How to solder a brass radiator correctly

Soldering brass at home

Brass is an alloy whose essential components are copper and tin. Possessing high strength, ductility and corrosion resistance, it is well suited for the manufacture of both heavily loaded parts of various mechanisms and structural elements operating in aggressive environments. Its main disadvantage is its high cost. But there are other problems associated with the use of this material.

Simple and effective

Today, various technologies have been developed that allow welding brass products. But all of them are quite complex, costly, and require the specialist performing the work to have certain skills. An alternative to welding is often brass soldering. It is somewhat simpler technologically and imposes different requirements on the qualifications of the performer.

Obstacles encountered

If the zinc content in the alloy is low, then no special problems arise. You can cope with the task using ordinary rosin. But in cases where the amount of zinc exceeds 15%, the use of special fluxes is mandatory. This is due to the fact that when zinc and copper evaporate when heated, they form a strong oxide film on the surface of the part, which is very difficult to remove.

Choose a ready-made one or make it yourself?

The simplest flux for soldering brass is easy to make yourself. To do this, you will need to mix borax and boric acid powder in a one-to-one ratio, pour the resulting amount with water at the rate of 5 ml for each gram of powder mixture, boil with gentle stirring, and then cool. But the best characteristics are available in ready-made formulations that go on sale.

• One of the most common is Borax flux. Invented a long time ago, this recipe has received the approval of many jewelers who solder various metals, including brass. It belongs to the category of high-temperature mixtures, activated when reaching 700 - 900 degrees Celsius. Despite his advanced age, he performs his work efficiently.
• Fluxes of the PV-209 and PV-209X brands do their job well. The first is based on fluorosalts, and the second is made using hydrofluoric acid. Both also operate at temperatures approaching a thousand degrees.

Source: https://svarkalegko.com/tehonology/kak-payat-latun-doma.html

Soldering brass

Brass as a material has been known for quite a long time. Good physical and chemical properties have allowed it to become widespread. Brass parts also periodically develop defects (cracks, holes, breaks). These problems can be solved by soldering. In order for the result to be of high quality, it is necessary to have a good knowledge of the composition of brass, its physical and chemical characteristics, how to carry out soldering, what solders and fluxes are used for such work.

Soldering brass

Basic information about brass

Brass can be double or multi-component in composition. It is always based on two metals: copper and zinc. In this alloy, zinc serves as the main alloying component. To impart different properties, various metals are added to its composition: tin, lead, manganese. Therefore, it is very important to know what composition of brass you have to work with. This is necessary to determine the conditions and specifics of soldering.

Brass

Modern brass is classified according to the following indicators:

Depending on the chemical composition:

• Two-component alloys. It contains only two metals, zinc and copper. The percentage of each may vary. This type is marked with the capital letter of the Russian alphabet “L” and a number. The number indicates what percentage of copper is contained in the alloy. For example, grade L85 - this alloy contains 85% copper and the remaining 15% is zinc.
• Multicomponent. They are also called special. Such alloys contain a large number of additives. They are marked with two capital letters and numbers. For example, brand LA77-2. She indicates that the composition includes 77% copper, 21% zinc and 2% aluminum. Therefore, very often special brasses get their name depending on the name of the alloying element with the highest percentage (aluminum, tin, nickel, manganese, and so on).

By degree and quality of processing:

• Deformable. These include brass in the form of wire, round tube, sheet and tape.
• Foundries. These are fittings, finished products made of brass.

According to the zinc content in the alloy:

• If the zinc content is in the range from 5 to 20%, then such an alloy is called red brass (tompak).
• If this percentage ranges from 21% to 36%, the brass is called yellow.

All brands of brass have similar properties. They are easy to process, have high anti-corrosion characteristics, and have sufficient strength. With a significant decrease in temperature, they retain their plasticity.

These properties have determined the wide range of uses of brass.

Application of brass

In addition to the listed positive properties, brass is a very durable and reliable alloy. Brass is used in the following areas:

• Manufacturing of pipeline fittings (adapters, valves, pipes).
• Plumbing fixtures (taps, mixers, washbasins)
• Furniture fittings (handles, latches, locks, decorative overlays).
• Production of electrical parts.
• Production of souvenirs.
• Production of tableware.
• Art casting.
• Jewelry production. Jewelers mainly use two-component alloys. It can be: yellow, red, green or golden brass.

Soldering brass pipes

Solders and fluxes: classification and selection methods

To obtain good soldering results, additives in the form of fluxes and various solders must be used.

Solder is a specific metal that, after melting, penetrates into metals prepared for soldering.

To achieve reliable contact, the brand of solder must have a melting point that will be significantly lower than the melting point of the brass itself. At the same time, it must have good adhesion to brass. Therefore, special solders are used for soldering brass.

Only as a last resort, if parts are soldered that do not bear much responsibility for the entire unit, and there are no high requirements for strength, ordinary tin-lead alloys are used.

