These are designed for the casual at-home user, and for carrying out general DIY tasks e.g. repairs to under floor piping, piping connecting to boilers or piping in confined spaces where naked flames are not suitable.
DIY plumbing irons work at 240 volts (mains voltage); this is the voltage of electricity flowing through the mains electric power supply in most homes.
Professional plumbing irons
These are designed for use by a professional (e.g. a plumber). The irons heat up to temperature quicker for more challenging soldering tasks e.g soldering in lower temperatures and thicker sections of copper pipe.
Gas lines use a thicker walled copper pipe, this is because the pipe needs to withstand temperature differences. A change in temperature causes the copper pipe to expand and contract, and this could cause thinner walled copper pipe to spilt resulting in a gas leak.
Professional plumbing irons work at 110/120 volts. Tools that use this voltage have to be plugged into a 110 volt transformer, and are generally used on work sites and building sites. This level of voltage is considered safer on site, because of the lower output voltage and the higher risk of the power cable being cut.
