soldering technique. I got my lessons years ago from my brother ( an HVAC tech) and I use it for my plumbing soldering over the years (heat one side and touch solder to the other) I hope you are encouraged to continue to put articles out…this one brought me a breakthrough.
I have bee using this for 35 years in commercial refrigeration on both hi and low sides. Best use for this is to install txv’s or solenoid valves especially if they are brass. Your turbo torch tip was way too big in the first shot and flux is not needed inside the fitting. Been told by Harris reps that this joint will have a higher burst pressure than a brazed joint where the tubing is weakened and I can see why. Once on a project years ago at Merck Pharm plant this was an accepted alternate to brazing. They had some of the most stringent regulations of any place I have worked at. If you use this correctly this stuff is great.
Thank you very much for an informative article and info about the Harris products. MAP gas is not the same as MAPP gas. Mapp gas production ended in 2008. When you buy MAP, you’re mostly paying for a yellow can. From wikipedia: “MAPP gas is widely regarded as a safer and easier-to-use substitute for acetylene. In early 2008, true MAPP gas production ended in North America when production was discontinued at the only remaining plant in North America that still manufactured it. However, many current products labeled “MAPP” are, in fact, MAPP substitutes. These versions contain mostly propylene with some propane, dimethyl ether is included as a 3rd ingredient in some versions.”
Remember to heat the joint, not the solder. Apply the solder on the opposite side of the heat and let the solder run to the heat. As well, if possible, do all sanding before you cut the pipe. Finally, don’t touch the pipe where you sanded with your skin. You will transfer oil to the pipe and “dirty” the contact point of the solder.
Great article I just tried it for the first time I did a few practice joints to get the hang of it . I think the biggest part of this is to have a clean joint and the right amount of heat with a tight joint . The only thing that scares me if you get to much solder in the joint does not sick and locks up a compressor not sure if this could happen
I have nothing against Staybrite 8 for repairs on txv’s, reversing valves etc, but you might want to check your equipment install manual before using it to install your outside unit. Most every manufacturer says it must be “brazed” when installing the condenser. The local and state inspector made a local contractor here re-install a whole subdivision for using Staybrite 8, because of the manufacturers instruction manual
When soldering you need to heat the parts, not the solder otherwise your joint may be cold (and weak). Keep that flame away from the solder. To clean the parts before joining use an abrasive pad for the male part and a brush for female. Don’t scratch them with whatever you used. After soldering clean the flux residue with a wet paper towel, rag or anything. If left there will corrode the pipe or at the very least look bad.
One of my fears with using a solder instead of a braze is that since solder has a greater difference from copper than the standard silver rods, a wet and corrosive environment could allow electrolosis to eat away the solder. Ice-O-Matic’s copper evaporator plates fall apart very quickly because the solder they use corrodes away much faster than the braze that Manitowoc uses. So I would say be mindful of this possibility when environmental conditions are rough.
I am the manager of a R&D HVAC test facility. I can tell you we have used this in the past, however we stopped for a couple reasons. 1. It can/does fail under high pressures. 2. Joints can fatigue over time and the hold is less secure. 3. There have been joints that blew apart during testing (after being in operation for months) causing a loss of refrigerant and very dangerous situation. The copper will violently swing away from the broken joint and could hurt a tech or puncture a coil. We no longer use this for any test application. I wouldn’t use this in a home where it is intended for long term use. However, I did want to say I do really enjoy your articles and appreciate the time and effort you put into helping others. Improving the tools and skills of those who install the products helps EVERYONE!
