HVAC Brazing in a TXV on a refrigeration evaporator

[triden55]

Looks like that joint needs more heat to me. Looks balled up on top of the joint instead of sucked into it.

[youngsplash85]

lol at DR. D OR WHATEVER HE WANTS TO CALL HIMSELF we even had the wrong letter haha

[NOLIMIT69NOLIMIT2000]

That braze sucks ass on so many levels. I bet that joint ain't even at 25%.

[cyrusthevirus024]

horrible braze job,, hit the torch at the bottom of the swage, ever heard of capillary action? lol

[somerandomdude82]

What really pisses me off is when I see areas on the side of an evaporator, where there are empty holes in the side where copper pipe should go through.

[DrZarkloff]

@somerandomdude82 The holes on the side of the evaporator are just runs in the evaporator that are not being used in the system application. The manufacture will make the same coil for many different unit sizes. Then in the same factory, the loops on the ends are installed for the specific unit.

[sunsetsreprise]

no heat shield ?

[walterbrunswick]

Seems like he cooked that second joint a bit too much, plus it wasn't too neat.

[mikeicemachine]

I have videos of ice making machine, they can show you how the ice is made inside the evaporator

[cynic5581]

Hey Dr z try that heat spray ON the rags. If done right you can keep a bare hand on the txv (not recommended) a smaller tip on your torch will minimize oxidation if your not purging with nitrogen. Regardless good videos its very refreshing to see people that enjoy their work!

[ALPHADOG3]

4 f's sake turn the torch tip down, wrap like you do, real refrig mechanics are paid by the hour, take your time, run Nitrogen through your tubes, and get the job done, you guys sound like the local hill billys, well actual look like it it, I heard the word technician being used, you sirs are not tecnicians. ugggg this gives everyone in the trade a bad name.

[LarryInTheVI]

I was wondering what solder you are using, since I don't do a lot of brass to copper soldering-brazing I asked at the local supply house and they recommended a rod with a white powdery flux on it. What an abortion that joint turned out. I need to go out and buy another valve and start over. Sporlan R-410 valve 2 ton. Can you use Silphos?

[DrZarkloff]

@LarryInTheVI I use 15% silphos all the time as long as I'm brazing copper to copper. If there's steel involved then I use a 45% silver solder.

[LarryInTheVI]

In your TXV video you recommend taking the valve apart when soldering it in so you don't overheat any internal parts. With that much wet rag you need a lot of heat to compensate for the rag, would it be better to take the valve apart and use less rag so you are on and off that joint quick.

[DrZarkloff]

@LarryInTheVI I think that it is better to take the valve apart before soldering.

[ctavila75]

wow..thats some ugly brazing...not to mention...to much wrapping up .

[BIGplayer091]

who the hell taught you how to braze

[patrick5507]

@1hvacdamian, be for real boot covers??? that wasn't grandmas fridge he was working on, and the gel is the biggest waste of money, what he did with the rags and water is fine, and the next person who says soft solder is "OK" to use I hope 400 psi of 410 blows up in you face, maybe then you will learn your lesson.

[ALPHADOG3]

wow, that torch tip is insanely bad, if you were my helper, I`d ask you to turn the torch off. You don`t need a 8`` flame to braze. Kudos for wrapping the TX, but it was way overkill. A good joint takes time, set your torch up properly 5pds ACE and 15 O2, push the sil phos into the joint (were not soldering) and let the heat do the work. LOL at 7:40, is that torch tip the space shuttle taking off? Also buy round rod, not the cheap rectangular.

[Qtiservices]

Hate to sound like a critic but you don't nee to wrap the valve, especially a Danfoss valve. I have never burned up a valve in 27 years or had one fail. Staybrite 8 soft solder is acceptable, but most people do not know how to use it. It actually has close to the same tinsel strength of harris 15. Believe it or not. The outlet braze is too cold and the brazing rod is not being drawn into the joint. A professional fitter can weld a joint from one angle. The valve is most likely a GVE1C R22 valve

[saintmichael36]

Did you guys just take a ten minute video of wrapping a TXV with a towel??? Than melt your brazing rod with the torch instead of allowing the metal to melt it. Cool Gel would have protected the valve and taken off about 99% of your video.

