Fixed an airconditioner condenser, sorta

jon f mn · May 7, 2015

When my truck got hit a while back part of the damage was the condenser. The mechanic told me they couldn't be fixed, so naturally I had to find out. Was home today and it's raining so I gave it a shot. The first 2 pics are of what I started with. You can see the hole and cracks in the first 3 runs. The third is the tungsten and cup I used, they are a bit too big for this job, but are all I had. The next pic is my first attempt. There was some oil inside that was coming out and giving me trouble. I didn't have room to get down between enough to get a seal tho. The last pic shows what I ended up doing. I had to cut the leakers and shorten them so I could get them sealed. I got them sealed, but had a lot of trouble chasing pin holes from the oil inside cooking out through the welds. 3 less runs won't likely cause problems, but you couldn't get by with this for someone else. This was just something I did for fun and to see if I could. I got it sealed and will keep it for a spare, but it's not really a good repair. I used to do these all the time back when, but I'm out of practice now and the new ones are thinner and more poorly made so fixing them is just not realistic. Plus for about $225.00 you get a new one and if I was going to get paid to fix it it would cost $100.00 or more, so it's just not cost effective.

JMOR · May 8, 2015

(quoted from post at 00:22:02 05/08/15) When my truck got hit a while back part of the damage was the condenser. The mechanic told me they couldn't be fixed, so naturally I had to find out. Was home today and it's raining so I gave it a shot. The first 2 pics are of what I started with. You can see the hole and cracks in the first 3 runs. The third is the tungsten and cup I used, they are a bit too big for this job, but are all I had. The next pic is my first attempt. There was some oil inside that was coming out and giving me trouble. I didn't have room to get down between enough to get a seal tho. The last pic shows what I ended up doing. I had to cut the leakers and shorten them so I could get them sealed. I got them sealed, but had a lot of trouble chasing pin holes from the oil inside cooking out through the welds. 3 less runs won't likely cause problems, but you couldn't get by with this for someone else. This was just something I did for fun and to see if I could. I got it sealed and will keep it for a spare, but it's not really a good repair. I used to do these all the time back when, but I'm out of practice now and the new ones are thinner and more poorly made so fixing them is just not realistic. Plus for about $225.00 you get a new one and if I was going to get paid to fix it it would cost $100.00 or more, so it's just not cost effective.

ou are sure right on that 'thin' material part! Even on home central air cond & evaps, the copper is paper thin! I would pay more for something that would last, but no we get stuck with "build it as cheap as we can". So tired of paying for junk. Last evap that I replaced had 10 leaks at the little spaghetti ell bows at each end! If the epa wnated to stop freon leaked into the atmosphere, they would force manufacturers to prove that their installed-systems would hold a charge for 10 years. Instead they force me to pay higher prices for what I have to dump in order to stay cool. :x

Adirondack case guy · May 8, 2015

Jon,
Do you have your new Freightliner with autonomous drive system ordered yet? It probably won't work in Texas though, cause there ain't no way to get from point A to point B there. HeHe
Loren

jon f mn · May 8, 2015

Pretty interesting stuff. Wal-Mart has one where the driver sits in the middle of the truck and you can turn around and watch tv while you drive. I think I'll pass on that one tho.

ss55 · May 8, 2015

The most likely reason for thin material is efficiency: improved heat transfer for the air conditioner and less weight on the truck.

JMOR · May 8, 2015

(quoted from post at 09:12:03 05/08/15) The most likely reason for thin material is efficiency: improved heat transfer for the air conditioner and less weight on the truck.

fficiency = ZERO, when all the refrigerant goes into the atmosphere. :roll:

Steve@Advance · May 8, 2015

My ex wife worked at an automotive ac manufacturing plant. They were able to teach her to braze aluminum with a torch! I tried a couple times, all I did was make the aluminum disappear!

Strange that could teach her to do surgical brazing, I could never get her to understand washing dishes! LOL

showcrop · May 9, 2015

(quoted from post at 21:22:02 05/07/15) When my truck got hit a while back part of the damage was the condenser. The mechanic told me they couldn't be fixed, so naturally I had to find out. Was home today and it's raining so I gave it a shot. The first 2 pics are of what I started with. You can see the hole and cracks in the first 3 runs. The third is the tungsten and cup I used, they are a bit too big for this job, but are all I had. The next pic is my first attempt. There was some oil inside that was coming out and giving me trouble. I didn't have room to get down between enough to get a seal tho. The last pic shows what I ended up doing. I had to cut the leakers and shorten them so I could get them sealed. I got them sealed, but had a lot of trouble chasing pin holes from the oil inside cooking out through the welds. 3 less runs won't likely cause problems, but you couldn't get by with this for someone else. This was just something I did for fun and to see if I could. I got it sealed and will keep it for a spare, but it's not really a good repair. I used to do these all the time back when, but I'm out of practice now and the new ones are thinner and more poorly made so fixing them is just not realistic. Plus for about $225.00 you get a new one and if I was going to get paid to fix it it would cost $100.00 or more, so it's just not cost effective.

Jon, do you think that it would help to clean it first by circulating a cleaning solution through it? Kind of like descaling a tankless water heater?

jon f mn · May 9, 2015

Probably, but I think my biggest problem was that my tungsten and cup were too big for the job. I never
had serious problems before with the oil inside but with the oversize torch parts and thinner material
it was harder to deal with. I might pick up some smaller torch parts and try it again some day.

da.bees · May 10, 2015

A young feller approched me about buying some two part epoxy sticks that he said would repair leaks in plumbing,air conditioning and about anyting else. I told him I would buy some if he could fix a condenser leak I recently descovered. He wiped the line off then put that stuff on and had me pressurize within ten minutes. I would have give ten to one it couldn't work. It did,and never leaked again. Cost me $400 and the stuff I got was worthless. Wondered ever since what he demonstrated and what it would sell for. I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't saw it. Guys on weldingweb demonstrate their skill by welding pop cans end to end.

Fixed an airconditioner condenser, sorta

jon f mn

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JMOR

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Adirondack case guy

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jon f mn

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ss55

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JMOR

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Steve@Advance

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showcrop

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jon f mn

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da.bees

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