As a 42 year veteran of refrigeration work I must applaud your video! Great work, great technique. I did A LOT of window a/c repairs such as these. Once in a while we would even have to bypass a severely damaged tube in the condenser coil just by tracing out the flow and un-soldering and re-routing a tubing loop on each end to salvage a large condenser. Keep up the good work.
JLange642 had to do that to 4 passes,,on a large air cooled condenser in a supermarket, ,about 30 years ago,,then a Carrier heat pump, the bracket for the outdoor fan motor BROKE,,cut up the coil,,had to make ‘jumpers for 5 tubes, had the blade & bracket delivered to me,,, all worked well, , my boss could not believe the damage..,,was a Bank, it’s only heat, an R22 system, about 20 years ago , now been retired some 17 years. from Maplewood NJ
Years ago, i put a screw that was too long on a Goodman package unit when i was a pm tech. I learned that day first hand” the art” of coil repair. Great video
Great repairs. Done many myself the exact same way. Brazing is a skill that can make life easy or break you. The point of your video is lost on some. Not everything can get replaced. Sometimes you have to use the training you went to school for instead of just selling a new unit. I'd rather be a good technician than a good salesman.
Exactly! Also, you need to have the skills and ingenuity to handle odd circumstances, like storm damage to a mission critical piece of equipment, etc..
Great video my friend. I used to never fix coils by the fins... I was always worried the pipe would be too thin to braze without melting, until my cousin who is a roofer dropped a nail off the roof and it fell into the condenser fan and the fan hit the nail into the coil... so trying to save him money I brazed it and it worked fine. Since then I always give the customer the option to try the repair first. Keep em coming friend.
Something similar happened to me a few days ago. My box cutter knife fell out of my pocket and sliced into the condenser coil, gas flew out until empty
Good job brazing that up. You can also take some copper wire and wrap around the hole and Braze the copper wire to the pipe. Helps keep solder from getting into pipe.
Any copper wire will work fairly well. When I've had to make a quick patch I prefer to use some snips and cut a patch out of a piece of copper pipe. Much cleaner than the wrapped wire.
I've done many of these repairs, relatively easy. The tough ones are the ones where the leak is in the tubing coming through the fin pack wall. You should do a vid on that!
Oldskipper 1 that is called the tube sheet. I’ve repaired many of these leaks. I use 15% solder and flux. Weld the tube and tube sheet together. This is a last ditch effort. No warranty hope for the best. Once the coil starts leaking your just chasing leaks.
For coils I’d go with a turbo torch or map blowtorch just saves u from blowing out the copper they make it so thin nowadays also ur practice is better spent on the tube sheet seeing leaks form there regularly and it’s a more challenging process
Like the others have been in the field for almost 20 years just learned A couple of years ago that they make aluminum solder sticks which works excellent but you have a very nice technique you’re slow you take it easy and you do it right thank you for the video!
Nice job! I tried brazing a leak in a car ac condenser on Friday, got the leak fixed but made two more leaks in the row below.... Got a new condenser on order now! hahaha
Great job this actually happens to be my specialty lol every time it’s needed (frozen heating coil,Chilled water coil, or condensate rot (steam) or as you mentioned screw punctures I get the call. Awesome to see a video about it this does take quite a bit of skill to do
Thanks for this video brother. I watched it this past weekend. In class tonight a guy in my group burnt 2 holes into the suction line when trying to braze. They were going to cut it out and fix it that way. I said let me try something and I patched them both, no leaks. Great videos bro, keep it up!
Great vid, but with today's coils, all aluminum, , customer needs a new coil, your techniques are wicked awesome, learned a lot, keep up the great work
Nice work. I always feel good after saving my customer some money on a mistake made by one of my fellow HVAC techs or myself. Sometimes the customer is not grateful even with a solid repair line these.
Why would you charge to fix a mistake you made? And then they have something that has already gone through a break and repair process without having ever used it.
Richard, it's called a TEMPORARY fix. Unless you like your tech to just let you melt while your parts get ordered. And who said anything about charging anyone? 🙄 🤦♂️🤷♂️
The worst leaks to fix are where the tube passes through the side support into the coil pack. My method is to drill holes in the steel as close together as possible to weaken the steel. Torch the steel to soften and weaken it more. Then use a punch and hammer to push the steel back, exposing the copper tube that has the hole rubbed in it. Then clean tube and patch as needed. Have you ever seen this done? You need the hands of a surgeon to pull it off without killing the patient.
Joe Plymale I usually use a Dremel tool or metal snips to remove the steel plate on those repairs. It does take practice and a good touch to do it effectively that's for sure. Thanks for watching.
Or if it is something that doesn't really have room to get in there to remove/move the steel to expose the tube, use 45%+ silver brazing alloy or solder, that will stick properly to both the steel and copper, and encapsulate the leak.