Modern solders are classified as follows:

• By melting point. They are soft with a melting point reaching 400°C; semi-solid with the melting point of tin and solid. The melting point of hard solders exceeds 500 °C.
• By type of melting. Solders that melt completely or partially during the soldering process.
• According to the method of obtaining solder. We produce ready-made solders, and solders that are formed during the soldering process. This type of soldering is called contact reactive soldering.
• According to the list of chemical elements added to the composition. A fairly large number of such elements are used. From common metals zinc, tin, aluminum, to rare earth metals gallium, indium, palladium.
• According to solder manufacturing technology. They are: wire, stamped, rolled, cast crushed.
• By type of solder. They are produced in the form of wire, ready-made powder, in the form of tape and individual sheets, in the form of tablets and ready-to-use embedded parts.
• According to the method of flux formation. Solders are divided into two large categories: fluxed and so-called self-fluxing.

Solders, like brass, are marked with capital letters and numbers. By the marking you can determine which brass a particular solder is intended for. For example, if it is necessary to solder a part made of brass, in which there is a large percentage of copper, then it is proposed to use solder of the PSr12 or PSr72 brand. This solder contains a large percentage of silver.

If there is a large percentage of zinc in brass, then it is advisable to use PSr40 solder. Therefore, in order to obtain a reliable connection after soldering, it is necessary to understand what loads are placed on the part being repaired. If the part is stationary and does not bear large vibration loads (for example, plumbing elements), you can safely use PMC solder.

If it is necessary to ensure a strong connection, special hard solders are used, such as L-CuP6. This solder has a very high melting point - 730 ° C.

Solders for brass

To choose the right brand of solder, you can use the following method:

• Determine the melting temperature of the parts that are planned to be soldered.
• Determine the coefficient of thermal expansion. For brass that you plan to solder and the solder it should be very close.
• After soldering, the solder should not reduce the mechanical characteristics of the repaired part.
• The solder must form a galvanic couple with the main brass part. If this is not ensured, the corrosion process will quickly occur.
• The properties of the solder must comply with all technical and operational characteristics.
• The solder must ensure good wettability of the main part during the soldering process.

Flux is a special substance that allows you to prepare the surface of the metal, that is, remove the resulting oxide deposits, grease and water stains from it. Without the use of flux, it is impossible to qualitatively solder a brass part. Fluxes are selected depending on the chemical composition of brass.

Experience shows that in order to qualitatively solder parts made from common brands of brass LS59 and L63, it is enough to have a flux consisting of zinc chloride dissolved in boric acid.

If you need to solder brass, which contains lead and silicon (for example, LKS80 brand), then you need a flux containing fluorine and potassium compounds. They are also dissolved in boric acid, or borax.

A similar flux for soldering can be prepared at home, using the appropriate elements in the required percentage.

Flux paste for soldering brass

Today, the industry offers ready-made fluxes for brass soldering. These include: Borax flux; fluxes PV-209 and PV-209X.

Soldering methods

The brass soldering process has certain specifics. The brass heats up and the hot zinc elements evaporate. At this moment, an oxide film is formed, which is quite difficult to remove from the surface of the part and thereby deteriorates the quality of soldering. Usually brass is soldered in two ways: using a soldering iron and using a special torch.

Soldering with a soldering iron

To successfully solder brass, a soldering iron must have a power of at least 1000 W. Such a soldering iron will provide the required heating temperature for the parts themselves and the solder. It should be 500ºС and above. Low temperature soldering of brass is only possible if it has a high percentage of copper content.

Soldering brass with a soldering iron

The most convenient way is to solder using a soldering station, which has an adjustable soldering iron tip temperature. This adjustment allows you to set the optimal heating mode. The point is that during soldering it is necessary to avoid unnecessary overheating of the soldering area. The optimal temperature for heating the soldering iron tip is up to 350°C.

Soldering using a gas torch

The task of soldering brass can be solved using a small torch. The brass part is placed on any heat-resistant material; it must withstand high temperatures. Asbestos plates are used for these purposes.

Soldering brass with a gas torch

The parts that need to be soldered are placed on this plate and aligned with each other. Preparation for soldering is the same as when soldering with a soldering iron. Next, the solder is cut into small metal chips or shavings and sprinkled on the joint of the parts. Then adjust the size of the burner flame and bring it to the soldering zone.

First, it is necessary to slightly heat the soldering area so that the solder sticks to the surface of the brass. After this, complete heating is started until a characteristic red color appears on the surface of the brass. With a correctly adjusted burner, the temperature in the soldering zone reaches 700 °C. After cooling, it is necessary to remove sagging and flux residues.

So, in order to get good results when soldering brass parts, you need to choose the right solder. Monitor the cleanliness of the soldering iron rod and the degree of its heating. You should never start soldering if the soldering iron has not reached the required temperature. Carefully prepare the surfaces of the brass part that you plan to solder (wipe off dirt and dust and degrease). Carefully monitor the degree of heating of the working area of ​​the parts being soldered.