Can’t understand for the life of me how HVAC guys don’t use Staybrite 8 almost exclusively. The low temperature it flows at means that you don’t have carbon build up in the pipes (no need for nitrogen purging) and you don’t weaken the joined metals from high temperatures (annealing). You don’t have to worry about cooking thinks in the vicinity such as service valves or plastic panels (unless the panels are really close by). Melting plastic surroundings is a big concern in domestic refrigeration repairs. Some people claim that it’s weaker in areas of vibration. Can’t argue that but my experience and manufacturers claims say differently. If your experience differs then use alloy brazing in areas of vibration such as compressor connections. Yes it’s more expensive but the benefits mentioned earlier make it worth the extra cost to me. You do have to clean and flux. It’s not forgiving to poor prep. Very forgiving to proper prep You do need tight fits because it flows very thin and that is a big reason many guys prefer alloy brazing because you can fill in some relatively big gaps. Another reason many guys prefer alloy brazing is because that’s what they have been using for years. Reality is that our innate resistance to change is the biggest reason we don’t want to try something different unless forced to do so and then often we wish we had done it sooner. That’s how I felt after trying Staybrite 8 Btw, difference between Staybrite 8 and regular Staybrite is that Staybrite 8 is a little more expensive (20 buck basically) because it has a higher silver content which means it has a temperature “range” at which it will flow so you can (if you know how) use that ability to fill in gaps in minor loose fittings as it gets thicker at the lower tempeature flow point, whereas regular staybrite has a single temperature flow point.
I have not seen an HVAV Tech yet who can solder! Look at the solder on the ground. Put the flame about two inches toward the house, Let the line transfer heat toward the joint. When its hot enough the solder will melt just by touching it to the pipe joint, Keep the flame away. It will melt and suck into the joint just as smooth as can be, Stop putting the flame on the joint and solder directly. If its a clean joint meaning emory cloth it shiny and dont touch the clean metal after you clean it then Flux it good then solder like I said above.
Kinda looks like the amount of heat you would use on a water line ( plumbing) application. I may be wrong. If it is, this method is much better idea than brazing. I am a plumber and currently in HVAC school and just been trying to get as many pointers and different methods as possible. Thank you for this article. I had never heard of Stay Brite 8.
Grandfather started his own HVAC business in the 60’s. He always used soft solder and taught me to use it as well. Never once had an issue with it. I went to a technical school for HVAC just to get my license, and the instructors would get pissed when I’d tell them about soft solder and they’d would claim it wouldn’t work. Lol
I’ve used and love it when you gotta sweat a TXV in. Low Temps help prevent the brass from overheating and lessening up the capillary tubes. I will say I have seen these fail easier under vibration. So I wouldn’t recommend using it directly at the compressor if you ever do a change out. Also, like another comment said. Wipe down your fittings really well afterward. I’ve gone to units where the Flux wasn’t wiped off, and it eats away at the copper. Then you’ll start getting pinhole leaks.
Try not to put the solder right into the flame the way you did. It prevents all those drops getting on the condenser base. It’s really not an issue with brazing either. The only time you get drops is when someone does what you did or overfills the joint and it comes out the bottom. You have to keep an eye on the whole joint, not just the point at which you dip the rod.
I could be mistaken but I believe all 410 condenser installation manuals refer to brazing refrigeration lines. You don’t want Flux mixing with refrigerant. Obviously people have been soldering these lines. It could be an issue if there is a warranty issue. Not installed to there specs. By all means do what you’re comfortable with just saying.
Staybrite 8 has always been a good product. A couple of tips for guys,1) wipe the excess flux after inserting the joint, 2) heat the pipe first, then move the torch to the fitting to draw in the solder into the socket. and of course if you have a large gap don’t use solder, it not a good filler material like sil-fos 15
Sta Brite is almost 100 a roll these days. Save your material. 1″ and smaller hold the torch under the fitting at 6 oclock with the flame licking the pipe too. Then just tap the solder to the top of the pipe by the joint but not on the fitting. As soon as solder melts on pipe lay the solder to the joint at 12 oclock. That’s it. No drips, never fails.