I had this done on a rooftop unit of ours it started leaking it is an older unit but didn't want to pay to have a crain lift it off the roof so. Had it patched unit is a late 80s early 90s unit it has been holding for bout 4 years now.
steve hevessy About 20 years ago I knew a guy that used pennies. lol Although it seemed to work, I prefer the method I used in the video. Thanks for watching!
That sounds like an old school way to avoid what was the first thought on my mind... which was if I am filling the tube with sil-phos and blocking the flow of refrigerant. Think I'll set up a test rig with a series of holes in a pipe, do the repair and then cut the tube longitudinally to see what's happening inside. HVAC in SC, thanks for taking the time to video, edit and share.
Pretend service techs such as yourself keep my pockets fat from TH-cam money. Can't say the same for your sad channel.😆😆 Hope your HVAC skills a FAR better than that sad attempt you got goin on over there. I'd make that garbage private. 🤣🤣🤣
Rather than spend $800 on a new one, ( the $800 to recharge the system is more than I have right now) I replaced one of those 180 degree bends that was leaking. I soldered on a pressure gauge and hooked up an old salvaged A/C compressor to pressure test it. I brazed the pin hole leak but the bend was still bubbling up like a sponge and when I tried to braze over it, it just melted away as the bend was thin as paper, but the rest were solid. It lost zero pressure over night.
Our instructor made us weld heavy gauge restaurant aluminum foil together before we got our certificates. Practicing on scrap coils is an excellent way to hone your skill with rod & flame placement. Dont wanna roast those fins
Yeah. Aluminum coils are a pain in the ass. Had a guy pop a hole in one with a screw and all the wholesaler had was some torch style epoxy stick. It slowed the leak at best. Nice tutorial though. I've done this repair a handful of times and it's always worked well with copper. I always used a fresh blade on a box knife to cut the aluminum fins. It works fast if you don't mind losing a little more fin.
Never worked on a Refrigerator before but decided to tackle changing the Compressor on my Kenmore Elite...Stopped Cooling. Welded in the New Compressor and Filter/Dryer...pretty proud of myself at this point! Vacuumed out the system and let it set for 24 hours... held a Vacuum... even prouder still!! Put some R134A Refrigerant in but the system refused to get even a little bit cold!!!! System would only come out of Negative to 10!?!? What did I do wrong?
I was wondering if you used any flux. I didn't see any. I always find it helps bond the silver braze. Also I use a razor knife to cut away fins by the repair to be done and push them out of the way. Sometimes it leaves more fin for heat exchange later.
Thanks for your video, I am about to try this repair for my first time, this video gives me confidence..:-) We have a Reem HeatPumps Allot of our units have a problem where a small crack happens at the joint where the small low pressure switch pipe connects to the larger tube - the soldered seal at the joint cracks- it’s not an easy spot to get at , And our units are on the rooftops sitting on sketchy platforms....;-) Thanks for the help..:-)
Is there a interior sealant for small leaks? Some said something about using it. But great video. We learned to braze with oxygen acetylene.. two thin pieces of steal... Remind me of filling a hole in a car body. My coil froze and tech said it was cracked.. was just gonna replace air handler. But heck.. why not try
Hi HVAC in SC, first off - thank you for a really great video! Quick question - If the hole in the finned tubing was large, say a half inch longitudinal one, and almost as wide as the tube itself, would you cut out the hole portion, clean off the fins left/right, swage a piece of 1/4" tube on both ends, and try to insert it as a fitting onto the coil tube and then braze/solder that?
green guy here. are you a wizard or something? that's some serious brazing skills. I do practice with oxy-acetylene though. Idk why, but I enjoy it more than a turbo torch or something like it. Would you try to comb out and fix up the bent fins as best you can after you've finished?
Thanks guy! I got a new job building/brazing starting monday and now i have an idea how to braze a hole. Hopefully they don't work me like a robot at a sweatshop/assembly line.
To the people who think this is bullshit ,I fixed many of leaking coils for people who couldn't afford it,I have repairs that have lasted over 10 years now
E Moo I have repaired many leaks in the coil to save a customer money, they still paid around 6-800. Depending on which refrigerant because the system will be flat, and it still saves them a lot of money.
Adding nitrogen does blow dust out.. but mainly used to keep the inside of the pipe from turning black from the high heat. And getting the refrigerant contaminated
Nitrogen is needed when replacing a manifold on a Carrier package unit with pistons. It is an inert gas to prevent copper oxide from developing in the tubes and clogging the pistons.
Watching/hearing you was like watching Bob Ross in the mornings lol. I had a customer playing darts and missed and punctured one of the pipes in the coil.