Source: https://stankiexpert.ru/spravochnik/svarka/pajjka-latuni.html

How to solder a cooling radiator with your own hands: description, diagram and recommendations

An automobile cooling radiator is designed to lower the temperature of the coolant (antifreeze or antifreeze) circulating inside the engine. Its design usually consists of two tanks and honeycombs located between them, which are a system of thin tubes equipped with thin lamellas. Reducing the refrigerant temperature is achieved through natural or forced air blowing of the cells.

Despite its simple design, the radiator sometimes fails. Its main malfunction is a violation of tightness. In other words, it begins to leak. A coolant leak while the power unit is running threatens the latter with critical breakdowns due to overheating.

Replacing a radiator is not so much a troublesome task as it is an expensive one. And the bill here runs into thousands and even tens of thousands of rubles. In this article we will talk about whether it is possible to solder a cooling radiator with your own hands and what tools you will need for this.

Why does a leak appear?

A leak in the device under consideration can occur only for two reasons: due to mechanical damage and due to corrosion processes occurring inside the tubes. In the first case, it may be the impact of a foreign object on the honeycombs or tanks. This usually happens as a result of traffic accidents, hitting a high curb, being hit by a stone, etc.

Everything is clear here. A visual inspection will allow you to accurately determine the location of the damage, as well as assess the possibility of repair. Corrosion is a little more complicated. In order not to make a mistake and solder the cooling radiator where needed, you will need to carry out a few simple steps to detect the problem area or even areas.

The fact is that corrosion damage can occur in several places at the same time.

A clear sign that the radiator is leaking is the presence of traces of coolant on the ground under the car, on the engine guard, or on the engine itself. Finding the location of the leak without dismantling the device is almost impossible. But before you remove it, you should make sure that the problem is in it, and not in the pipes or, for example, in the leaky plug of the upper tank. When this is done, you can safely drain the coolant and remove the radiator for diagnostics.

If a visual inspection of the device does not yield any results, check it by immersing it in water. To do this, take a container of a suitable size and fill it with water. Close all pipes with plugs and immerse the radiator in water. Now all that remains is to create air pressure in the device. This can be achieved by simply blowing into the filler neck of the upper tank or by coming up with another option with a compressor (pump). The escaping air bubbles will show you exactly where the damage is.

Copper or aluminum

In order to properly solder a cooling radiator, it is necessary to determine exactly what material it is made of. Most often, cooling devices are made from copper and aluminum. It is not difficult to determine the type of material. Copper honeycombs have a characteristic reddish-brown color, aluminum ones – gray.

If you have determined that you have a copper radiator, you can consider yourself lucky. This metal is easy to solder at home. If you get an aluminum device, then you will have to tinker with it, because this material is difficult to solder.

Repairing a copper radiator

To solder an engine cooling radiator made of copper, you will need the following tools and tools:

• powerful soldering iron or gas torch;
• solder;
• soldering flux;
• pliers;
• sandpaper.

First, you need to dry the radiator, especially if you checked it by immersing it in water. Next, the damaged area should be thoroughly cleaned with sandpaper. If there are slats on it, they need to be removed locally. After this, the soldering area is treated with flux and dried again.

You can solder the cooling radiator using either a gas torch or a soldering iron. In the first case, solder is applied in place and heated with a torch until it melts and fills the crack. When using a soldering iron as a heating tool, make sure that it has sufficient power.

If the solder does not adhere to the surface or lags behind, it is necessary to repeat the stripping and fluxing process. You can check the repaired radiator using the method described above.

What is the difficulty of soldering aluminum?

Aluminum is a very specific metal. Its peculiarity lies in its high chemical activity, manifested in the formation of a so-called oxide film on the surface. It appears instantly when pure metal comes into contact with air, reacting with oxygen. And it is precisely because of this that it is impossible to solder an aluminum cooling radiator in the usual way. This will require additional substances that contribute to:

• removing oxide film from the surface;
• reducing surface tension;
• protection from adverse factors affecting the soldering process;
• improved solder flow.

Materials and tools for soldering aluminum radiators

In order to solder a cooling radiator, the honeycombs of which are made of aluminum, you will need:

• powerful soldering iron;
• solder (tin-lead or tin-bismuth alloy);
• iron filings;
• rosin;
• fireproof container (crucible).

It is desirable that the soldering iron has a power of more than 100 W. Otherwise, it simply will not be able to warm up the aluminum. As for solder, a tin-lead alloy is suitable for sealing small cracks (holes).

If the damage is significant, then it is advisable to use solder consisting of 5 parts bismuth and 95 parts tin. Such an alloy can be easily purchased in stores that sell radio components.

Usually, it has the form of wire and is marked as POSV-33 or POSV-50.

Preparing gumboil

Soldering a cooling radiator with your own hands is only possible if you have high-quality flux. You will have to prepare it yourself. And it’s better to do this just before you start soldering.

So, pour 2 parts of ordinary rosin and 1 part of iron filings into a fireproof container. Sawdust can be made using a file with fine notches, processing any iron workpiece that comes to hand.

