How to Silver-Solder Refrigeration Tubing
- 1). Clean the outside of the copper tubing solvent and emery cloth where you will make the connections. Use the wire brush to clean the inside of the fittings.
- 2). Smooth the ends of the fittings, using the de-burring tool. Clean off all copper shavings and dust. Small pieces of copper in the refrigerant can damage your system.
- 3). Coat the outside of the tubing and the inside of the connector with flux. Do not use an acid flux because the acid could eventually end up in the crankcase of the refrigeration system. Use the flux sparingly.
- 4). Set up your torch for a flame of about 1 1/2 inches.
- 5). Heat the outside of the connector with the torch until it is hot enough to melt the solder. The inner flame of your torch will be blue to start, but will turn green when the copper is hot enough to melt the solder.
- 6). Melt the solder onto the joint by touching it to the edges of the connector. The solder will "sweat" into it by capillary action. If it does not, the joint is not hot enough yet. Don't try to melt the solder with the torch. Just keep heating the joint and touching the solder to the copper.
- 7). Sweat solder into the joint until it starts to run off. Then wipe it quickly with a wet rag, to both cool it and clear off excess solder to leave a neat and shiny joint.
