Torch setup

[yotaman16]

Ok guys i just got my a$$ kicked by a POS coldzone unit.. The wonderful manf. used staybrite 8 to braze the TXV in and then butted the distributor right up to it.. Go figure the staybrite is leaking on BOTH txvs..... I called my boss to see what he wanted me to do, because i HATE staybrite never had any luck with the stuff.. He told me to rag the txv and flux the joint and try to seal it once.. So i did and guess what it made it worst go figue I personally wanted to leave it as is seeing it was going about 2 months before it went down, and just order new txvs and distributors..

So now i got a bigger mess cause now its really pissing out of there and it wont make it nor will i leave a system leaking like this, so i call my boss and asked his opinion, he said heat trap the txv and pound the joint with some heat and hit it with 15... So not thinking i go to do this and realize wow this aint gonna work seeing its brass to copper .... so now im stuck with a big hole i cant seal with staybrite, cant run 15 over it cause its brass.... errrrrr....... so at this point my boss is pissed at me cause im putting my self in a big hole and hes not really helping.. So i poped the distributor out of the txv (i know unbrazing a txv ) But what other choicee did i have everyones closed at this point... Clean it up stick some 1/2 copper in the txv braze it in, then pop a coupling and flux the joint and hit it with some 45.. all good change dryer, evac charge and leave... Going back tomm to do it right and put a new txv and distributor in...

but my question is i have the hardest time brazing txv's.. when i get thermo trap on valves i cant seem to get them hot enough, quick enough...Im running 16-18 on oxy side and 8 on ac side, with a number 1 tip, i also have a number 5 tip.. i just seriously cant get heat to the thing, my number 5 tip is junk and as good as gone..... But my handle is to big and it sucks, every time im in a tight spot the damn oxy dial get hit and the torch dies... So i need a new setup.. what r all u guys running and what do u like for handles and tips???????? AlSO any tips on brazing in tight situations like when a txvs butted up to a distributor

[Diceman]

A TXV is about the only thing I would use staybrite on.
If its clean and a tight fit, no problem.

[gerryboy00]

one thing i always used is............















calm and patience

[tarzanseal]

I'm with you. I despise the stuff. I use 45% on all my brass copper welds. I use a uniweld ac/oz set up. Both gages set at 5lbs. Works for me with 7/8 or less copper. Also I lightly coat my 45 wire with flux.

[air2spare]

always use 45 with flux and my gauges are on 7 and 11

[gbfromsd]

that tip should work just fine.

I think you need to become one with the flame.
Remember your filler follows the flame.
Get the base to liquidus and THEN move to the cap (where the heat stop is).
Move your flame around the joint while keeping the cap at liquidus. Once the base is there, it'll stay there as long as your putting heat into the cap. Use 45% for the real pissy ones, or 15 when they give you enough copper to work with.

Another strategy you might try is to pull the whole stinking mess out taking it back to copper you can reach easy. Put it up on the work table and do the pissy joint under nitro.

I done hundreds of them little bastards and you gotta get in, go hard, and get out fast.

PS: Don't use heat trap - it boils off too fast. Use strips of a rag perfectly placed and dripping wet. It takes about 400 degrees to pooch a TXV so as long as your water is steaming, you're good.

[swellmel]

..... But my handle is to big and it sucks, every time im in a tight spot the damn oxy dial get hit and the torch dies...

I hear that--I've got knobs behind the hand handle and I hate it. Go to get in a tight spot and I'm watching the flame, not behind my hand.

[swellmel]

PS: Use strips of a rag perfectly placed and dripping wet. It takes about 400 degrees to pooch a TXV so as long as your water is steaming, you're good.

Thanks, never thought about ripping strips. Been using cumbersome whole rags.

[Dowadudda]

I see guys attempt these sorts of repairs alot. I think it's way easier to start over with new stuff. Or pull it all apart, clean the living $hit out of it and weld it in correctly with silfoss. Then, your done, and it's fixed for the long term.

I just tell he customer that this is the way to do it and what is there right now is horse $hit.

[BigMikeB]

I use this tip for just about everything and it works fine.
http://www.uri.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP....5&OnlineFlag=1

[yotaman16]

I see guys attempt these sorts of repairs alot. I think it's way easier to start over with new stuff. Or pull it all apart, clean the living $hit out of it and weld it in correctly with silfoss. Then, your done, and it's fixed for the long term.

I just tell he customer that this is the way to do it and what is there right now is horse $hit.

I agree totally.. I told my boss i wanted to leave it as is and order new txvs and distributors.. But who am i to argue he wanted me to try to fix it so i did what i had to do

[yotaman16]

I need to get a better setup for the torch tho.. Mine suck$.... I need something nice and small... Any of you guys got a nice set up that you have been impressed with... Im so sick of my handle is gonna be going out the window on the interstate real quick

United and johnstone didnt have much in stock to take a look at, im goin to go to a few local gass stores to see what they stock.. Thanks guys

[KB Cool]

Yota,
Check out the quickbraze. Nice and small the twin tip brazes in the txv's with no problem.
It's great for working on small coolers.

http://pdf.directindustry.com/pdf/sm...28234-_13.html