Brazing Aluminum

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chimpvalet
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Brazing Aluminum

Post by chimpvalet »

Hello,

Building a custom A/C system and need to fabricate hose connections from OEM fitting sections joined to aftermarket adapters in aluminum. The wall thickness on the pieces is quite thin so rather than TIG I wonder if better to braze? Anyone advise on method or material?

Thanks
Steve
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Re: Brazing Aluminum

Post by Nefario »

In a past life I worked at the Volkswagen of America HVAC factory in Fort Worth which now may be Valeo. They assembled aluminum tube assemblies by dunking them in vats of molten metal and "ultrasonic soldering", so with the right cleaning and solder or braze material - yes.
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chimpvalet
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Re: Brazing Aluminum

Post by chimpvalet »

Took my collection of hoses out to a nearby pro today, got schooled on some vital points. The barbed fittings I'd had TIG'd by a familiar fabricator were dismissed as unsuitable for the purpose, predicted to leak like sieves where gas containment is concerned. He cut and reworked them via torch and rod, referring to this as aluminum welding but looking like brazing to me. Temperature of the 2 pieces and rod apparently are more critical than with steel. FWIW.
stealth
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Re: Brazing Aluminum

Post by stealth »

chimpvalet wrote: Thu Mar 11, 2021 11:04 pm Took my collection of hoses out to a nearby pro today, got schooled on some vital points. The barbed fittings I'd had TIG'd by a familiar fabricator were dismissed as unsuitable for the purpose, predicted to leak like sieves where gas containment is concerned. He cut and reworked them via torch and rod, referring to this as aluminum welding but looking like brazing to me. Temperature of the 2 pieces and rod apparently are more critical than with steel. FWIW.
Don’t tell this to Air Products & Chemicals. They tig weld thousands of fittings for aerospace, nuclear reactors, and thousands of other high end applications.....
chimpvalet
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Re: Brazing Aluminum

Post by chimpvalet »

Fair point, thanks.
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