[brianempson]

Do you have nitrogen running through it the whole time or just fill it to 1 psi, disconnect, and braze?

[DrZarkloff]

@brianempson We kept purging the evaporator with nitrogen every few minutes or so.

[1hvacdamian]

thank you... i thank you, my section 608 thanks you, my Porun cert. thanks you... but seriously i didn't see the dry nitrogen tank. i was trained to pump thru 3 psi

[craigzg3]

Using a liquid thermal trap gel works a lot better to protect TXV valves and other sensitive equipment than wet rags.

[1hvacdamian]

@craigzg3 no dry nitrogen...no thermal heat trap gel...no boot covers(in case u gotta go inside customers home

[emsbas1]

Did you know you can use soft solder it requires less temperature to become a liquid. It is actually the recommendation of Sprorlan Valves to use Soft Solder.

[DrZarkloff]

@emsbas1 Soft solder should never be used on refrigeration circuits.

[lyes16]

@DrZarkloff for a freezer you can use soft solder number 8 can hold up to 1500 psi and is recommended by sprolan

[poland2010]

@DrZarkloff so u still didnt answer me why the heck did u use 3/8 liquid

[DrZarkloff]

@emsbas1 It is not recommended.

[tubeadelic]

Should direct torch flame away from valve body, flow nitrogen to avoid oxidation flakes inside lines. For "smaller" lines, apply heat on one side of joint, and silfos 90 degrees or so from flame, and let solder run to the heated location, rather than apply silfos-15 at flame site as seen, to much solder applied for line size I think. A squirt drink bottle is nice to easily re-wet the heat sink rags while busy one-man sweating, but do protect that manifold, t-shirt rag strips are indeed the best.

[78mondo32]

People do not understand that us Techs have "a way" not "the way", We all have our little techniques that work, such as Dr.Z's rag for heat protecting the txv. Besides if your not a Tech, you shouldn't be working on a refer system anyway.

[jhood360]

Quick question, while brazing, oxidation occurs creating a sooty like substance inside and outside the copper. This substance circulating through the system once charged and running creates problems.  A way that i know to prevent this from happining is running only 1 psi of nitrogen through the copper, preventing the form of oxidation, any more than that i know can actually make the copper resist the flame and not get to right temps. Did you think about this at all befor brazing?

[DrZarkloff]

@jhood360 Yes, we did.

[poland2010]

@DrZarkloff

i still cant believe u use 3/8 liquid

[poland2010]

@DrZarkloff

mr jim wat size is the txv... how btu's is the coil? and how big is the compressor?

[poland2010]

is there a reason why you installed 3/8 liquid?

[DrZarkloff]

@poland2010 Are you talking about a liquid line filter drier? A filter drier filters out the moisture and non condensables.

[poland2010]

@DrZarkloff

i'm talking about 3/8 liquid line..... why would you use that why not 1/4 or 5/16

[DrZarkloff]

@poland2010 You need to use the proper size liquid line filter drier, otherwise the drier could act as a restictor.

[poland2010]

@DrZarkloff have u ever botherd of looking at the orifice .. tiny like a hair .. 1/4 is to big... but yet u decide to use 3/8 liquid... witch is twice as big as u need

[DrZarkloff]

@poland2010 If the system calls for 3/8 then that's what you have to use.

[poland2010]

@DrZarkloff

1. how big was your tx valve

2. how big was your coil

3. how big was your compressor?

4. was the compressor mounted close by?

or was a remote condenser or rooftop unit?

[cefservices09]

@DrZarkloff --- never mind poland2010 ... he is a total waste of comment

You DrZarloff know your profession.. I truely respect you as a professional.

[DrZarkloff]

@cefservices09 Thanks

[poland2010]

@cefservices09

no obviously you idiots dont know what pipe to use

[hahawki]

Why don't you wipe off the fitting with a damp rag after sweating in place

[Prozackityzac]

You guys don't really suck the silfos into the joint when you braze, your technique seems more to build a shoulder.

