End Feed vs Solder Ring Copper Fittings: The Complete Guide for Plumbers

Copper fittings are the backbone of domestic and commercial plumbing in the UK. End feed and solder ring fittings do the same job — permanently joining copper pipe with a soldered joint — but they work differently and suit different situations. This guide explains how each type works, when to use which, and covers the full Embrass Peerless Atomic and Fusion range in stock at APM.

How Soldered Copper Fittings Work

Both end feed and solder ring fittings rely on capillary action: when copper is heated and solder melts, it draws into and fills the gap between the fitting socket and the pipe by surface tension. The result is a solid, permanent, leak-proof joint. The difference between the two types is where the solder comes from.

• End feed fittings are plain copper sockets. The plumber supplies all the solder themselves, applying it to the outside of the joint once the fitting and pipe are at the right temperature. More skill is required to judge how much solder to add and where — too little gives a dry joint, too much wastes material and can block small bore pipe. The advantage is price: end feed fittings are the cheapest copper fittings available.
• Solder ring fittings (also called Yorkshire fittings) have a pre-loaded ring of solder inside the fitting socket. When the joint is heated, the solder ring melts and flows into the joint automatically. Once a silver ring appears around the lip of the socket, the joint is complete. Easier for beginners and faster in situations where applying solder externally is awkward — such as working close to a wall or in tight spaces. The solder ring fittings are slightly more expensive but remove the variable of solder quantity.

Both types require the same preparation: pipe cut square, deburred, pipe and fitting cleaned with wire wool or abrasive cloth to bright copper, flux applied to both surfaces. The fitting must be heated evenly — not just the socket — and the joint allowed to cool undisturbed before moving. Do not quench copper joints with cold water; allow to air-cool.

End Feed vs Solder Ring: When to Use Each

The Embrass Atomic End Feed Range

Embrass Peerless Atomic end feed fittings are WRAS-approved copper fittings manufactured to BS EN 1254-1. Available in 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 15mm, 22mm, 28mm, 35mm, 42mm, and 54mm. The 15mm and 22mm ranges are the most comprehensive with the full suite of fittings; larger sizes carry couplers, elbows, tees, and reducers.

8mm, 10mm, 12mm — Microbore and Small Bore

• Atomic 8mm End Feed Elbow — £0.50
• Atomic 8mm End Feed Stopend — £0.50
• Atomic 10mm End Feed Coupler — £0.14
• Atomic 10mm End Feed Elbow — £0.28
• Atomic 10mm End Feed Stopend — £0.50
• Atomic 12mm End Feed Coupler — £0.20
• Atomic 12mm End Feed Elbow — £0.50
• Atomic 12mm End Feed Stopend — £0.50

15mm End Feed — The Workhorse Size

15mm is the standard size for domestic hot and cold distribution, tap supplies, and radiator feeds. APM stocks the complete Atomic 15mm range, available individually or in 25-piece trade packs.

• Atomic 15mm End Feed Coupler — £0.18 | 25-pack £6.80
• Atomic 15mm End Feed Elbow 90° — £0.27 each
• Atomic 15mm End Feed Obtuse Elbow 45° — £0.37
• Atomic 15mm End Feed Street Elbow 90° — £0.33 | 25-pack £7.99
• Atomic 15mm End Feed Street Elbow 45° — £0.44
• Atomic 15mm End Feed Street Elbow 90° Long Tail — £0.69
• Atomic 15mm End Feed Tee Equal — £0.56
• Atomic 15mm End Feed Stopend — £0.18 | 25-pack £4.13
• Atomic 15mm End Feed Slip Coupler — £0.35 — for repairs where the pipe cannot be moved; slips over the pipe end
• Atomic 15mm End Feed Full Crossover — £1.17
• Atomic 15mm End Feed Part Crossover — £2.00
• Atomic 15mm × ½" End Feed Coupler Male Iron — £0.77 — connects copper to ½" BSP male thread
• Atomic 15mm × ½" End Feed Coupler Female Iron — £0.82 — connects copper to ½" BSP female thread
• Atomic 15mm × ½" End Feed Tap Connector Straight — £2.50
• Atomic 15mm × ¾" End Feed Tap Connector Straight — £1.50
• Atomic 15mm × ½" End Feed Wall Plate Elbow — £1.34 — for radiator and tap connections to a joist or wall backing plate
• Atomic 15mm × ½" End Feed Elbow Male Iron — £1.90
• Atomic 15mm × ½" End Feed Elbow Female Iron — £2.99
• Atomic 15mm × ½" Imperial/Metric Coupler — £0.50 — for connecting copper to old ½" imperial pipework

15mm reducers:

• 15mm × 8mm Reducing Coupler — £0.50
• 15mm × 10mm Reducing Coupler — £0.50
• 15mm × 12mm Reducing Coupler — £0.63
• 15mm × 12mm Fitting Reducer — £0.75

22mm End Feed — Central Heating and Primary Circuits

22mm is the standard for central heating flow and return, hot water primary circuits, and mains cold connections in larger properties. Available individually and in 25-piece professional packs.

