Frequently Asked Questions About Domestic Refrigerator Repair:
How were holes in aluminum components patched, one tech to another?
Hi. Here in Australia we are ruled by legions of pettifogging bureaucrats who have decided that we are all as thick headed as they and so they have legislated that refrigerators can only be serviced and repaired by licensed technicians who can then charge ridiculous prices for their services. To circumvent this I have resorted to recharging domestic fridges with L P G (butane) gas with great success. The problem I now have is with the repair of aluminum evaporators (iceboxes),I have tried welding them with only partial success as in some cases oil is present in the galleries which interferes with the weld process. Is there some non welding process I can use such as epoxy resin which I have already tried but it doesn’t work. Looking forward to your reply, Yours etc.
Great balls of fire, what if the system ever leaks? I suppose 4 to 8 ounces isn't going to cause too much of a problem, but if it happens inside the cabinet overnight and the cold control causes a spark!
Anyway, we can't patch evaporators in Canada anymore for the same reasons. When we could, I used to use a product called "heat stick" with some success. I'm pretty sure all it was, was Teflon. They sold it in crayon sized sticks but no more.
But Teflon is Teflon. I suppose there would be other sources such as plastic supply wholesalers or whatever.
Aluminum melts at about 1200F and Teflon around 600F so you have to be careful not to go right through. Start with a very clean surface around the hole. It helps if the low side is open so pressures don't build up. Sometimes a bit of vacuum is helpful too. Clean first with sandpaper then isopropyl alcohol. Oil is the enemy. Your patches should end up quite thick and smooth.
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