[Prozackityzac]

"manifold"?? you mean distributor

[DrZarkloff]

@Prozackityzac that'll work, too.

[Prozackityzac]

@DrZarkloff I mean it's not referred to as a manifold. It's technical name is a distributor. I realize you know this, but others could get confused. thanks for the vids

[mysexywifeli]

where you guys smoking

[meanman02]

Doh

[IcechickenSr]

LOL you guys were hillarious. Good stuffDr.Z. And of course Dr.D lol.

[dynomania]

Rags makeif the man, good job guys !

[zataford]

Always run nitrogen through when brazing. You will get flaking on the inside and you will never be able to blow it out after words. There will be some stuck in the txv. They will be back to change something in that system. txv would be my opinion. But thats not worth much.

[MrLeveLHeaded]

Hate to critisize,but that brazed joint reminds me of a substance known as guano.

[DrZarkloff]

@MrLeveLHeaded The price of guano has just gone up. lol

[coldpak82]

good job!

[T0rche]

that last braze was horrible... doesn't this tech know that the brazing should flow inside the join?? he was just heating the collar.... the brazing always goes where the heat is... this guys just patching the collar without bothering to fill it up nicely...

[cdb1636]

Horrible braze....looks like someone wrapped a piece of chewed bubble gum around the pipe....braze should flow INTO the joint, not just get gooped up around it....need more heat and you should be flowing N2......

[generalgoat]

@cdb1636 yeah very poor and sloppy!

[gutknight]

Bad Video!

Here's a few mistakes I spotted...

#1 No nitrogen purge... If you do not purge Nitrogen through the pipe you are brazing you'll have the oxides (black crap) form on the inside of the pipe, putting impurities into the pipe and potentially contaminating the refrigerant.

[gutknight]

#4 SAFETY FIRST! I didn't see any proper gloves being worn...even though you arguably don't need them when you work for yourself, but accidents can happen. It's also not the greatest display of safety for people picking up brazing tips and tricks....

Do it right the first time!

Just some handy pointers, have a good one!

[dnlp69]

oh I found a vid for ya to watch n learn, type in this (how to solder copper pipe) the technique is flawless!!

[dnlp69]

you guys are cowboys, splashing water all over the place! 1 drop goes on that unwelded joint and in the system it goes then it will take 1/2 a day to pull a vacuum below 500 microns! you dont need that much water or rag to protect the valve and you need to put the flame down into the joint so the solder follows the heat into the joint!

[rogperdiaz]

Don't cool off the joint with a wet rag you gonna crack the pipe

[gwozhog]

Soft solder is definately a much better method for installing txv. It is stronger and uses less heat.

[DrZarkloff]

Soft solder won't tolerate the heat that 15% will.

[gwozhog]

Im talking about soft soldering with a propane torch. Most manufactures use that method.

[raptorman120]

most A/C Techs dont use soft solder because its no where near as strong as silver solder and cant really hold under the pressure of Freon, and you have a much higher chance of a leak on the joint supurb Job Dr.

[RosiieeBabbyy]

no according to manufactur the flux will get into the system and clog the txv i have personally found it in the field and soft solder is not stronger then brazing

[Prozackityzac]

@gwozhog dude, refrigeration is high pressure, I don't think soft solder can withstand that kind of operation.

[cud123456]

i think the brass manifold on the capillary will absorb most of the heat so not to disturb the other joints.

[ytmachx]

No nitrogen backing?

[DrZarkloff]

We blew it out big time with nitrogen before we installed it in the cooler. Then we used nitrogen while we brazed the evaporator onto the line set.

[M0OZ0O666]

lol who using it ? only for when devis sayd us it !!! :P

[ytmachx]

@M0OZ0O666 ????????????!!!

[etsmusic]

I noticed you didn't use any flux. Is there a reason?

[DrZarkloff]

You don't need flux with 15% sil fos

[murrmann7234]

Hey Dr. Z, what's an equalizing tube ?

[DrZarkloff]

The equalizing tube is the tube on the TXV that's plumbed into the suction line.

