DIY air conditioner tube repair

In detail: do-it-yourself air conditioner pipe repair from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.

The repair of the auto-air conditioner pipes can be carried out both for the reason that they have broken, and for the reason that they are dirty and cannot be cleaned. In winter, when the air conditioner is not working, aluminum hoses and pipes can become clogged, especially in the gaps between the engine radiator and the air conditioner radiator. Contaminants can accumulate and can contaminate the lines. And all this together can impede the correct circulation of the refrigerant and mixing of refrigerant and moisture is simply inevitable. Image - DIY air conditioner pipe repair

The tubes themselves are made of aluminum, so external factors can destructively affect this material. Temperature extremes, violation of moisture levels, the presence of reagents - all this can lead to the destruction of aluminum. And besides this, there are O-rings and rubber gaskets, which, under the influence of various factors, can deteriorate even faster.

The performance of aluminum tubes is influenced by the country's climate, temperature conditions, road surface or its absence, general loads on the car and getting into road accidents.

All this negatively affects the operation of the cooling unit, and as a result, the repair of the air conditioning pipes is simply inevitable.Image - DIY air conditioner pipe repair

You might mistakenly think that nothing depends on the performance of the tubes, but how long the autoconditioner tubes are repaired will depend on its durability. Tightening can provoke the compressor to depressurize and a complete replacement of the device will have to be performed. Worst of all, if in the process of wear and tear, the car owner does not notice this and the climate system becomes contaminated with particles of compression rings. In this case, not only the entire system is endangered, but also the health of the car passengers will be disrupted. Many have already felt that the cooling system can cause real health problems.

Video (click to play).

Repairing air conditioner pipes is easy if the cracks are very small, which are barely visible to the eye. In this case, you can not use argon-arc welding, but use special compounds. The so-called soldering of holes in the form of patches is performed. It is possible to apply such mixtures in several layers so that their thickness is 2-3 millimeters. Thus, we achieve a quality car air conditioner repair.

Welding the tubes of the air conditioner will be required if the size of the cracks exceeds the norm of 2-3 millimeters. In this case, we will acquire argon-arc welding and go ahead to work.

Soldering the tube of the auto air conditioner

Car air conditioner tube after soldering

If you want to save a lot on repairing the air conditioner pipes, you will have to do it yourself. I want to note that this still requires soldering experience, albeit a little. It is important to stock up on a specific tool: a pipe cutter, a special bending machine and welding. Please note that the pipe cutter can also be replaced with a metal file, but this will not be the quality that we expect in the repair of air conditioner pipes.

The pipe bender can be either universal (for different diameters) or specific (for a specific diameter). When choosing this tool, it is worth knowing what dimensions are used in your machine. Often it is 6, 8, 10 sizes, which corresponds to the inner diameter in millimeters. You can see the size on the vehicle system or in the technical documentation.This is a fundamentally important repair issue because different machines use different measuring systems.Image - DIY air conditioner pipe repair

Repair of auto-air conditioner pipes begins with the fact that you need to buy or make parts. Next, we cut off the required length and bend them using a bending machine. When the tubes are ready, we cut the fittings and connect it all into a single system. Before soldering, it is worth rewinding the parts with electrical tape and see if you did everything right. If everything fits, then we start soldering.

When repairing the tubes of an auto-air conditioner, it is not always possible to resort to the above method. Sometimes the tubes of the air conditioner are replaced with hoses that are made of rubber. Although they are made of less durable material, replacing them will be very quick, simple and cheap. Welding of the air conditioner pipes is not used here, usually the hoses are screwed in.

Welding of the tubes of the air conditioner is also used if they are made of copper. The copper type of joints is more durable than aluminum, but it is expensive. In this case, it is necessary to perform flaring work. And this is a job for professionals with a high-quality specific tool (it is present only at good service stations). Sometimes for such parts, insulation is performed, which saves from freezing in winter and performs thermal insulation of the system.

At the end of the article, I would like to note that the cooling system needs to be closely monitored: listen to the sounds in the operation of devices, to smells and to the general characteristics of performance. All this can tell you in time about problems that are easy to fix in the first stages. Take good care of your car and it will serve you for many years!

On the recording, an auto expert shows how to properly solder a copper pipe of an automobile air conditioner.

Repairing air conditioning pipes in a car is a common problem that every driver has to deal with at some point. Minor damage to the tube leads to the fact that freon begins to leave the system, which, in turn, causes the air conditioner to stop functioning. Armed with the knowledge, the necessary tools and having carved out some free time for all this, you can fix the pipes and pipes of the air conditioner with your own hands.

The pipes can be repaired not only due to mechanical damage, but also in case of severe contamination, when the product cannot be cleaned. In winter, for example, when the air conditioner is not in use, all aluminum connections can become clogged. Often the area between the radiators of the air conditioner and the car engine suffers from clogging.

Image - DIY air conditioner pipe repair