Heat the resulting mixture over fire, stir and let cool. That's basically it. Flux for aluminum is ready.

Flux for the most durable seam

To obtain the most durable protective seam at the site of damage to the radiator, a special flux called flux is used. It can also be obtained at home. To prepare flux, you will need the following substances in the following proportions:

• potassium chloride – 56%;
• lithium chloride – 23%;
• cryolite – 10%;
• coarse table salt – 7%;
• sodium sulfate – 4%.

The ingredients are finely chopped and mixed. This melt must be stored in a hermetically sealed glass container in a dark place.

We repair an aluminum radiator with our own hands

The radiator, as in the previous case, is washed and dried. We thoroughly clean the soldering area with emery cloth and then degrease it. After this, we apply pre-prepared flux to it using a soldering iron.

Rub it thoroughly over the surface. Next, we apply solder layer by layer, stretching it over the surface to be repaired.

The role of the iron filings is to destroy the oxide film at the very last moment before soldering, thereby allowing the aluminum and solder to bond.

Most modern car radiators have tanks made of heat-resistant plastic. This material does not react with coolant and does not corrode, but it does not have the elasticity to withstand mechanical damage.

That is why some car owners, faced with the problem of a broken tank, are wondering whether it is possible to solder a cooling radiator whose plastic has been damaged. Can! But it is better to entrust this matter to professionals. Heat-resistant plastic is very difficult to solder due to its rigidity.

Yes, and choosing the right material for this is quite difficult.

Today you can find hundreds of offers from organizations and individuals who are ready to solder a cooling radiator with high quality. The price for such services ranges from 100 rubles per sq. cm. You will have to pay separately for removal, diagnostics and installation of the device.

If the issue of repairing the tank has become very acute, or you don’t really want to pay, you can try to do it yourself. To do this, the damaged area must be cleaned and formed in such a way that the material that will be applied as a restorer can easily penetrate into the gap. Next, the treated area is degreased.

As for the gluing material, it can be soft plastic or two-component epoxy adhesive. In the first case, the plastic is melted using a soldering iron and applied to the damaged area with a small spatula. The glue is applied in the same way.

When performing work on soldering tanks, it is advisable to use a reinforcing mesh with small cells. It is placed between layers of adhesive material.

Of course, such soldering cannot guarantee years of trouble-free operation of the radiator, but it is quite suitable as a temporary measure.

Source: https://FB.ru/article/276948/kak-zapayat-radiator-ohlajdeniya-svoimi-rukami-opisanie-shema-i-rekomendatsii

Proper brass soldering. Soldering brass - a reliable connection at home Is it possible to solder brass

Brass is widely used in everyday life, and the question of how to solder brass is very important for some. Repairing many home appliances depends on what you use to solder the metal. This process is noticeably different from joining other metals. It has a number of specific features and causes certain difficulties. However, if certain conditions are met, then soldering will be within the capabilities of any person.

Brass is widely used in everyday life, and when brass products break, the question arises of what to solder it with.

Features of soldering copper alloys

In everyday life, various parts are often used in which brass and bronze are used. These copper alloys are very similar in appearance, but have different compositions and their own characteristics. Brass is a copper-zinc alloy with the addition of tin, aluminum and other metals. Bronze is an alloy of copper with tin, aluminum, lead and other substances. Brass, to which tin is added, approaches the composition of bronze, but still its basis is zinc.

Materials and tools for soldering brass products.

It has its own characteristic difficulties. When exposed to heat, zinc actively evaporates from the alloy, forming a dense film of zinc oxide and copper. The zinc oxide film is destroyed with great difficulty, and its formation occurs quite quickly when the zinc content in brass is more than 15%. Rosin, even in combination with alcohol, cannot cope with such a film, which requires the use of special fluxes.

If you use tin-lead solder when soldering brass, the connection has low mechanical strength. Thus, where brass is soldered with tin-lead solder, its strength is 1.6 times less than that of copper. This is due to the appearance of pores in the soldered seam due to the evaporation of zinc.

Methods for soldering bronze depend on its composition. Tin and nickel bronzes are easily soldered with tin-lead solders. When soldering aluminum and beryllium bronzes, difficultly soluble films arise, which necessitates the use of special solders and fluxes.

Return

Fluxes for metal soldering

To solder brass you will need borax, a special flux.

Fluxes are designed to remove films from the surface of metals being soldered and protect against the formation of new films in the soldering zone. While rosin is sufficient for joining copper, brass requires a different, much more aggressive flux.

The flux composition required for different brasses is different, which is caused by the introduction of certain metals into the brass composition. For common brasses such as LS59 and L63, the use of zinc chloride with a small content of boric acid is sufficient.

When soldering brass with additions of lead and silicon, for example, brass type LKS80, a flux based on a compound of potassium with fluorine and boron or based on borax is recommended.

At home, you can make the following flux, which is suitable for most brass. It is necessary to prepare 20 g of powdered borax and 20 g of powdered boric acid. Dry powders are mixed well and poured with 200 ml of water. The mixture is then boiled and cooled.

