Hot Rods How do I fix THIS?

30 minutes. If it isn't hot in 10 -max- it's no damn good

 

just JB Weld a small copper patch over it..
quick simple & it works.

 

Get yourself an old soldering iron, not a gun. Around 300 watts or bigger. I have one that is over 50 years old. I have used it to solder up holes in gas tanks with gas still in them, no flame, no problem. I could fix that in 10 minutes or less.

 

Dang'. Without the plastic case fuss ... for a home air conditioning, and service equipment repair ... a nitrogen purge on a clean and deburred line, with a number 2 tip, oxy acetylene torch, and a 15% SIL-FOS stick ... would make one sweet, sexy repair.

I've never done copper pressure lines any other way. Never patched anything either. Fill the hole with SIL-FOS or cut it off, and replace.

Patches, and electrical soldering irons are interesting. I figured those were for wiring, but these guys have done it. So what do I know ? Just not what I was taught, to do. Anxious to see what you choose.

I'd still cut that bitch apart, and get an A/C guy on it, though. Likely a free repair. You know somebody. Then just epoxy that plastic sheet, back together and be proud you won't even see it.

 

I had a similar issue with heater core, in a brand new heat/ac unit, I bought, installed and didn't commission it for some time(as we tend to do). When I discovered the leak while filling the system, I called the supplier, they told me to send it back, but shipping, time etc made repair it at home. Supplier told me that case is ABS, to cut it on seam, and remove core/tubing to bench repair. Then re-assemble and use ABS cement to re-bond the seam.
Still in the car, twenty plus years later.

 

So as per usual give 5 qualified guys the same problem to solve and you'll get it done 5 different ways and all will work just fine. Add to that none of us had done it before our first time either. Dive in and let us know how it turns out.

 

I have nothing of value to add but my past experience, along with several friends, with Southern Air, is it is not worth the repair.

 

Brass shim stock, similar gauge, imho

 

I've heard bad things before about southern air , I bought my 16" fan and controller from them 21 years ago and never have had a problem .....

 

I fixed a similar hole in an aluminum transmission cooler on a truck with a propane torch and solder. If you're worried about melting the plastic case, one of those butane jewelers torches with the pinpoint flame should do just as good. It doesn't take a lot of heat, but it needs to be concentrated in the area you're working.

 

This is the "soldering copper" alluded to earlier, that's heated with a torch before use.
The copper holds a lot of heat, so can easily solder up a fair size bit of brass tubing that sucks heat away fast.

It turns out the hook on top of those old blow torches wasn't for hanging them up.

 

I got my hands on this a few weeks ago, a modernized version that goes in the oxygen/acetylene torch (but this only uses a acetylene/air flame, as oxygen would make it hot enough to melt the copper). The copper tip is over 1" diameter, I have no idea what to use it for but it seemed so odd I just had to have it. Could have been perfect for a job like this.

 

Here in my part of the state the nearest radiator shop is 50 miles away so we use the fab shop at our local roofing company. The tech there has all the tools to solder just about everything. He would have that fixed in no time after his soldering iron was heated fwiw.

 

Don't feel bad? Did a complete install on a 57 Chevy. Had everything done. Added coolant. It leaked into the floor on the carpet. Had to pull the unit. Took it to the manufacture. They took it apart. Assembler used the wrong length screw in assembly. Stuff happens!

 

Any time I see a garage sale or estate sale I look for spools of 50/50 acid core solder. It hasn't been manufactured for quite a long time, but there's still plenty of it out there in those garages. Usually the spool is quite full, as a lot of folks would buy a spool, use it for a couple of repairs and then it would sit on the shelf. I have three or four spools of it, and there will likely be some of it left to sell at my auction when I am no longer able to control my bowels.

 

this might sound crazy....but....google ,super glue and baking soda......
i have been youtubing a lot on this subject and although i have not tried any of these remedies,
they seem to work on just about anything.....even split radiators....might just do the trick ???

 

I have seen a hole in top tank the size of a nickel silver soldered with a torch. Never had another problem. Take it to a rad shop if you have no experience....

 

As mentioned I would first try JB Weld. I repaired a long hairline crack on the coolant/exhaust manifold on my boat and it's been good for three years now.

 

Hmmmm, 50/50 acid core is what I use for electronics work. I bought some not so long ago, and as far as I know it is still available. Maybe not in Europe or elsewhere overseas, but I thought it was still available in the US.

 

FYI
https://www.tubesandmore.com/products/solder-kester-60-40-44-flux-1-lb-spool

 

More:
https://www.grainger.com/search/welding/soldering/solders?sst=1&ts_optout=true&searchQuery=solder

 

Southern Air not worth the time or effort to repair. Something else on it will crap out. Don't understand why people spend their hard earned money on such junk.

 

Acid-core does work, but I've found that the lasting effects of the acid suck. I prefer rosin-core solder. you have to make sure the soldering areas are very clean, & use a good non-acid flux, but no corroding after-effects.
For that small hole, I'd use a fairly small dia solder, instead of the normal fat one. Melts faster, & amount used is easier to control. FWIW.
Marcus...

 

Might add..... make sure the tip is tightly screwed in; if not, the heat won't transfer to the tip worth a darn.

 

Y0u're right, it is ROSIN core that I use, acid core can cause problems, as you noted. Thanks for the correction.

 

A soldering Iron like I posted in post #33 would have fixed this hours ago and the OP would be filling the radiator and charging the air conditioner by now. Just saying.

 

Yep, your links were to rosin core, which is what I use for circuit boards and other electronics repair. For the heavier work I like the old acid core stuff. The acid residue is real easy to wipe off while the joint is still warm.

 

Yup, I get the acid-core flux needs cleaning/removing/neutralizing, but almost no-one does that. Esp in delicate situations. I've found it in a/c components as well as electrical. It does have it's place, but... & that cleanup isn't fun. & it seems most folks don't that there is a difference. Sigh...
Marcus...

 

Simplify, move to where you don't need a heater, So Cal's calling.

 

Marine tex would fix that right up without any heat causing other problems.Used to fix big gapping holes and cracks on lower units that met their fate with large rocks that got in the way.I have one lower unit that was probably fixed over 20 years ago that we never bothered to weld up never leaked a drop of water.