DO NOT DO WHAT THIS GUY TELLS YOU IN THIS article. NEVER use flux on refrigerant lines. He has done this in two articles and has contaminated 2 systems. The only times you should not use nitrogen when connecting refrigerant lines is when using a press type fitting such as RLS, a shark bite type fitting such as RECTORSEAL, or a flared connection, Buddy, please delete the articles you are promoting with bad information in them because it will lead to people doing things the wrong way. The flux bottle literally says “corrosive” on the back due to fluxes being acidic in nature. Thank you. GOD BLESS
@BigY Either. MAAP = 5300 degrees, Propane = ~3500 degrees. Staybrite 8 melting point = 500 degrees. If you’re maybe going to do some copper plumbing on 3/4″ or especially 1″, pickup the MAAP, it isn’t that much more expensive. If learning/new stick w/ propane as you’ll get more leeway in heating. THAT SAID…vibration (and jolts) are going to kill these joints. It’s enticing for how easy this method is, however on my own home, brazing will be the way to go, b/c if you lose all your refrigerant b/c it fails, it outweighs the minor “savings”. And if you’re going to braze around evaporator, well, then you’re just humping 2 sets of tools for 1 job. For that matter, you can readily get (any home DIYer especially) Oxy/MAAP to braze as it’s suitable temps, just make sure you have the correct tip and practice before doing it on your own system. If ppl decide to use this method heat OPPOSITE side of the pipe first and also as mentioned, to start w/ the correct fitting/side so it’s actually drawn in sufficiently w/o going into the pipe itself or dripping all over.
Flowing nitrogen through your pipe stops Oxidation from inside the pipe… I would actually love to see a joint cut open and compared against a nitrogen joint. You don’t use a pocket knife for deburring? Solder flows towards the heat because of a tiny vacuum/low pressure gap thats created by the heat expanding. Heat the male end first, and the move to the female and gradually bring the heat up. Your technique was spot on. Flame in left hand, solder in right. These article are excellent!
So after reading all the comments on here, very mixed messages. Which I understand, everybody has their own preferred method and then there are right ways and wrong ways I get it and then there are places and times for certain things vs other things. But I’m struggling with is just using the RLS press fittings any kind of brazing or soldering hard to get answers on that. The fittings are so damn expensive that’s my biggest headache.
I brazed 100% of my joints. I do commercial heating and air and I never see that on the parts shelves. If I find it I will do a comparison test with a pipe caps and braze one side and using this solder stuff and do a 500 psi test on both joints simultaneously. That’s holds I go to 1000 psi. I like brazed joints though because you can fill a joint with a silfoss rod.
That gas isn’t actually “Mapp” gas, its Map Pro gas as actual MAPP GAS is no longer made. Map Pro burns only about 135 degrees hotter than propane and isn’t worth the $$$ or does it provide much benefit…. if any. Just use a propane cylinder. Also, Stay Brite 8 is very good, does a great job. Oh yeah…make sure to wire brush the inside of the female fitting.
Thanks for all the articles for the DIY folks like myself I got a new 2 ton heat pump split system to replace my 26 year old carrier unit I have been nursing along for years now arriving Monday and you are the guy among several others but mainly you to get the knowledge to do this install. But the brazing was the biggest problem as far as cost is concerned so I found this article youtu.be/wJD712DB6S0 which I thought ok maybe this will work and I see you have a article on this Staybrite 8 procedure now! Cheers
We used Staybrite 8 with an acetylene torch to heat it for decades….up until the use of 410a refrigerant and the higher pressures and temperatures that go along with it…. Staybrite 8 is certainly a much cleaner connection, but we found that it does not hold up well when making the freon line connections at the compressor itself… and it was just seemed easier to have 1 set of torches and brazing method for everything…
Never put flux on the inside of a refrigeration fitting. I doubt that this is stronger then a braze. I wouldn’t use this with a hard pipe system with a lot of joints. There is just no way to keep that flux from running inside the pipe. I’ve used this several times. It will void out on larger pipes. It is much more sensitive to prep, and gaps in the joint.
