Another Day in the Life of an HVAC Tech: Episode 20

[@lordjaashin]

thanks for making another great video. area where i live has high sulphur pollution and it attacks any phosphorus fluxed braze joint. after watching your excellent video about "brazing vs solder" I've used staybrite 8 and 56% silver solder on R410a system. they've worked beautifully and is still going strong against sulphur corrosion. i know many "know it all" HVAC technicians frown upon silver solder but in my case it worked really great. keep making awesome and informative videos like this in the future.

[@Halligan142]

Interesting. Never knew that was an issue. Only thing I've seen close to that around here is on ground level condensing units and it's from dogs pissing on the units.

[@popsmccartney435]

Thanks for the video/ Used Stay Brite 8 for years, retired now.

[@reginahall4500]

I agree, I have been using stay brite for 40 years, we used it in the Navy too. it's all about the quality of the installation. we have a 20 year old ac system, 50 ton developing leaks at brazed joints (1 3/8") we do braze at 1 1/8" and up due to the fittings are usually too loose, we have replaced 25 year old systems that we installed and were still running with original compressors. The proof is in experience. Most engineers and manufacturers engineers have never been in the field or held a torch. Yesterday we repaired a cracked 3/8 factory turn due to annealing, we have 2 Lennox units 10 ton compressors with spilt 1/2" lines at the discharge - wonder why? Brazing is not the end all, it's mostly for lazy techs. Most don't purge or clean the fittings, but the rest of us are supposed to follow there lead? Its' also laziness on the manufacturers part because they don't any field research. still living in the 1950's.

[@Halligan142]

Yeah most people who have badmouthed it or given me grief about using Stay Brite have never actually used it themselves. The most common argument I hear is the joints will not hold up in a building fire. While yes that may be true, all the new crimp style fittings use an O-ring to seal. Those won't hold up in a fire either. Those Lennox units are notorious for cracking right at the compressor discharge 90. It goes from 3/8 into 1/2, but it's inserted into the tube instead of a normal fitting that goes around the outside. Makes that section weak and that discharge line is completely unsupported. Vibration work hardens it. The older LGA units were also notorious for the discharge lines rubbing out against the vertical wall where the tubing goes up to go across the blower section. We remove the factory clamps and add a piece of armorflex then clamp on the outside of the armorflex. Prevents that issue.

[@ccthepope]

Great video!

[@GlenS123]

Nothing wrong with Stay-Brite #8, if tech's were to take the time to read the spec's they would agree with you.

[@Halligan142]

Did a whole video on it where I pulled the actual product specs and I still got crap. The most logical argument I've gotten is it melting during a fire, but zoomlock fittings have a rubber o-ring to seal and those zoomlock shark bite style things use a plastic insert. Those will melt too.

[@OnePointLander]

Have you ever had a problem with flux/acid in the system years later?

[@Halligan142]

Never had an issue if you use the correct amount and put it only on the tubing and not in the fitting. I did a video a while back where I soft soldered and brazed joints and cut them apart to see the inside. No flux intrusion. You can skim to those parts in this vid. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rXunaGRoeadpiZI

[@OnePointLander]

@@Halligan142 Thanks! Yeap seen that video a few times hah. I do the same thing, male end and lightly apply. Just curious since you have done so many. Thanks for the upload!

[@AndrewPrice2704]

What is the green spot on the sight glass for? :)

[@Halligan142]

Moisture indicator. Green = dry yellow= moisture present. Alco brand is purple and pink. Intense heat like overheating during brazing will also make it permanently yellow so as can age when exposed to sunlight so it's not a 100% accurate system.