Eric Recendez that reminds me of a job 2 of went on,,could not get pressure stable,, the unit was FLAT, ,,on the roof there was an ARROW,,right through 7/8” liquid line out of the condenser, 1968, that was a storage freezer in a supermarket in EAST ORANGE NJ, then on a a/c system for a bank in Jersey City NJ, system was flat, on the roof a darned ARROW, INTO THE CONDENSER,,, had to repair it, 1973, did not have cell phones& cameras those days.l from Maplewood NJ.
thanks for this wonderful video, learn a lot, i am really a beginner here, may i ask what kind of torch or gas the host was using to soldering the hole ? thanks
never seen anyone put a screw in a coil. however i have seen someone put a broad head arrow threw one.I removed the fins managed to slip a coupling over the hole and weld it up.
+ZedsNOTdead In my 20 years Ive seen about 4 people put screws on condenser coils and heard of dozens more. Never seen it on and indoor coil but I only used this old evap because it was easier to video.
Effect will depend on how much of the fins get removed in order to make the repair. Keep on mind that this should be a temporary repair until the coil can be replaced. Thanks for watching!
Wish I would of watched this b4 doing an exact repair as ur 1st one. I used map gas from Lowe’s. Melted the elbow! Pin hole turned into a disaster. 240v AC still sitting in shed. This was a newly refurb AC. I poked the pinhole in it. Oil and Refrigerant went everywhere. So I’m assuming map gas is not the way to go?
Noooo, mapp gas is not used to braze ac lines. It's fine for plumbing lines, but you need stronger filler metal to braze ac lines because of the high operating pressures. Mapp gas doesn't burn hot enough to be able to melt the filler metals needed to braze ac lines. You need at least acetylene to do the job, but the most efficient way to do it is with an oxy-acetylene rig. They sell portable rigs at Lowes, Home Depot, Harbor Freight, and your local welding shops, usually for between $300 and $500.
I've patched a few of these. Only had one that eneded up restricting the liquid line but it was worth a try. I'd like to see a repair on an aluminum micro channel. Fortunately I haven't come across that yet.
You will have condensate problems on a evap. coil. Meaning the water will not run down the fins and will drip straight off the coil where the repair was made.
Dave Fiore As it says in the video description, these repairs are typically on condenser coils but for easy of filming I used a small evap coil. Thanks for watching.
Flashbacks man, I used to make those condensers... Hand brazed over a million joints. I wonder if you would consider using a flux cored sil-fos, you can braze dirty copper with it, can also braze steel to copper with their 18%
You could even patch the whole within the fins without having to rip it to shreds. Just run the torch as low as it goes and you can burn your way right to the hole while burning a quarter sized hole around the puncture.
Thank you for watching! If it is a copper tubed coil then yes, the same process could be used for a cheap or temporary fix. If it is aluminum tubing, it can still be done but the tools, materials, and procedures are far more delicate.
It does reduce the absorption of the heat doing that kinda of repair on the evaporator coil because of the loss of fine but does save a old coin if the Client can't afford a new coil.
Technically true but the amount of heat transfer lost on the repair I showed would be nearly impossible to measure. If you butchered the coil or made a hole straight through the entire fin pack then that's a different story.
I have a Surefire T757 and an "ordinary" 14.1 oz propane tank. What kind of brazing rod (silver brazing?) was used? The hole is about 1/16 " and was made by a nail. Would soldering (lower heat and I don't have nitrogen) with plumbing soldering would be good since the hole is so small?
I would cover the area of the fins you removed after the repair. That small area is not significant for cooling but the large hole could let more air through .
This was not an actual repair, just an example as the description indicates. Also if it was a real repair since the hole isn't completely through the coil, double layered coil) no air will bypass therefore no cover is necessary. Thanks
they said that Coil is leaking so They will replace the evaporator coil which is 2000$ ...but I will try to fix it by my self Thankx brother .... what kind of stick your used for weld?
Nice, I noticed there was no cleaning before brazing the coil, not necessary with copper only repair. And forgive me for being critical but i’ve found when you start playing around trying to pretty things up you usually get into trouble. I also noticed in all these videos everybody likes to use oxy acet setup, personally I like my prestolite air acetylene torches on these small jobs, and with an MC tank you can’t beat how handy it is.
@2:04 there is cleaning discussed. In my experience it doesn't matter if you "play around" with a braze joint provided you can control your heat and protect the components. Obviously when I'm making a video demonstration, I intentionally take longer as topics are being discussed. As for MC tanks, use what you like to use. In my 20+ years in this industry and counting I have used all types of torches and configurations. I prefer oxy/acetylene.
HVAC in SC Well I don’t remember at this point my chump comment, however after 45+ years in refrigeration i’ve seen plenty of chumps, in fact I only know a few techs that aren’t chumps !
what if its a tiny pinhole leak, do you need to remove freon from the whole system before braze? and does propane gas bottle work instead of oxyact gas?