I love supporting the trades, my pockets just don’t support my enthusiasm to support the trades 😅. So I really try to hire good ppl, unfortunately I just can’t afford it all the time so I have to DIY many things it’s fun, I learn alot, it’s very empowering, and it helps with properly understanding and maintaining a home, but it is time-consuming 😢. but right now as I go into a new journey of homeownership, I really had to step back and marvel at my dad skill and ability and craftsmanship who is the king of DIY.
Looks like you used too much heat. Granted I never used this product but if it is a true solder (less than 800f) then it looks like you had it too hot. I solder all the time but for potable water and mechanical piping (I usually braze refrigerant lines) and the pipe should never be black when finished. Also you want to heat the pipe just hot enough to melt the solder and then pull the heat off the joint. Plus you only need a mapp gas or butane torch. Looked like your torch was over kill. Though the bigger line looked to be done a bit better than the small line. Just some tips.
copper (II) oxide forming on copper when oxygen present and heat applied (if my memory serves, 400°F +),. That’s why you should flow nitrogen( inert gas) so it will not form inside and contaminate system later. With that – you still can’t eliminate nitrogen flow with this concept. Push ons(aka HVAC shark bites) – no nitro needed
Your tip is way to big. Also you are soldering like you are brazing. Place a smaller flame underneath at the back of the female tube and push the solder in at the top. Hold the solder against fitting at the same time of placing heat keeping the flame away from the solder. Don’t heat the male tube end. The solder will always flow towards the heat. I am a retired Pipefitter/Plumber this tip is for you! After you/videos helped me with my first AC charge…
@The DIY HVAC Guy … I like all the articles I have watched. But, how to do these things on a horizontal pipe? My fridge return line has a pinhole. I was going to cut it out and use a coupling you recommend. However, that return line is horizontal. And, do I have to vacuum the system? Etc? BTW, I have a cheap gauge that will be sufficient to recharge. I just have to get one of those clamps to attach that pierces the line. TY in advance!
Thanks for the article! Appreciate it but like some of the other commenters said you need to heat the joint and let the solder suck in. This is just like plumbing. I am noticing more plumbing stuff coming out now like press fittings (RLS joints). Don’t know why plumbing solutions have not been used until now.
maybe you have too hot of a torch, mapp gas should not be required for a pipe solder joint, if so, use a smaller nozzle. I expect the solder to flow right into the joint easly, when it does not, your pipe is too hot and you cooked out the flux. When the copper pipe becomes ooxidized it was too hot. imho. I know most techs use acetylne, but they use a smaller flame.
What happens to the bead of flux on the inside? I would consider soldering, but no one ever answers what the acidic flux residue trapped inside does. If there’s residue outside, it’s inside too. Putting it on the male side doesn’t matter, because a bead of flux is pushed inside as the solder wicks in.
Wipe off your excess solder with a towel while it’s hot. Also not sure how well it works for hvac application, but in plumbing I was taught to brush the area down (after soldering) with flux while it’s still very hot. This cleans all of those burn marks and what not. Then wipe it all down with a towel when you’re done. $0.02. I’d still rather braze, but not having to use nitrogen is a plus, never thought about soldering hvac lines before.
No soft solder isn’t a replacement for brazing…they have their own applicable uses. i would use soft solder in any and all runs i have to sweat or runs in and out of a reasonably small lines going in/out of a moderate compressor but you wouldn’t find that stuff anywhere near my chiller racks or centrifugal chillers where the harmonic vibration would be way more than enough to break the solder.
The txv, compressor bearings, compressor motor windings, microchannel coils, Schrader valves, service valves, flare fittings, anything that has a valve seat or smooth surface that requires a smooth surface, nitrile gaskets, plastic gaskets, etc… reallllllyyyyy don’t like heat, and especially if diy, torch handling can be a factor with not moving the heat around, or still using too much heat, using too much flux, and/or too much solder. I’m all for learning a new skill, but please, PLEASE! Take a copper pipe and a tee fitting for that pipe, solder it in without nitro, and see what happens. Strongly advising against this if you depend on a reliable hvac unit for health concerns or alike. Otherwise, it’s your unit, but why throw out a $2,000 unit on a bet to save you maybe $100 and some extra time?