• Atomic 22mm End Feed Coupler — 25-pack £9.35
• Atomic 22mm End Feed Elbow 90° — £0.76
• Atomic 22mm End Feed Obtuse Elbow 45° — £1.04
• Atomic 22mm End Feed Street Elbow 90° — £0.97
• Atomic 22mm End Feed Street Elbow 45° — £1.00
• Atomic 22mm End Feed Street Elbow 90° Long Tail — £1.56
• Atomic 22mm End Feed Tee Equal — £1.63
• Atomic 22mm End Feed Stopend — £0.44
• Atomic 22mm End Feed Full Crossover — £3.50
• Atomic 22mm End Feed Part Crossover — £2.89
• Atomic 22mm × ¾" End Feed Coupler Male Iron — £1.23
• Atomic 22mm × ¾" End Feed Coupler Female Iron — £1.99
• Atomic 22mm × ¾" End Feed Tap Connector Straight — £2.59
• Atomic 22mm × 1" End Feed Cylinder Union Bent — £3.99 — for connecting copper to the hot water cylinder coil

22mm reducers:

• 22mm × 15mm Fitting Reducer — £0.63
• 22mm × 15mm Reducing Coupler — £0.79
• 22mm × ¾" Imperial/Metric Coupler — £0.94

22mm reducing tees:

• 22mm × 15mm × 22mm Reducing Tee End — £1.80 — 22mm run, 15mm branch takeoff
• 22mm × 22mm × 15mm Reducing Tee Branch — £1.41
• 15mm × 15mm × 22mm Reducing Tee Both Ends — £2.99

28mm End Feed — High-Flow Primary and Boiler Connections

• Atomic 28mm End Feed Coupler — £0.85
• Atomic 28mm End Feed Elbow 90° — £1.58
• Atomic 28mm End Feed Obtuse Elbow 45° — £1.69
• Atomic 28mm End Feed Street Elbow 90° — £2.04
• Atomic 28mm End Feed Street Elbow 45° — £1.89
• Atomic 28mm End Feed Tee Equal — £2.83
• Atomic 28mm End Feed Stopend — £0.80
• 28mm × 15mm Reducing Coupler — £1.20
• 28mm × 22mm Reducing Coupler — £1.12
• 28mm × 28mm × 15mm Reducing Tee Branch — £2.45
• 28mm × 28mm × 22mm Reducing Tee Branch — £3.03
• 28mm × 15mm × 15mm Reducing Tee End & Branch — £2.62
• 28mm × 22mm × 22mm Reducing Tee End & Branch — £2.45

35mm, 42mm, 54mm — Commercial and Large-Scale

• Atomic 35mm End Feed Coupler — £1.75
• Atomic 35mm End Feed Elbow 90° — £2.98
• Atomic 35mm End Feed Obtuse Elbow 45° — £3.10
• Atomic 35mm End Feed Street Elbow 90° — £3.70
• Atomic 35mm End Feed Tee Equal — £4.80
• Atomic 35mm End Feed Stopend — £1.51
• Atomic 42mm End Feed Coupler — £4.20
• Atomic 42mm End Feed Elbow 90° — £5.70
• Atomic 42mm End Feed Obtuse Elbow 45° — £5.50
• Atomic 42mm End Feed Tee Equal — £9.99
• Atomic 42mm End Feed Stopend — £2.99
• Atomic 54mm End Feed Coupler — £5.20
• Atomic 54mm End Feed Elbow 90° — £9.99
• Atomic 54mm End Feed Obtuse Elbow 45° — £7.99
• Atomic 54mm End Feed Tee Equal — £17.99
• Atomic 54mm End Feed Stopend — £5.20

Large-bore reducers:

• 35mm × 15mm Fitting Reducer — £1.68
• 35mm × 22mm Fitting Reducer — £2.30
• 35mm × 28mm Fitting Reducer — £1.71
• 42mm × 15mm Fitting Reducer — £3.99
• 42mm × 22mm Fitting Reducer — £3.70
• 42mm × 28mm Fitting Reducer — £3.16
• 42mm × 35mm Fitting Reducer — £2.81
• 54mm × 22mm Fitting Reducer — £5.30
• 54mm × 28mm Fitting Reducer — £5.11
• 54mm × 42mm Fitting Reducer — £6.30