[Ozzyosb200]

Are there diffrint kind of HVAC / HVAC - R Work. And if there are What are they if you know. And what knid Do you do. What company do you work for if you don't mind me asking

[DrZarkloff]

I work for the school board. I work on anything from a small window shaker to a 200 ton chillwater system and anything from a domestic refrigerator to a walk-in freezer. Also, I maintain ice machines and line servers.

[xpakpimpx]

Dr.Z another job well done!  bravo!

[DrZarkloff]

Thanks.

[pclle]

Job well done boys job well done

[DrZarkloff]

Thanks.

[jefferyb304]

At least when the boat's in the water, ya know where the leaks are lol.

[DrZarkloff]

So true.

[StinkyBammerHater]

I like the idea of taking the txv apart before brazing so that I don't have to worry about the heat and can get a better braze but if it works it works.

[DrZarkloff]

I usually take the TXV apart before brazing. It just make me feel better about the job.

[icu812hardhead]

Dr. Z and Nurse D lol

[DrZarkloff]

lol

[MagicPatrick1]

Another good thing to do when working on the coil before installing it in the cooler, is extent the liquid and suction lines outside of the casing and sweat yourself in some access fittings. Then, if time allows, pressure test your coil, valve, and field brazing with 100lb's of nitrogen overnight. As for the heat sink paste, and cool gel... I agree, the rags work much better.

[DrZarkloff]

Thanks. David let the vacuum pump on the system overnight then did a triple evacuation the next day before charging the system. It's cooling great now.

[DearestBecky]

Where is the riches? I haven't seen any. I do like free, free, and free. No wonder David says your are picking on him. Good job guys.

[DrZarkloff]

He's exaggerating. lol

[heavyhvac]

LOVE THE BRAZE DR z AND dr d

[DrZarkloff]

Thanks.

[ntb2here]

Dr.Z ...really appreciate the videos! Thanks!

[DrZarkloff]

Thanks for watching.

[tazzjr74]

good vid dr z

[DrZarkloff]

Thanks

[stonems61]

Great video, love watching you guys work together, very entertaining.

[DrZarkloff]

Thanks. David is a lot of fun to work with.

[V8Jagnut]

very good vid. why were you putting a new unit in?

[DrZarkloff]

The old evaporator was full of leaks.

[CindyBradyTooh]

You two are a riot! You should start a TV show, like Ralph and Norton did! :D

~Cindy! :)

..

[DrZarkloff]

Thanks. You never know.

[BigVOLdaddy]

Ding Dangit, Tell that moron Norman you dont need no help....QUIT CALLIN while ur workin..or when Dave's workin...LOL

[DrZarkloff]

Norman just won't take no for an answer. lol

[DearestBecky]

How do you know that it was Norman. Norman can't be blamed for everything. LOL

[BigVOLdaddy]

dont you question my knowledge missy...i KNOW norman is behind all that is MORONIC.....LOL

[xbuddiex]

Yes that Thermo Trap do make a mess...

[DrZarkloff]

Yeah, you practically have to give the system a bath after using the stuff.

[imaflirt247]

Another great video...

[DrZarkloff]

Thanks for watching.

[67tr876]

cool 5/5

[DrZarkloff]

Thanks.

[jimmyfuckinmusic]

I pack the txv with bread before I sweat it;)

[DrZarkloff]

That sounds interesting. I've never heard of that before.

[diymania]

Its easy to tell the txv have overheated when the rag catches fire ;)

[BigVOLdaddy]

LMAO...yah, thats usually a pretttttty good indicator.

[DrZarkloff]

Yeah, You gotta keep the rags real wet.

[fyescas777]

Dr Z, do you recommend adding a leak sealer from clip light to a 410a system? The leaks appears to be in the evaporator and it is very small. What other leak sealers do you recommend?

[DrZarkloff]

I would add a leak sealer to a system only if it's too old to get a new evaporator or if the owner of the system doesn't want to spend a lot of money on a system they plan to replace soon.

[Darvin1964]

Yepers To each his own..If it works..

[DrZarkloff]

Amen to that, bro.