Replyhow much liability is involved if the repair fails?
Regular Guest
Hi everyone,
I found a small leak in a suction filer shell and am wondering what might be the best way to repair it. It's a BTAS-313-V brass suction filter shell. The leak is at the bottom of the inlet pipe weld. I think it was welded with 55% silver. If I grind it down a bit do you think I might have any success laying a bead over it? Maybe just replacing the shell is he best way to go. What would be the best way to weld this brass to copper ( 1-5/8")? Staybrite #8 possibly ? Or is the 55% silver best?
Professional Member*
how much liability is involved if the repair fails?
Nest is POO!!
Professional Member*
Just replace it. 45% or better silver should do it if you want to repair. Can you valve it off so you don't have to open the entire system? If so I'd try the repair but if you're going to have to recover I'd just replace it while it was down.
Professional Member*
Replace it.
If its not practical to replace it, I would try 55% silver. Be sure to use flux or a flux coated rod.
Professional Member*
If it has served its purpose,maybe would be best to cut it out and straight pipe it. If you feel you need it in the system
then the 56% route would be best. If you do replace it,at least all the welds will be yours then...
Professional Member*
It sounds like what you are describing is a bad solder joint. Just that alone would make me feel uncomfortable about trying to repair it. And using that 56% silver is not like using silphos; the only way you could "lay a bead over it" would be if it were perfectly positioned.Originally Posted by DeltaTech
There is another solder out there that you could use. Can't remember what it's called, but I've used it a few times in the past. I looks and acts just like your normal silphos, but it is used to solder brass to copper. It would be perfect for this repair. I would go around the entire joint. Both joints in fact. I get it at the plumbing wholesaler, not the HVAC supply houses.
Looks like it's called Blockade from Harris, here's a link to see the product:
http://www.harrisproductsgroup.com/e.../Blockade.aspx
Professional Member
I would just sweat it loose, clean the joint good, flux it and solder it with 45% silver solder.
Professional Member*
Heh heh. I would wager the vast majority of service techs out there have not developed the skill sets required to do that. At least not without a LOT of headaches! Read the first post again. Note the posters questioning laying a bead with those solders; neither of the solders mentioned are suitable for use in that application.
Professional Member
I would think every service tech could sweat loose a solder joint and re-solder it. If they couldn't, they would have a problem changing a compressor. As for the solders he mentioned, Stay-Brite #8 could be used on a suction shell to join brass to copper.
Professional Member*
Try giving that problem to a dozen various techs and see how they do. First off, it's not a compressor with copper stubs. It's brass to copper with that safety silv solder. Some guys will tear the copper due to the heat they are using. And if they do get it apart, it'll take for ever to clean the socket in the brass to the point the copper will slide in. So, typically what happens is they will be fighting the repair at every step of the way.
If you ever cut out one of those 1 5/8 or bigger, save it and give it to someone you work with. Ask them to un-solder it then clean it up and re-solder it. You know, just for fun.
But no, as mentioned in the first post, stay brite 8 would not be a proper solder to use to "lay on a bead" for a repair.
Professional Member
Stay Brite on a used brazed joints ? Putting back togeather 2 old brazed joints ? Not me not even after my 30 years. New to old brazed aint no big deal Fix a factory made part... Lets see could not get just the right compressor so I'll put the suction line in right over here and cap that one that they wanted me to use after all it all goes into the can doesn't it ?
Professional Member*
Heh heh, funny guy!
But seriously, I do those quite a bit. Lately it's been on those Trane package units. It's only a 1/2" copper line in a steel roto-lock fitting, so the smaller size makes it a lot easier. What happens is there is a sharp 90 on the discharge immediately out of the compressor. They crack and leak right there. So I just cut the discharge line up aways, unsweat the copper from the roto-lock (after removing from compressor), and re-use the steel. Since you end up cutting the gauge ports out of the unit, I just re-install with a 1/2" access tee, no other fittings needed. Pretty fast and simple repair, but you do have to do things just right with the original silver weld so you don't create work for yourself.
Professional Member
I do know of a guy who drilled a whole in the side of a tin can and brazed in a new location for the suction line. Everbody thought he was/is a dope but that was what I meant by my comment.
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