Anything will work anything. But most people like 15% silver I’m pretty sure anything that calls it’s self solder will hold in a tight joint so long as u don’t mix soldiers
Solder will not work. Must be braze if it is used on 410a with the exception of Staybright8. I prefer 15% SulFos rods for copper to copper but other types of brazing rods are required for different jobs and metals.
Do you cool the off with a wet towel as soon as the braze is finished ? Or do you let it naturally air cool? Sorry if this question is silly im just getting into the field and want to minimize any bad practice i may of learned!
How much would you charge on average to get the hole through the coil repaired? I have the exact issue, had a contractor drop his drill from the roof and it made a hole in my pipe. I just want to make sure I'm not getting ripped off for the repair and Freon refill.
Should be free for you since the contractor caused the hole. I dont give prices on this page. They vary greatly depending on region, refrigerant type, ect.
As a 42 year veteran of refrigeration work I must applaud your video! Great work, great technique. I did A LOT of window a/c repairs such as these. Once in a while we would even have to bypass a severely damaged tube in the condenser coil just by tracing out the flow and un-soldering and re-routing a tubing loop on each end to salvage a large condenser. Keep up the good work.
good job not many people can do that
Boxing prediksen gig vs Carmelo wu winer 1000/0
JLange642
JLange642 buwang
JLange642 had to do that to 4 passes,,on a large air cooled condenser in a supermarket, ,about 30 years ago,,then a Carrier heat pump, the bracket for the outdoor fan motor BROKE,,cut up the coil,,had to make ‘jumpers for 5 tubes, had the blade & bracket delivered to me,,, all worked well, , my boss could not believe the damage..,,was a Bank, it’s only heat, an R22 system, about 20 years ago
, now been retired some 17 years. from Maplewood NJ
A customer that has you do a repair, such as this, has no idea how fortunate they are
Great video. For someone who has never done a repair in the fin pack, this video was EXACTLY what I needed. Thank you! (many times over).
Years ago, i put a screw that was too long on a Goodman package unit when i was a pm tech. I learned that day first hand” the art” of coil repair. Great video
Great repairs. Done many myself the exact same way. Brazing is a skill that can make life easy or break you. The point of your video is lost on some. Not everything can get replaced. Sometimes you have to use the training you went to school for instead of just selling a new unit. I'd rather be a good technician than a good salesman.
+Michael Paddack I agree. Thanks for watching Michael.
Exactly!
Also, you need to have the skills and ingenuity to handle odd circumstances, like storm damage to a mission critical piece of equipment, etc..
Great video my friend. I used to never fix coils by the fins... I was always worried the pipe would be too thin to braze without melting, until my cousin who is a roofer dropped a nail off the roof and it fell into the condenser fan and the fan hit the nail into the coil... so trying to save him money I brazed it and it worked fine. Since then I always give the customer the option to try the repair first. Keep em coming friend.
Something similar happened to me a few days ago. My box cutter knife fell out of my pocket and sliced into the condenser coil, gas flew out until empty
If I fix a hole in a coil pack . Do I need to vacuum out the line before I install free on it
@richardworden9747
Yes, you have opened system to ambient...
Good job brazing that up. You can also take some copper wire and wrap around the hole and Braze the copper wire to the pipe. Helps keep solder from getting into pipe.
Never thought of that some t-stat cable would be great for a brace.
Any copper wire will work fairly well. When I've had to make a quick patch I prefer to use some snips and cut a patch out of a piece of copper pipe. Much cleaner than the wrapped wire.
Awesome idea!
Good tip bro.
Or try cutting a coupler hotdog style and lay the half over the hole and braze away...
I usually put a indentation around the hole with an awl to create a funnel shape before brazing.The brazing rod will puddle with more strength.
Thanks for watching
A bit of semantics here. Don't demote your work by calling it an art. Its a skill and you did it well.
GFM
Art is a skill that not everyone can perform. This is no different in my eyes. Thanks
I've done many of these repairs, relatively easy. The tough ones are the ones where the leak is in the tubing coming through the fin pack wall. You should do a vid on that!
Oldskipper 1 that is called the tube sheet. I’ve repaired many of these leaks. I use 15% solder and flux. Weld the tube and tube sheet together. This is a last ditch effort. No warranty hope for the best. Once the coil starts leaking your just chasing leaks.
I will sometimes bypass the tube, especially on large condenser coils.
You make this look easy, but if you've never done this befor it is challenging. Thanks for the video
+JEFFREY KREFT Absolutely! Trust me, I butchered many braze joints over the years. 😆 Practice makes perfect.
Thank you for watching!
Experts always make it look easy. What we don't see is all the practice it took to become an expert.
