To connect the pipes of air conditioners in apartments or offices, rolling is most often used. This method is uncomplicated, affordable, and equipment-safe. But sometimes it is necessary to solder the tubes of the air conditioner.
If you have basic technical knowledge, you can replace or re-solder the copper pipe in the air conditioner yourself. Pipes are not included in the package of the device - they are bought in hardware stores. A copper pipe with silver impurities is suitable, which can withstand temperature changes that occur during the operation of climatic systems, and does not corrode. Pipe materials withstand high pressure and do not deform. The chemical composition allows maintaining the surface layer for a long time, which allows the system to work without the need for repair.
Materials and equipment
The diameter of the pipe is selected based on the power of the device - the more powerful, the larger the diameter. The cost of a pipe is influenced by its technical characteristics, the brand of the manufacturer, and the characteristics of the metal. You should not save on pipes, since the service life and quality of the split system depend on this.
Soldering the air conditioner tubes begins with the selection of the necessary tools and materials:
- Pipe cutter. This tool will allow you to well prepare the end of the part, which will be connected with solder.
- Pipe bender. In order to avoid kinks and poor permeability, you need to use a special tool so that the diameter does not change, and at the same time, the pipe can be bent at an angle.
- Metal soldering iron, gas torch.
- Solder for brazing the copper pipes of the air conditioner.
For the strength and tightness of the soldering, the cleanliness of the surfaces is of greater importance. But the type of solder must be chosen correctly. Soldering is carried out with hard or soft solder.
Solders are divided into:
- copper-phosphorus;
- silver.
To solder the aluminum tube of the air conditioner, two types of solder are used at once. For copper tubing, silver ion solder is better than phosphoric solder. This is due to the fragility of the phosphorus substance if the alloy contains more than 10% nickel.
If the solid solder contains cadmium, you need to take care of your health, as the fumes poison the body.
For a high-quality connection of the pipes, a combustible mixture is selected. Check at startup:
- If the torch is of medium size and uniform blue color, it means that the gas-oxygen mixture is well balanced in composition. The metal will heat up evenly.
- The light blue color of the torch indicates that there is more oxygen in the mixture. This will oxidize the metal and develop a dark coating on it.
When expanding the outer tube, observe the required gap, into which the solder will flow. In the absence of such, the connection of the pipes will not be airtight, and the freon will flow out under pressure in a matter of minutes.
How copper tubes are soldered - process and rules
Before connecting the tubing of the air conditioner, it is necessary to clean it with an emery or a wire brush. Residues of grease, earth, paint impair the adhesion of the solder to the metal.
To connect the tubes of the air conditioner by soldering, it is necessary to insert one tube into another for a length equal to or greater than the diameter of the tubes.The gap is between 0.025 cm and 0.125 cm.
The tubes are heated evenly with the burner. For the solder to penetrate the gap, the inside and outside temperatures must be the same. In this case, not only the place of the proposed welding is captured, but also a little further - by 7 centimeters in each direction.
The heated solder rod is dipped into a flux, a thin layer of which protects it from oxide. The smaller the flux layer, the better the soldering is.
After it turned out to solder the tubes of the conditioner, the remains of the flux are cleaned off.
Conditions that are observed during work:
- The burner must have a flame-retardant function to control the heating process. The overheated tube is deformed and the end has to be sawed off.
- Flaring is carried out on the pipe that lies towards the moving freon, so that there is no friction and resistance at the soldering point. For example: if freon goes to the left, then the right side of the tube is expanded and vice versa.
- Since some solders emit harmful gases during heating, ventilation or a respirator must be worn.
Low temperature brazing
The low-temperature mode of joining two metal parts involves heating the main parts below 427 degrees, that is, below the melting point of the base metal. With this method, the metal is less oxidized, local heating can be achieved. Saves energy and materials. The result is a neat, precise seam.
Features of high temperature brazing
The melting point for high-temperature brazing is above 427 degrees, but below the melting point of the parts to be joined. The technology differs from the low-temperature one. Vacuum brazing uses soft tin solder. High-temperature technologies are used for joints that will work at high temperatures in the future.
For independent work, a low-temperature regime is sufficient. The pipes are not supposed to have high freon temperatures, but the connection must be made tight to avoid refrigerant leakage during operation.
Welding Air Conditioner Tubes
Argon welding of air conditioner tubes is used when aluminum tubes are worn or deformed. Argon welding is used because heated aluminum is covered with an oxide film when it interacts with oxygen. Argon prevents contact with oxygen and film formation.
The pipe welding method is good for repairing car air conditioners.