Before brazing remove both the service valve stems. Braze suction line with propane only low heat. Leave liquid line off blow One nitrogen cylinder Thru suction line out The liquid line reverse flow. Carefully Braze liquid line. Reinstall valve stems Then pull a good vacuum. You’re using too much Heat and Too much Number 8.
It was my understanding that manufacturers were going to not honor warranties if the joints were soldered, due to techs not understanding how to solder and putting to much solder and solder getting into the system and causing problems. Is this still a fact or has things changed it has been over 20 years since i have done hvacr work just wondering.
I’ve been using the original Sta Brite solder on HVAC lines for 43 years on a daily basis and have not had ONE failure! Brazing is for fools. If you are worried about getting flux in the lines from the female fitting, use the liquid flux instead of paste for the female sockets. Those that say it fails under vibration are full of shit, the bond is stronger than the parent metals according to Harris. The only place not to use it is on discharge lines, or at compressor stubs.
Just finished installing a Goodman split heat pump successfully, but I did a few tests on the Stay Brite 8 solder connections first. Sanded both inside the fitting and outside of the pipe, and just fluxed the male end. Complete fail, and I tried it twice. When I reheated and pulled them apart, the solder only bonded to the male part of the pipe, the inside was completely void of solder except for a few specs here and there. Tried a third time on a new test piece with a THIN layer of flux on both the inside and outside and both were nicely covered with solder when heated and unsoldered. Your example might have worker because you put a TON of paste on the male which then probably oozed onto the female side, but that defeats the whole “keep flux away from the refrigerant” idea. Another thing I noticed when I soldered the liquid line at the air handler was a bead if loose solder at the bottom of the included 3/8″ elbow at the air handler. I pulled it out before tightening the gasketed nut at the fixed orifice, but that was concerning. I made sure I soldered all the connections (extra filter/dryer on the liquid line, 7/8″ 90 degree elbow and a swaged piece of 3/4″ to 7/8″ pipe on the suction) starting at the end farthest away from the condenser so that I could shake out any loose balls before the final solder, but I didn’t see any. I also didn’t over apply solder, tried to follow the 3/4″ length for a 3/4″ connection rule. Pressurized to 350 PSI with nitrogen and soaped the connections, then vacuumed to 40 microns and everything looked good.
I still use silver soldier with a small set of oxy accet. You just have to be patient, precise and evenly heat the connection being careful not to over heat it, It is definitely an act of Futility if you don’t do it right. I have seen Techs melt down liquid lines before because of the intense heat. You have to be coordinated with both hands one directing the heat on and off as needed and the other applying the soldier. I haven’t used Staybrite so I cant say anything about it, so to each their own.
Thank you for your articles. Been limping along with a 52 year old Bryant gas furnace in the basement. Have kept it going over the years. Must have been built well. Had to replace the fan motor and transformer a few times. Need new ac too. Thinking about getting a whole new Goodman system this spring and putting it in myself. Your articles are a massive help.
Joints look like shit. By looking at the copper color you heated it more than I would have using 15% silver. The good thing about silver is of coarse stronger joint and the ability to bridge. Sorry bud I’ve been in the industry for 30 years and I’ve lost count of all the repairs made when solder joints blew apart or started leaking. BTW don’t think your flux will not enter the system just because you only fluxed the male part.
I have used the Stay Brite for years and with Zero problems. I have had units that were brazed in by someone else and the brazed joints all leaked and failed – so much for brazing. My Stay Brite Joints have lasted over 25 years and going. Yes, you have to prep and clean the pipes when using this or you will have problems – I am certain that is why folks have problems with this, they don’t clean properly and are used to brazing where you don’t have to clean as well some don’t do any. Yes, use the right flux compatible and refrigerant friendly, no glob, try not (don’t let) to let any flux into the line set, wipe off the outside of the lines once cooled down. Great article!