Wow a real surgeon when it comes to HVAC. Very impressive
I truly appreciate you showing us this video. It has definitely helped increase my brazing skill.
Thank you so much.
Wow that braze job was near perfection. Way better than anything I've ever seen. Could you also build up a hole like that with Stay Brite 8?
For coils I’d go with a turbo torch or map blowtorch just saves u from blowing out the copper they make it so thin nowadays also ur practice is better spent on the tube sheet seeing leaks form there regularly and it’s a more challenging process
Like the others have been in the field for almost 20 years just learned A couple of years ago that they make aluminum solder sticks which works excellent but you have a very nice technique you’re slow you take it easy and you do it right thank you for the video!
Nice job! I tried brazing a leak in a car ac condenser on Friday, got the leak fixed but made two more leaks in the row below.... Got a new condenser on order now! hahaha
heavydiesel lol! Gotta love it. Thanks for watching my friend!
heavydiesel lol
Aren't car A/C condensers made entirely of aluminum? Lol
Yeah they are, I have some special rods for brazing ali pipe etc, have done thicker pipe before but the micro channel in A/C condensers is tricky!
@@heavydiesel not that it matters now, but I think they make an epoxy for doing those. Seems to work well enough when I've seen it used.
Great job this actually happens to be my specialty lol every time it’s needed (frozen heating coil,Chilled water coil, or condensate rot (steam) or as you mentioned screw punctures I get the call. Awesome to see a video about it this does take quite a bit of skill to do
Question.. are you have to remove the coil 100% of time. Hopefully I'll get lucky and can reach the leak
Often these are tricky to locate in the fins! ~ Excellent vid tips!!
KungFuMaintenance They certainly an be. Thanks for watching man!
Thanks for this video brother. I watched it this past weekend. In class tonight a guy in my group burnt 2 holes into the suction line when trying to braze. They were going to cut it out and fix it that way. I said let me try something and I patched them both, no leaks. Great videos bro, keep it up!
fespinoza287 Awesome! Thanks for your comment brotha!
Great vid, but with today's coils, all aluminum, , customer needs a new coil, your techniques are wicked awesome, learned a lot, keep up the great work
+mychoclabwinston Thanks
Mot necessarily as you can use Lucas Milhaupt Flux Cored Aluminum Braze Al822 to do an Al repair.
Coil repair, and the seemingly lost art of fin combing, are 2 things fewer and fewer people seem willing to engage in anymore. :(
make more money installing new unit
@@metsrus Far more profit margin in repairing units than there is installing new units.
Nice work. I always feel good after saving my customer some money on a mistake made by one of my fellow HVAC techs or myself. Sometimes the customer is not grateful even with a solid repair line these.
Why would you charge to fix a mistake you made? And then they have something that has already gone through a break and repair process without having ever used it.
Richard, it's called a TEMPORARY fix. Unless you like your tech to just let you melt while your parts get ordered. And who said anything about charging anyone? 🙄 🤦♂️🤷♂️
The worst leaks to fix are where the tube passes through the side support into the coil pack. My method is to drill holes in the steel as close together as possible to weaken the steel. Torch the steel to soften and weaken it more. Then use a punch and hammer to push the steel back, exposing the copper tube that has the hole rubbed in it. Then clean tube and patch as needed. Have you ever seen this done? You need the hands of a surgeon to pull it off without killing the patient.
Joe Plymale I usually use a Dremel tool or metal snips to remove the steel plate on those repairs. It does take practice and a good touch to do it effectively that's for sure.
Thanks for watching.
Or if it is something that doesn't really have room to get in there to remove/move the steel to expose the tube, use 45%+ silver brazing alloy or solder, that will stick properly to both the steel and copper, and encapsulate the leak.
I had this done on a rooftop unit of ours it started leaking it is an older unit but didn't want to pay to have a crain lift it off the roof so. Had it patched unit is a late 80s early 90s unit it has been holding for bout 4 years now.
Nice repair,iv also seen guys wrap copper wire over the hole before they braze
steve hevessy About 20 years ago I knew a guy that used pennies. lol
Although it seemed to work, I prefer the method I used in the video.
Thanks for watching!
That sounds like an old school way to avoid what was the first thought on my mind... which was if I am filling the tube with sil-phos and blocking the flow of refrigerant. Think I'll set up a test rig with a series of holes in a pipe, do the repair and then cut the tube longitudinally to see what's happening inside.
HVAC in SC, thanks for taking the time to video, edit and share.
Videos like this one keep my pockets fat from all the failed repair work on coils 😹👍🏽
Pretend service techs such as yourself keep my pockets fat from TH-cam money. Can't say the same for your sad channel.😆😆 Hope your HVAC skills a FAR better than that sad attempt you got goin on over there. I'd make that garbage private. 🤣🤣🤣
Thank you. very interesting to see this job completed.
