Carrier A/C, Again!

bigdee

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Re: Carrier A/C, Again!

I see from the picture that your evaporator coil is copper which does not normally fail as does the aluminium tubed evaporators. Have you checked your house for Chinese drywall....alot of speed builders in the Charlotte area used that stuff. Have you noticed any other corrosion in your house,door hinges for example? If that is the case you may be eligible for a class action lawsuit.
 

Nandy

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Apr 10, 2004
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Re: Carrier A/C, Again!

No other rust stuff. What does chinese drywall has to do with ac?
 

Nandy

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Re: Carrier A/C, Again!

I think I answered my own question. The house was built in 2001 but other than that no other symptoms matches. I have been diagnosed asmatic and spend many weeks in hospitals as I was growing up. I havent have any astma symptoms.
 

hrdwrkingacguy

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Re: Carrier A/C, Again!

you can pump it up with almost anything...nitrogen can get you over 200# and when you put in in the pool or something it will show you the bubbles...my suspicion on that coil is the cap tubes or the distributor assembly and holder...I hear the comment all the time that techs tell customers their system just developed holes from bad copper and you have to replace the coil...leaks happen because of metal to metal rubbing like the cap tubes or mechanical fittings like the piston holder being loose or not sealed with nylog...In the strait runs of copper under the aluminum in the middle of the coil, the next leak I see there will be the first...where the steel meets the end loops of the coil leaks happen but those are easily fixable...you have to carefully cut out the steel to expose the leak but a 20$ pair of red tin snips will do that...:eek:

PS anytime you open a system you replace or add a liquid drier...29$ my cost at a parts house...If whoever fixes it leaves the old drier or doesn't add one, expect to lose a compressor at some point...
 

Nandy

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Re: Carrier A/C, Again!

im going to see if I can take a bit better picture tomorrow. My question is should I saw the copper pipe or heat the braze and disconnect it there. If im just heating the silver braze then I know where to do it, but if I need to saw the pipes off where do i do that? At the silver braze? Common wisdom will tell me to saw it close to the weld to the side away from the evaporator but my common sense is not always the right thing to do. Them silver rods, how hard are they to come by or can I use something else for the pressure test? I also want to vacuum the lines at the condenser to make sure there are no more leaks so I want to cap both the high/low lines. Any direction will be appreciated.
 

hrdwrkingacguy

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Re: Carrier A/C, Again!

Whatever you do don't use a hacksaw...They invented tubing cutters for a reason...Cut it anywhere on the lines before they go into the coil...You can get couplings from any supply house or if you are a ninja use a swage tool and re-braze it back together when you are done...You can't use 50% solder like you would for water copper...you need to use silfos or something like it thats stronger...:eek:
 

Nandy

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Re: Carrier A/C, Again!

So where can I find that silfos or the silver brazing rods? I'm sure I can find it where they sell welding stuff but I hate to have to buy 100 pounds or some large amount which I don't need. I don't recall seeing those in harbor freights. Thanks!
 

hrdwrkingacguy

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Re: Carrier A/C, Again!

johnstone supply, grainger if you have those...HVAC parts house if you know some one with an account of if the counter guys feel like selling to you without one...:eek:
 

fishrdan

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Re: Carrier A/C, Again!

HVAC parts house if you know some one with an account of if the counter guys feel like selling to you without one...:eek:

So why do HVAC parts houses only sell to contractors or people with accounts? I needed a blower motor and squirrel cage fan several years back and it took an act of God and a nice counter guy (who tacked it onto another customer's account) to buy the parts I needed. Weird that I couldn't just walk in there and buy the parts I needed with cold hard cash.

Good luck with your AC Nandy, I need to start another thread and get some advice from hrdwrkingacguy.....
 

Nandy

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Re: Carrier A/C, Again!

I haven't have a problem buying much anything that does not require opening the system. So motors, capacitors are on I can't get compressors or anything than when I change I have to evacuate the system. They don't want you leaking that cooler into the ozone. It is illegal.
 

Tim Frank

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Jul 29, 2008
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Re: Carrier A/C, Again!

A good friend works in an HVAC and plumbing distributor.
They will sell plumbing stuff cash and carry if someone insists....but not HVAC.
They just have too many problems with DIYers biting off more than they can chew and trying to return the parts that they used with no success.
 

Nandy

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Re: Carrier A/C, Again!

Do I need to braze using silver for pressure testing the evaporator at 125 psi max? Or can I use the regular solder for when you use copper for water? I got it all out and found some leaks and want to mark them down. I will use silver or the equivalent to fix the leaks and put the system back together.
 

Nandy

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Re: Carrier A/C, Again!

This lead free solder wire melts at 419f and has a tansile strength of 6950 psi so for the test I think is ok. I found some blue nickel/silver rods (ns-3), they have a tensile strength of 85000 and melt at 1680 but I'm not sure that is what I need. If anyone can clarify...
 

Nandy

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Re: Carrier A/C, Again!

I was able to cap the high pressure side, then tried to braze a tire valve to the 3/4 inch copper cap but it wont work. Tried several rods but no go. I have a few ideas but anyone else done this and can save me some leg work and tell me what should I use?
 

hrdwrkingacguy

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Messages
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Re: Carrier A/C, Again!

I was able to cap the high pressure side, then tried to braze a tire valve to the 3/4 inch copper cap but it wont work. Tried several rods but no go. I have a few ideas but anyone else done this and can save me some leg work and tell me what should I use?

I already to you...15% silfos...What I do is using an oxy-acetylene torch burn a hole in the pipe and stick in a 1/4" valve stem with a core...then use a 15% rod to seal it...Works every time...soft solder(50/50) sucks for what you are trying to do...:eek:
 

Nandy

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Apr 10, 2004
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Re: Carrier A/C, Again!

Man! That 15% brazing rod braze sweet!!! Got all the caps and ports done and gave it a try and it works great but we are having a monsoon here so I could not proceed. I will see if I get it done this weekend. Now when I start trying to get to the leaks, how should I move the fins? Do I push them asside, cut them? The evaporator lines where is leaking look like aluminum, is that 15% silver brazing rod going to work or do I need a different rod?
 

Nandy

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Re: Carrier A/C, Again!

I have been poking around and found many coils similar to mine but they are rated in tons and I can't find that info anywhere. If I can't repair this coil I might buy one but I dint know how to make sure I am ordering the right coil. If anyone can help that will be great. The coil has this info:
ADP
Model: He22236c1 45b252273
Serial: 6001h33686
Refrigerant: R22 or R410A

The outside unit info:
Carrier
S/n 0302e13338
Prod 38ckc036---351--
Model 38ckc036350
Factory charged 4.6 lbs

Most of the coils I have found are under $300 so I can get this done way under the 1300 he quoted me. Seems I can do everything but charge it which I will let him do that.
I have picks of the labels:
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