Any HVAC Folks on here?

[sdmuleman]

Bought a commercial freezer & refrigerator over the weekend but at least one needs some work. I've done automotive AC work, but have not messed with commercial stuff and had a question -
the fridge has a broken line between compressor and condenser. Condenser line is aluminum, and it broke about 1/4" away from the copper bell end it was brazed/soldered to. What's the best way to fix this, and what materials are needed? I've done plenty of copper pipe soldering but never aluminum pipe, and I'm not sure what flux/process/solder to use to avoid contamination of the system. Also sounds like normal practice is to purge with nitrogen during brazing - any reason I can't use argon instead? I have argon for the welder but don't have any nitrogen or want to mess with getting a cylinder just for this.

Thanks.

 

[Tiha]

You said aluminum part is broken? That would take a tig welder. I am not sure you can braze aluminum per se.

The reason you fill the system with nitrogen is to remove any air intrusion in the weld/repair. Argon would work, but really you probably don't need to do anything if the system is dry.

 

[sdmuleman]

[No message]

 

[sdmuleman]

You said aluminum part is broken? That would take a tig welder. I am not sure you can braze aluminum per se.

The reason you fill the system with nitrogen is to remove any air intrusion in the weld/repair. Argon would work, but really you probably don't need to do anything if the system is dry.

Somehow the aluminum line was jointed to copper originally - certainly looks like a brazed/soldered joint to me.

 

[Tiha]

yep you are correct. I was thinking you were repairing aluminum line.

Soldering copper to aluminum is different. It isn't hard. You need the right materials though. They have technical names but you can usually find kits with flux and wire that will say alum to copper kit. Or something like that.

Just clean it good, Remember let the heat do the work and aluminum melts before copper so focus your heat on the copper until the solder flows.

 

[gunracer1]

They glue all that shit on the newer stuff. Not sure what glue they use.