Michael Costello Thanks for watching
Wow lots of value on your channel. Great video man!
Lex Vance Thanks Lex! I appreciate that man. I really enjoy your channel too!
HVAC in SC Wow really! Right on man! I've been binge watching your vids. 👍😂👍
Thank you for taking the time to post this video.
Thank you for watching!!
Thanks for the demo. It would be nice to see if it holds a vacuum afterwards.
Thanks for watching. I couldn't show a vacuum since this coil was replaced due to multiple micro leaks.
This was just a demo bro, the coil is condemned. 😀
Rather than spend $800 on a new one, ( the $800 to recharge the system is more than I have right now) I replaced one of those 180 degree bends that was leaking.
I soldered on a pressure gauge and hooked up an old salvaged A/C compressor to pressure test it.
I brazed the pin hole leak but the bend was still bubbling up like a
sponge and when I tried to braze over it, it just melted away as the
bend was thin as paper, but the rest were solid. It lost zero pressure over night.
Our instructor made us weld heavy gauge restaurant aluminum foil together before we got our certificates. Practicing on scrap coils is an excellent way to hone your skill with rod & flame placement. Dont wanna roast those fins
Yeah. Aluminum coils are a pain in the ass. Had a guy pop a hole in one with a screw and all the wholesaler had was some torch style epoxy stick. It slowed the leak at best. Nice tutorial though. I've done this repair a handful of times and it's always worked well with copper. I always used a fresh blade on a box knife to cut the aluminum fins. It works fast if you don't mind losing a little more fin.
Never worked on a Refrigerator before but decided to tackle changing the Compressor on my Kenmore Elite...Stopped Cooling. Welded in the New Compressor and Filter/Dryer...pretty proud of myself at this point! Vacuumed out the system and let it set for 24 hours... held a Vacuum... even prouder still!! Put some R134A Refrigerant in but the system refused to get even a little bit cold!!!! System would only come out of Negative to 10!?!? What did I do wrong?
Thanks for the video. Now i have more confidence fixing mine.
Hey have done it before I do refrigeration and had to do on various condenser and even on a soft serve condenser!!
I was wondering if you used any flux. I didn't see any. I always find it helps bond the silver braze. Also I use a razor knife to cut away fins by the repair to be done and push them out of the way. Sometimes it leaves more fin for heat exchange later.
Kimo Armstrong No flux used. If I was using silver solder I would but just 15% rods I just clean and braze.
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for your video, I am about to try this repair for my first time,
this video gives me confidence..:-)
We have a Reem HeatPumps
Allot of our units have a problem where a small crack happens at the joint where the small low pressure switch pipe connects to the larger tube - the soldered seal at the joint cracks- it’s not an easy spot to get at ,
And our units are on the rooftops sitting on sketchy platforms....;-)
Thanks for the help..:-)
Very good vid Bradley my boy👍 I've never put a hole in a coil 😂
Jon HVAC I've only done it for training purposes but I've had to perform this repair 3 times for apprentices that have "screwed" condenser coils. 🤣
Is there a interior sealant for small leaks? Some said something about using it. But great video. We learned to braze with oxygen acetylene.. two thin pieces of steal... Remind me of filling a hole in a car body. My coil froze and tech said it was cracked.. was just gonna replace air handler. But heck.. why not try
Excellent training video!
Hi HVAC in SC, first off - thank you for a really great video!
Quick question - If the hole in the finned tubing was large, say a half inch longitudinal one, and almost as wide as the tube itself, would you cut out the hole portion, clean off the fins left/right, swage a piece of 1/4" tube on both ends, and try to insert it as a fitting onto the coil tube and then braze/solder that?
Job well done, can tell you take pride in your work.
green guy here. are you a wizard or something? that's some serious brazing skills. I do practice with oxy-acetylene though. Idk why, but I enjoy it more than a turbo torch or something like it. Would you try to comb out and fix up the bent fins as best you can after you've finished?
Thanks guy! I got a new job building/brazing starting monday and now i have an idea how to braze a hole.
Hopefully they don't work me like a robot at a sweatshop/assembly line.
+UnTamed Mustang No problem guy. Thanks for watching.
To the people who think this is bullshit ,I fixed many of leaking coils for people who couldn't afford it,I have repairs that have lasted over 10 years now
E Moo I have repaired many leaks in the coil to save a customer money, they still paid around 6-800. Depending on which refrigerant because the system will be flat, and it still saves them a lot of money.
Adding nitrogen does blow dust out.. but mainly used to keep the inside of the pipe from turning black from the high heat. And getting the refrigerant contaminated
Jacob D Yep
that is what the filter for. adding nitrogen on a patch is a waist of time. you only use nitrogen on large jobs with multiple brazes.