Source: https://pobeda-mf.ru/spalnya/pravilnaya-paika-latunyu-paika-latuni-nadezhnoe-soedinenie-v-domashnih/

To help car owners: how to solder a radiator - a building tool

Frequent car trips are fraught with overheating of radiators, especially those that are blown by a mechanical rather than an electric fan. Overheating is not so bad: we stood there for half an hour, and then we were on our way again.

Heat, as well as gravel from the wheels of cars avoiding traffic jams on the side of the road, can seriously damage the radiator.

This is the most vulnerable spot in the power unit of any car - antifreeze can leak anywhere.

Even a new aluminum radiator is especially unpredictable, but a copper one will leak along the way and over time. Therefore, below we will tell you how to solder a copper radiator, as well as products made from other materials.

Automatic kettle repair

Kettle - this is what car enthusiasts call a radiator due to the fact that the liquid in it is beyond the boiling point of water - up to 130 degrees. Therefore, instructions on how to solder a radiator will come in handy. Repair of the internal combustion engine cooling system is the most common thing in auto repair shops during any holiday season.

Practice shows that on the road you can fix a leak yourself only temporarily - to the nearest service station. The following can be done as a temporary measure. Grouting powder or corresponding liquids are poured or poured into the radiator.

How to solder a radiator, read below. If, of course, you purchased everything you need in advance and put it in the trunk. These are the two main emergency equipment for long journeys.

Radiator repair is the elimination of leaks in the tubes. If this happens at home, you won’t have to turn to professional aluminum shareholders and coppersmiths. If you have everything you need, you can handle such a problem as repairing radiators on the highway.

To do this, you will need to perform several technical procedures:

• Draining the water/antifreeze, removing the radiator and preparing it for soldering.
• Availability of tools and SOS tools.
• Soldering of the emergency area.

Removal is necessary, first of all, to diagnose possible water/antifreeze leaks. To do this, close the empty “kettle” with stoppers, except for one, connect an auto-compressor to it and place it completely in a container with water. Where even small bubbles appear, a new breakthrough is possible.

Restoring duralumin damage

Any welding of aluminum, as well as its soldering, is impossible without cutting off air, otherwise instant oxidation cannot be avoided. Since it is impossible to solder an aluminum radiator like a copper one, it is possible to take solder from bismuth with indexes 33 or 50.

But for it you first need to prepare a powder from four chemical elements that are difficult to find. They are used only at car service stations.

Another method can be used. To do this, have a carbon dioxide cylinder. Direct its jet to the place where the solder is applied. Apply solder and use a soldering iron to place it evenly over the area.

Remember that DIY repairs are not always the best solution. The problem can be fixed temporarily. Therefore, do not delay and at the first opportunity, seek advice and diagnostics from the service center specialists. Repairing a radiator is a task whose solution should still be trusted to experienced craftsmen.

Photo tips on how to solder a car radiator

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Source: https://pgmk96.ru/ustrojstvo/v-pomoshh-avtovladeltsam-kak-payat-radiator.html

How to solder a brass radiator

When a car radiator starts to leak, not all car owners have the opportunity to immediately replace it with a new one. For some models, a car radiator costs tens of thousands of rubles, for others you have to wait for more than one week for its delivery. Soldering the cooling radiators can help hold out until replacement. The soldering method depends on the material from which the heat exchanger is made.

Why does a leak appear?

The main reasons leading to antifreeze leakage from the cooling system through the heat exchanger are the following:

• mechanical destruction of tubes or collector tanks during an accident;
• thermal destruction of joints due to overheating and operation without liquid;
• corrosion damage.

The first two reasons are somewhat easier to repair because, as a rule, the location of the damage is easy to determine.

In case of corrosion damage, the location of the leak will have to be located. Moreover, it may not be the only one.

Looking for a leak

If a stain of antifreeze remains under the car after parking, it means there is a leak in the cooling system..

Before removing the cooling radiator or air conditioner, you should make sure that all pipes and the expansion tank housing are in order. The heat exchanger of the interior heating system is also checked.

Before dismantling, you need to drain the liquid from the system . The removed radiator is carefully inspected in good lighting. If the damage cannot be seen, all holes are plugged with tight plugs and the heat exchanger is immersed in water. The emerging chain of bubbles will indicate the location of the leak. If you increase the pressure by connecting one of the pipes to the compressor hose, you can detect a leak faster.

Copper or aluminum?

For high-quality soldering of faulty car radiators, you need to find out what they are made of. Modern devices are made of aluminum, copper or plastic.

The easiest way to distinguish material is by color:

• copper: red-brown;
• aluminum: grayish shades.

The plastic used for radiators is usually black.

Copper is quite easy to solder in a home workshop or garage . Soldering leaky aluminum car radiators is complicated by a number of its physical and chemical features.

We repair the radiator

Soldering copper radiators will require preparing the following:

• high-power electric soldering iron or gas burner;
• correctly selected solder;
• flux paste;
• abrasive paper;
• pliers;
• degreasing solvent;
• rags.

