Severely damaged coils

[FLTUDITECH]

Wanted to see if anyone has ever removed damaged fins on a evaporator coil. Coils are 8 fins per inch, so they are a little more stout than the normal coil. They have been severely damaged from someone trying to clean them with a power-washer. The coils cannot be replaced, so that is out of the question. The customer is aware that there is no perfect way to correct the problem. I have considered burning the fins back with a torch but know that would work, but look horrible. Straightening the fins with a comb is also not an option. The customer and other contractors have tried this with little to no improvement. Just wanted to see if anyone has ever been in a situation like this and what they came up with.

Thanks in advance.

Steve

[jpsmith1cm]

Wanted to see if anyone has ever removed damaged fins on a evaporator coil. Coils are 8 fins per inch, so they are a little more stout than the normal coil. They have been severely damaged from someone trying to clean them with a power-washer. The coils cannot be replaced, so that is out of the question. The customer is aware that there is no perfect way to correct the problem. I have considered burning the fins back with a torch but know that would work, but look horrible. Straightening the fins with a comb is also not an option. The customer and other contractors have tried this with little to no improvement. Just wanted to see if anyone has ever been in a situation like this and what they came up with.

Thanks in advance.

Steve

Coils cannot be replaced? Why not?


If your customer wants the fins straightened, I've had good luck using a thin bladed screwdriver to do part of the work, then go over it with a fin comb to finalize it.

Takes hours, but it works.

Get a good pair of gloves.

[luskys a/c]

I do what JP does. I actually don't even use combs. My pocket screw driver is the best thing I have. I guess you could use a knife too but I rather not. It takes forever like JP said and it won't look pretty but it will do its job again. Make sure you tell the owner it will take a long time so they are not surprised when you hand them the bill for your "Craftsmanship".

[seascott]

That works well on sturdy coils that are one flat piece of aluminum front to back, For a while now Carrier has taken to slitting their coils so that they are uncombable. My customer thought my price for coil cleaning was too high so he did it himself from observing me. His combination of unrinsed coil cleaner and pressure washer flattened coils meant that I spent 8 hours the following week with a screwdriver fixing the better parts and washing down his now corroded coil. It hasn't worked the same since, is losing fins all over and we can't replace the coil because Carrier wants as much for the coils as they do for a new Chiller.

[kevinnn]

Pocket screw driver, one fin at a time. If its beyond anything and its a small section of coil you can jam a needle nose in there and twist them out. I would advise against using a torch, that copper is thin walled.

[rojacman]

That works well on sturdy coils that are one flat piece of aluminum front to back, For a while now Carrier has taken to slitting their coils so that they are uncombable. My customer thought my price for coil cleaning was too high so he did it himself from observing me. His combination of unrinsed coil cleaner and pressure washer flattened coils meant that I spent 8 hours the following week with a screwdriver fixing the better parts and washing down his now corroded coil. It hasn't worked the same since, is losing fins all over and we can't replace the coil because Carrier wants as much for the coils as they do for a new Chiller.

......one of the many coil fabrication companies on the market. we've used them many times . they come & scope out the job & you wind up with an exact duplicate , no matter what it is , evap., steam , hot water , etc. prices were always better than oem.....Jack

[springer ray]

Pocket screw driver works for me.