Nitrogen is needed when replacing a manifold on a Carrier package unit with pistons. It is an inert gas to prevent copper oxide from developing in the tubes and clogging the pistons.
Hey Nice work. I would think there’s some money to be made making these type of repair on hard to get replacement copper coils. Excellent video
Watching/hearing you was like watching Bob Ross in the mornings lol. I had a customer playing darts and missed and punctured one of the pipes in the coil.
Eric Recendez This is art to me. lol
Eric Recendez that reminds me of a job 2 of went on,,could not get pressure stable,, the unit was FLAT, ,,on the roof there was an ARROW,,right through 7/8” liquid line out of the condenser, 1968, that was a storage freezer in a supermarket in EAST ORANGE NJ, then on a a/c system for a bank in Jersey City NJ, system was flat, on the roof a darned ARROW, INTO THE CONDENSER,,, had to repair it, 1973, did not have cell phones& cameras those days.l from Maplewood NJ.
thanks for this wonderful video, learn a lot, i am really a beginner here, may i ask what kind of torch or gas the host was using to soldering the hole ? thanks
Great video. Very clear instructions!
never seen anyone put a screw in a coil. however i have seen someone put a broad head arrow threw one.I removed the fins managed to slip a coupling over the hole and weld it up.
+ZedsNOTdead In my 20 years Ive seen about 4 people put screws on condenser coils and heard of dozens more. Never seen it on and indoor coil but I only used this old evap because it was easier to video.
thank you for your videos keep up the good work.
Thanks so much. Learned alot from you're video's. Keep them coming.
Thank you for this video. Do you have any pro tips for running duct work?
Very nicely done! I wonder how this affects the efficiency of the repaired coil; especially around the area where the fins were cut out?
Effect will depend on how much of the fins get removed in order to make the repair. Keep on mind that this should be a temporary repair until the coil can be replaced. Thanks for watching!
@@HVACinSC Good answer
👍🙂
Wish I would of watched this b4 doing an exact repair as ur 1st one. I used map gas from Lowe’s. Melted the elbow! Pin hole turned into a disaster. 240v AC still sitting in shed. This was a newly refurb AC. I poked the pinhole in it. Oil and Refrigerant went everywhere. So I’m assuming map gas is not the way to go?
Noooo, mapp gas is not used to braze ac lines. It's fine for plumbing lines, but you need stronger filler metal to braze ac lines because of the high operating pressures. Mapp gas doesn't burn hot enough to be able to melt the filler metals needed to braze ac lines. You need at least acetylene to do the job, but the most efficient way to do it is with an oxy-acetylene rig. They sell portable rigs at Lowes, Home Depot, Harbor Freight, and your local welding shops, usually for between $300 and $500.
Nice job for sure, I would have liked to see a cut away to see the inside I bet it would have been more than sufficient.
I've patched a few of these. Only had one that eneded up restricting the liquid line but it was worth a try. I'd like to see a repair on an aluminum micro channel. Fortunately I haven't come across that yet.
Michael Wiese Hopefully that video will be coming soon.
Thanks for watching!
Been checking out the Solderweld site for products that are for lower temp aluminum repairs. Waiting to slip a supply PO request in and try them out.
Repairing an aluminum micro channel coil is essentially just filling in the exposed ends of the damaged channels.
You made that look to easy nice job👍
Excellent video sir....very nicely done. Thanks!!
Jim C Thanks for watching Jim!
You will have condensate problems on a evap. coil. Meaning the water will not run down the fins and will drip straight off the coil where the repair was made.
Dave Fiore As it says in the video description, these repairs are typically on condenser coils but for easy of filming I used a small evap coil.
Thanks for watching.
Flashbacks man, I used to make those condensers... Hand brazed over a million joints.
I wonder if you would consider using a flux cored sil-fos, you can braze dirty copper with it, can also braze steel to copper with their 18%
www.silfos.com/EN/Products/HANDY-ONE-SILVALOY-505.htm
You could even patch the whole within the fins without having to rip it to shreds. Just run the torch as low as it goes and you can burn your way right to the hole while burning a quarter sized hole around the puncture.
Great video. Very helpful. I’m guessing this would be the same technique for vehicle ac condensers as well
Thank you for watching! If it is a copper tubed coil then yes, the same process could be used for a cheap or temporary fix. If it is aluminum tubing, it can still be done but the tools, materials, and procedures are far more delicate.
any tips for repairing aluminium tubing. I have a pin hole size hole in near the fins
Had two holes once different places in same circuit but close. Bb gun. Bypassed looked funny running outside the coil only about a foot but it worked.