At the preparation stage, the product is cleaned of mechanical impurities and thoroughly dried. To speed up drying, you can blow it through one of the nozzles with compressed air under low pressure. The leak area is cleaned with abrasive paper. If there are lamellas nearby, they are carefully trimmed. Flux compound is applied to the soldering area and allowed to dry.

A powerful soldering iron or portable gas burner is used as a heat source . The electric soldering iron can be powered from the mains or from a battery. Solder is placed in the soldering area and heated with a flame so that it melts and flows into the crack or hole. If the molten solder does not wet the metal the first time and does not flow into the gap, you will need to re-clean the surface and apply flux.

What is the difficulty of soldering aluminum?

A layer consisting of oxides with a high melting point quickly appears on the surface of any aluminum part . This temperature is three times higher than that of the metal itself. Until this film is destroyed, there is no point in soldering aluminum parts.

To repair an aluminum radiator you will need:

• remove the oxide layer from the surface:
• increase solder fluidity;
• reduce the surface tension coefficient;
• prevent the re-occurrence of the oxide layer.

This is achieved by mechanical surface treatment and the use of specially selected flux compositions.

Materials and tools

To repair an aluminum heat exchanger, you will need:

• high power soldering iron (at least 100 watts);
• tin-lead (POS) or tin-bismuth (POSV) solder;
• rosin;
• fireproof melting container.

You will also need a wire brush, hand brush or drill attachment.

Repairing brass

Soldering a brass radiator is carried out in almost the same way as a copper one . The soldering area should be thoroughly cleaned and degreased. It will take longer to warm it up; for this it is convenient to use an industrial hair dryer. Before soldering, the repair area must be etched with soldering acid, applying it with a narrow brush. For working with brass, POS-40 solder is recommended, which has a higher melting point.

Products – Tekhmashholding – group of companies, official website

Brass is widely used in everyday life, and the question of how to solder brass is very important for some. Repairing many home appliances depends on what you use to solder the metal. This process is noticeably different from joining other metals. It has a number of specific features and causes certain difficulties. However, if certain conditions are met, then any person will be able to solder. Brass is widely used in everyday life, and when brass products break, the question arises of what to solder it with.

How to properly solder a copper radiator

An automobile cooling radiator is designed to lower the temperature of the coolant (antifreeze or antifreeze) circulating inside the engine. Its design usually consists of two tanks and honeycombs located between them, which are a system of thin tubes equipped with thin lamellas. Reducing the refrigerant temperature is achieved through natural or forced air blowing of the cells.

Despite its simple design, the radiator sometimes fails. Its main malfunction is a violation of tightness. In other words, it begins to leak. A coolant leak while the power unit is running threatens the latter with critical breakdowns due to overheating.

Replacing a radiator is not so much a troublesome task as it is an expensive one. And the bill here runs into thousands and even tens of thousands of rubles. In this article we will talk about whether it is possible to solder a cooling radiator with your own hands and what tools you will need for this.

Looking for a leak

A clear sign that the radiator is leaking is the presence of traces of coolant on the ground under the car, on the engine guard, or on the engine itself. Finding the location of the leak without dismantling the device is almost impossible. But before you remove it, you should make sure that the problem is in it, and not in the pipes or, for example, in the leaky plug of the upper tank. When this is done, you can safely drain the coolant and remove the radiator for diagnostics.

If a visual inspection of the device does not yield any results, check it by immersing it in water. To do this, take a container of a suitable size and fill it with water. Close all pipes with plugs and immerse the radiator in water. Now all that remains is to create air pressure in the device. This can be achieved by simply blowing into the filler neck of the upper tank or by coming up with another option with a compressor (pump). The escaping air bubbles will show you exactly where the damage is.

Soldering with brass: how and with what to solder brass correctly

Soldering brass, which allows you to obtain high-quality and reliable connections, is a technological process that involves the use of a gas torch, as well as special solder. The latter is wire, the material of which can be tin or an alloy of this metal with lead. If you thoroughly study the features of such a process, as well as prepare all the necessary equipment and consumables, then you can successfully perform it even at home.

Brazing process for brass parts

Conditions and scope of soldering

Before understanding the question of how to solder brass, you should thoroughly study all the features of such a technological process. When performing soldering, which is one of the methods for producing permanent connections, molten solder is introduced into the gap located between the parts being connected, which acts as a fastening element.

An important condition for soldering is that the solder, which is melted using a gas burner, must melt at a lower temperature than the material used to make the parts being joined. This technology (in some cases it is the only possible way to obtain a permanent connection) allows even dissimilar metals to be reliably soldered together.

Brass soldering diagram using a gas torch

It is completely wrong to compare soldering with a technological process such as welding, which assumes that not only the special solder wire will melt, but also the metal of the parts being connected.

It is precisely due to the fact that when performing soldering, the solder is exposed to the main temperature effect, the characteristics of the parts being connected and their integrity remain unchanged.