Embrass Fusion End Feed Range

The Embrass Fusion range is an alternative Kite-marked end feed line available at APM in 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 15mm, 22mm, and 28mm. Fully compatible with the Atomic range on the same pipework run. Fusion includes some additional variants not in the Atomic line, including wall plate back plate adaptors with female iron sockets for clean radiator connections:

• Fusion 15mm × ½" End Feed Wall Plate Adaptor Straight — £3.49
• Fusion 15mm × ½" End Feed Wall Plate Adaptor Angled — £4.10
• Fusion 22mm × 1" End Feed Cylinder Union Bent — £3.12
• Fusion 22mm × 1" End Feed Cylinder Union Straight — £3.99
• Fusion 28mm × 1" End Feed Cylinder Union Straight — £5.99
• Fusion 15mm End Feed Full Crossover — £2.99
• Fusion 22mm End Feed Full Crossover — £3.89
• Fusion 22mm End Feed Part Crossover — £3.19
• Fusion 15mm × ½" Imperial/Metric Coupler — £1.75
• Fusion 22mm × ¾" End Feed Coupler Female Iron — £1.99
• Fusion 22mm × ¾" End Feed Coupler Male Iron — £3.50
• Fusion 28mm × 15mm Reducing Coupler — £1.66
• Fusion 28mm × 22mm Reducing Coupler — £1.50

Solder Ring Fittings — Embrass Peerless Range

The solder ring range covers the most-used sizes and fittings for 15mm, 22mm, and 28mm copper pipe. Available individually and in 25-piece packs at the 15mm and 22mm elbow and coupler sizes.

15mm Solder Ring

• Solder Ring Coupler 15mm — £0.60
• Solder Ring Elbow 15mm — £0.60
• Solder Ring Obtuse Elbow 45° 15mm — £0.73
• Solder Ring Street Elbow 90° 15mm — £0.75
• Solder Ring Tee 15mm — £1.35
• Solder Ring Stopend 15mm — £0.32

22mm Solder Ring

• Solder Ring Coupler 22mm — £0.79
• Solder Ring Elbow 22mm — £1.49
• Solder Ring Obtuse Elbow 45° 22mm — £1.74
• Solder Ring Street Elbow 90° 22mm — £1.69
• Solder Ring Tee 22mm — £2.99
• Solder Ring Stopend 22mm — £0.95
• Solder Ring Coupler Male 22mm × ¾" — £1.86
• Solder Ring Fitting Reducer 22mm × 15mm — £0.75
• Solder Ring Reducing Coupler 22mm × 15mm — £7.99 (10-pack)
• Solder Ring Reducing Tee 22mm × 22mm × 15mm — £2.59

28mm Solder Ring

• Solder Ring Coupler 28mm — £1.43
• Solder Ring Elbow 28mm — £2.38
• Solder Ring Tee 28mm — £4.49
• Solder Ring Fitting Reducer 54mm × 28mm — £7.46

Soldering Tips for Clean Joints

1. Cut square. A pipe cutter gives a square, clean end with no burr left on the outside. A hacksaw works but requires more deburring. A square cut ensures full contact around the socket.
2. Clean to bright copper. Use wire wool or fine abrasive cloth on both the pipe end and inside the fitting socket. Solder will not bond to oxidised copper. Work quickly — handled copper begins to oxidise within minutes.
3. Flux immediately after cleaning. Apply flux paste to both the pipe end and the fitting socket before assembly. Flux prevents re-oxidation and helps solder flow.
4. Heat the fitting, not the solder. Apply the blowtorch to the body of the fitting, not the pipe and not the solder. When the fitting is at the right temperature, touch solder to the gap between pipe and fitting — it will draw in immediately. For solder ring fittings, continue heating until you see the ring appear as a bright ring at the socket lip.
5. One smooth pass. Do not overheat. If solder appears burnt or grey rather than bright silver, the joint is too hot. Remove excess flux residue with a damp cloth once the joint has cooled. Do not disturb the joint while it is cooling.

The complete Embrass Peerless Atomic and Fusion end feed range, plus the solder ring range, is stocked at APM's Acton trade counter — all sizes from 8mm to 54mm, available to collect same day.

APM Plumbing & Electrical | 24 Western Avenue, Acton, London W3 7TZ | 020 8702 8080 | apmi.uk