As long as it is done right and it works, we gotta do what we gotta do. 💪
Does this work for aluminum coil as well
If you have a hole like the one at the end of the video in the condenser fins, is that not a problem? How would I repair the fins in that state?
First time seen your channel/video I'm impressed, thanks for sharing 😁!
+Lebron Jordan Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment!!
Nice technique and instruction
Nice job how much would you charge for that job
It does reduce the absorption of the heat doing that kinda of repair on the evaporator coil because of the loss of fine but does save a old coin if the Client can't afford a new coil.
Technically true but the amount of heat transfer lost on the repair I showed would be nearly impossible to measure. If you butchered the coil or made a hole straight through the entire fin pack then that's a different story.
I have a Surefire T757 and an "ordinary" 14.1 oz propane tank. What kind of brazing rod (silver brazing?) was used? The hole is about 1/16 " and was made by a nail. Would soldering (lower heat and I don't have nitrogen) with plumbing soldering would be good since the hole is so small?
Nice video, for the second brazing,How do u fix the removed aluminum fin?
The fins don't get fixed. Maybe you are making a joke.
Nice video! Will that coil still work properly with that big hole in the fins?
Nice job and video clarity! Thank You!
I would cover the area of the fins you removed after the repair. That small area is not significant for cooling but the large hole could let more air through .
This was not an actual repair, just an example as the description indicates. Also if it was a real repair since the hole isn't completely through the coil, double layered coil) no air will bypass therefore no cover is necessary. Thanks
Great looking repair.
TP Services Thanks man!!
watch video very well explained and very well helpful and presented and its what i need to see Thank u much
very good video ! Thank you for well done video .
Thank you and thanks for watching!
they said that Coil is leaking so They will replace the evaporator coil which is 2000$ ...but I will try to fix it by my self Thankx brother .... what kind of stick your used for weld?
Do have any videos of a leak on the side of the evaporator coils, where the coils meet?
Nice, I noticed there was no cleaning before brazing the coil, not necessary with copper only repair. And forgive me for being critical but i’ve found when you start playing around trying to pretty things up you usually get into trouble. I also noticed in all these videos everybody likes to use oxy acet setup, personally I like my prestolite air acetylene torches on these small jobs, and with an MC tank you can’t beat how handy it is.
@2:04 there is cleaning discussed.
In my experience it doesn't matter if you "play around" with a braze joint provided you can control your heat and protect the components. Obviously when I'm making a video demonstration, I intentionally take longer as topics are being discussed.
As for MC tanks, use what you like to use. In my 20+ years in this industry and counting I have used all types of torches and configurations. I prefer oxy/acetylene.
As for your other comment calling someone a chump... it seems you deleted that before I could read it in its entirety...
HVAC in SC Well I don’t remember at this point my chump comment, however after 45+ years in refrigeration i’ve seen plenty of chumps, in fact I only know a few techs that aren’t chumps !
Damn that is so great work.
Great video! Very informative.
Vinny Mac Thanks for watching Vinny!
Well explained, thanks!
Excellent vid.. like how u explained it👍
It is always so painful throwing a whole air conditioner away just because of small leaking hole...good job
Can any one please tell me what type of rod is that !! Thank you great video btw
15% Sil-Fos
Is there any way to fix the fins without buying a replacement fin pack?
can you do the same thing with an evaporator, if the pipe has leaked, underneath the fins?
Awesome vid. Thanks for the tutorial.
WhiteGS Thank you and thanks for watching!
Great teacher! Thanks for sharing.
what if its a tiny pinhole leak, do you need to remove freon from the whole system before braze? and does propane gas bottle work instead of oxyact gas?
What type of brazing material should I use for copper to copper?. I have to install a filter dryer on the liquid line
Anything will work anything. But most people like 15% silver I’m pretty sure anything that calls it’s self solder will hold in a tight joint so long as u don’t mix soldiers
Solder will not work. Must be braze if it is used on 410a with the exception of Staybright8. I prefer 15% SulFos rods for copper to copper but other types of brazing rods are required for different jobs and metals.
Do you cool the off with a wet towel as soon as the braze is finished ? Or do you let it naturally air cool? Sorry if this question is silly im just getting into the field and want to minimize any bad practice i may of learned!
+godsstep son Usually I give it a out 30 seconds just so there is no chance of potentially cracking the joint.
Thanks for watching.
Could I use a MAP gas torch? Trying to DIY this at home. I’m broke
Nicely done.
Great work man
How much would you charge on average to get the hole through the coil repaired? I have the exact issue, had a contractor drop his drill from the roof and it made a hole in my pipe. I just want to make sure I'm not getting ripped off for the repair and Freon refill.
Should be free for you since the contractor caused the hole.
I dont give prices on this page. They vary greatly depending on region, refrigerant type, ect.
Nice work. Thanks for the video.