This feature allows this technique to be successfully used for joining metal parts that are even very small in size.

Meanwhile, it should be borne in mind that for soldering, softer materials are used as solder when compared with those used to form the weld. This leads to the fact that connections created by soldering are initially less strong and reliable than welded seams.

And in cases where brass is soldered, zinc evaporates from the solder during intense heating, which leads to porosity of the formed seam. Such metal porosity significantly impairs the quality and reliability of the connection. When soldering parts made of brass, their relative position is also of great importance.

It is better to connect such parts not end-to-end, but overlapping.

For soldering at home, you can get by with a manual gas torch with a 1.8 kW cylinder

Metal soldering as a technology that makes it possible to obtain permanent connections occupies one of the leading positions, second only to welding in popularity. This technology is practically indispensable in the electronics industry, where it is used to create electrically conductive connections between elements of various instruments and devices. It is with the help of soldering that wires are most often connected and extended, through which electric current will subsequently pass.

If we talk about the most common areas of application of soldering, then these include:

• formation of hermetic connections of pipes made of copper and its alloys, including brass (such pipes are used primarily for completing refrigeration and heat exchange units);
• fastening carbide inserts to the bearing part of the cutting tool;
• connection between parts that differ significantly in thickness.

The photo shows the result of soldering a brass tube and a jet. We used P14 fluxed solder and an imported pure propane burner.

Using soldering equipment and solder, they also perform a technological operation such as tinning, which allows you to create a reliable anti-corrosion coating on metal surfaces.

Depending on the type of solder used for soldering, it can be high or low temperature. The use of a more refractory material when soldering allows you to create connections that can be operated at higher temperatures.

However, this is associated with some difficulties, which are associated with the need to use special equipment that allows you to melt the solder.

The use of such an alloy, in particular, is quite problematic at home, where a conventional blowtorch is most often used for soldering.

Features of the technology

Both in industrial and at home conditions, one has to face the need to connect products made of brass by soldering. This is due to the fact that this alloy of copper and zinc is actively used for the production of elements of plumbing and heating systems, as well as many other products.

The correct choice of flux is of great importance for obtaining a high-quality and reliable connection of brass products using soldering. To successfully carry out this process, ordinary flux, which contains alcohol and rosin, is not suitable.

Due to the rather low activity of its constituent components, such a flux is not capable of dissolving the oxide film that is necessarily present on the surface of a brass product.

That is why for soldering brass products it is necessary to use a more active flux, which is often used as zinc chloride.

Composition and use of acidic active pluses

Quite popular fluxes that are used for soldering brass in salt baths are borax and potassium fluoroborate. Such fluxes, the amount of which in the bath solution, as a rule, does not exceed 5%, ensure good flow of molten solder into the gap between the parts being connected.

The correct choice of solder wire is another important task that must be solved in order to obtain a high-quality connection of brass parts. For soldering brass products that will later be used in a gas environment, you can use popular types of solders based on silver and phosphorus copper alloys. Such solders are also ideal for joining brass products containing a significant amount of copper.

Brands and applications of solders

Brass itself is often used as solder, but it is necessary to ensure that the melting temperature of the filler wire does not exceed the same parameter of the parts being connected. In cases where it is necessary to form a connection of increased reliability using soldering, hard solders are used, which, when compared with soft-type filler materials, have higher strength.

Particular attention should be paid to the selection of solder and the soldering technology itself in cases where dissimilar materials need to be soldered together.

It should be taken into account that such materials have different melting points and can also behave completely differently when heated.

In particular, when intensely heated, zinc begins to evaporate from brass, which negatively affects both the decorative and strength characteristics of the joint being formed (it acquires a porous structure).

You can use a bucket of small pebbles as a fireproof substrate.

Certain technological methods allow one to avoid active evaporation of zinc from brass that is heated during soldering.

The most effective of these techniques is the use of flux, which will perform a protective function, preventing the evaporation of zinc from the brass structure.

The use of combined solder for soldering, which includes not only filler material, but also flux, is another effective way to avoid the evaporation of zinc from brass.

By choosing the right solder and soldering technology, you can even connect parts made of such a complex material as stainless steel at home. It should be borne in mind that brass solder is not suitable for soldering stainless steel parts; completely different materials are intended for this.

Brief instructions

In order to perform high-quality brass soldering at home, it is not enough to simply study the theoretical basis; it is also advisable to watch a video on this topic.

The need to independently carry out such a process often arises, because almost every home has brass products that are not insured against breakdowns.

Considering the fact that the services of qualified specialists are not cheap, it makes sense to study this process using both the recommendations presented below and videos that are easy to find on the Internet.

Of course, parts should be cleaned before soldering.

So, the algorithm for soldering brass is as follows.

• A thoroughly cleaned area of ​​the future connection must be treated with a flux containing borax and boric acid (1:1) mixed with water.
• After this, the treated joint should be sprinkled with solder shavings.
• Then you can begin heating the seam being formed using a gas burner or blowtorch. Care should be taken not to overheat the parts, which could lead to their deformation.
• After the solder melts under the influence of the flame of a gas burner, it will fill the gap between the parts, ensuring their reliable connection.

Thus, soldering brass is not so difficult; the main thing is to choose the right consumables and strictly follow the above recommendations.

Source: http://met-all.org/cvetmet-splavy/latun/pajka-latuni-pripoj-provoloka.html

How to solder a copper stove radiator

Radiators for dissipating coolant heat used in cars are one of the weak points in the engine, since they are made of thin sheet material to ensure high heat transfer efficiency. Under the influence of aggressive environments and vibration, they often begin to leak in various places. In addition, they are located in the front part under the decorative grille and in the event of collisions or stones they break through first.

The weakest point in the engine is the radiator

Therefore, radiator repair is a fairly popular service in car workshops. Restoring a radiator basically involves sealing holes and cracks in its jacket and pipes. If you have skills in metal soldering, you can restore the radiator yourself at home or in the garage.

How to solder a radiator at home

Restoring a car radiator includes several stages:

1. Draining the antifreeze, removing the radiator from the car and preparing it for soldering.
2. Preparation of necessary tools, materials and devices.
3. Soldering defective areas.
4. Checking the quality of repairs and installing the radiator on the car.

To perform high-quality soldering, it is necessary to remove the radiator from the machine, since this will make all defective areas accessible and ensure uniform filling of them with molten solder. To reveal all the cracks on it, you need to cover the holes with plastic film and lower it into a bath of water. If there are cracks, a bubble trail will appear above them, indicating the exact location of the defective areas.

lesson on how to solder a VAZ 2101 radiator

Having marked these places, you should wash the radiator from dirt and clean the areas of cracks and damage to a metallic shine using an iron brush, sandpaper and a small needle file.

This work must be carried out with special care, since the quality of adhesion of the solder to the metal and the result of the entire restoration depend on it. To reach the cracks under the ribs of the shirt, you can use thin flat and semicircular files.

After thorough cleaning, damaged areas should be treated with acetone or alcohol to degrease them.

Now you can proceed directly to the soldering process. For soldering to be fruitful and effective, you need to choose the right materials and tools for the job.

Depending on what the radiator is made of, you may need:

• electric soldering iron with a power of 100-150W;
• gas-burner;
• tin-lead solder;
• flux;
• solution of rosin in alcohol.

How to solder a copper radiator

POS-60 solder is perfect for soldering a copper radiator

A radiator made of copper is easy to solder and POS-60 brand solder, which has a low melting point, is suitable for it. If the radiator is brass, then you can use the more refractory POS-40 solder, but you should warm up the soldering area longer in order to achieve good soldering quality and efficiency. Before applying solder to the damaged surface, warm the area well with a gas burner, and then apply a layer of liquid rosin.

Next, without allowing the radiator to cool, you need to quickly apply pieces of solder and spread them evenly over the entire cleaned area of ​​the damaged area using a heated soldering iron. Rosin will promote good tinning and adhesion of solder to the copper surface of the radiator. A good result is also achieved when using a special flux ZIL-2 instead of rosin.

How to solder an aluminum radiator

The property of aluminum to instantly oxidize in air complicates the soldering process of such radiators.

Bismuth solder should be used when soldering aluminum radiators

To seal cracks in aluminum radiators, you will need bismuth solder POSV-33 or POSV-50 and a specially prepared powder in the following composition:

• potassium chloride - 56%;
• lithium chloride - 23%;
• cryolite - 10%;
• table salt (sodium chloride) - 7%;
• sodium sulfate - 4%.

Before use, the powder mixture should be melted in a crucible and applied to a heated and grease-free area of ​​the damaged radiator surface. After this, pieces of solder are applied, which are melted and distributed over the surface with a hot soldering iron. A layer of molten powder mixture prevents the aluminum from oxidizing and tinning of the surface with solder occurs.

The quality of soldering can be tested after the radiator has cooled by filling it with water and checking for leaks. If the test result is positive, then you can install the radiator on the engine. In cases where the plastic pipe or side of the radiator is damaged, restoration is carried out by gluing them together using cold welding or epoxy glue.

Let me make a reservation right away: we are talking about a copper radiator. There was no talk about buying a new one, since now they only sell aluminum ones, but I wanted to stay with the copper one. But everything is in order.

So, greetings. I've been wanting to get in and look at the stove for a long time. The main reason was that the dampers were not working correctly. In the summer, the stove had to be turned off with a tap. And in winter, there was not really hot air in all positions. There were also suspicions about the radiator - the glass was slightly fogged from the inside.

We remove the stove. Four hairpins from the interior. Two lambs from under the hood. We also disconnect the rods from the levers to the stove. the rod shell fasteners (metal bracket) to the side from/from the stove body. We disconnect the wiring from the temperature sensor and the motor, disconnect and turn off the pipes. All. Can be removed.

Source: https://kalina-2.ru/remont-vaz/kak-zapajat-mednyj-radiator-pechki