# Air Conditionor repair... **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Off Topic\ **Created:** [July 7, 2013, 8:39am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/air-conditionor-repair/231622 "2013-07-07T08:39:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/51bf81/32.png) [@Hass](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Hass)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 8:39am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/air-conditionor-repair/231622/1 "2013-07-07T08:39:09Z")
Long story short… My window AC now has a hole in one of the coils on the radiator. I’m not good with the terminology here. The copper lines that run in/out of the radiator. It’s perhaps 3/16 big on the outside of a U. Any quick fixes? Window unit is only ~3 years old… 6400 BTU GE unit. Does its job wonderfully. Cooling the room with computers 😉 Any goop I can put on it? The unit is under pressure obviously so I doubt some JB weld will hold it up. Can I just fill the hole in with TIG? I can LPT it afterwards to make sure there’s no leaks. The \*\*\*\* that was inside of it would make for a PITA weld though. Or perhaps just bend a new tube? Oh boy. Solder? ---
**Author:** ![Spam16v](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/spam16v/32/5287_2.png) [@Spam16v](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Spam16v)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 8:46am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/air-conditionor-repair/231622/2 "2013-07-07T08:46:25Z")
throw it away and buy a new one. ---
**Author:** ![Hass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/51bf81/32.png) [@Hass](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Hass)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 8:51am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/air-conditionor-repair/231622/3 "2013-07-07T08:51:52Z")
Thought about it. But then I thought about the other things I could do with $120. I think I might just go ahead and solder it… Then I have to refill it as well. 😑 ---
**Author:** ![Spam16v](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/spam16v/32/5287_2.png) [@Spam16v](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Spam16v)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 8:57am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/air-conditionor-repair/231622/4 "2013-07-07T08:57:29Z")
> [@Hass](#): > > Thought about it. But then I thought about the other things I could do with $120. > > I think I might just go ahead and solder it… Then I have to refill it as well. 😑 then you’ll find out $120 is cheaper ---
**Author:** ![Wahoo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/wahoo/32/8265_2.png) [@Wahoo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Wahoo)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 8:59am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/air-conditionor-repair/231622/5 "2013-07-07T08:59:43Z")
I might be able to fix it, it’s hard to fix coils but I can probably try to braze it to seal it. ---
**Author:** ![Hass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/51bf81/32.png) [@Hass](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Hass)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 8:59am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/air-conditionor-repair/231622/6 "2013-07-07T08:59:43Z")
> [@Spam16v](#): > > then you’ll find out $120 is cheaper Well summer only has like 2-3 more months to go… Maybe I won’t need one. 😑 > [@Wahoo](#): > > I might be able to fix it, it’s hard to fix coils but I can probably try to braze it to seal it. May not be able to recharge it, so it might be for nothing anyway. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Wahoo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/wahoo/32/8265_2.png) [@Wahoo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Wahoo)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 9:01am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/air-conditionor-repair/231622/7 "2013-07-07T09:01:03Z")
If you know how to weld maybe you can brave it yourself, you can snip/cut away the aluminum fins to have access to the hole that needs fixig. ---
**Author:** ![Hass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/51bf81/32.png) [@Hass](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Hass)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 9:07am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/air-conditionor-repair/231622/8 "2013-07-07T09:07:32Z")
[http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-6-000-BTU-115-Volt-Window-Air-Conditioner-with-Remote-AEL06LQ/203188066#specifications](http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-6-000-BTU-115-Volt-Window-Air-Conditioner-with-Remote-AEL06LQ/203188066#specifications) > [@Wahoo](#): > > If you know how to weld maybe you can brave it yourself, you can snip/cut away the aluminum fins to have access to the hole that needs fixig. It’s on the side of the radiator, the part where the coil loops back in the the radiator on the U bend. ---
**Author:** ![Wahoo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/wahoo/32/8265_2.png) [@Wahoo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Wahoo)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 11:43am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/air-conditionor-repair/231622/9 "2013-07-07T11:43:35Z")
Well it’s do able but the problem is there probably isn’t any service ports to evacuate and charge the unit, so in order to fix the hole you’d have to recover the refrigerant and then repair, leak check, vacuum, and charge the system. I can do all this but I’d need to check my van for service ports i could braze in. ---
**Author:** ![Beck](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/beck/32/28683_2.png) [@Beck](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Beck)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 12:33pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/air-conditionor-repair/231622/10 "2013-07-07T12:33:44Z")
Sounds like it’s worthwhile to just buy a new one. You say summer is only 2-3 more months, but won’t you need a unit next summer? There are few things you don’t bother fixing in life, but rather just buy a new one… - Televisions - Cell Phones - Air Conditioners - Cameras - Laptops -Toasters - Irons ---
**Author:** ![ProgRocker](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/progrocker/32/5434_2.png) [@ProgRocker](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ProgRocker)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 1:41pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/air-conditionor-repair/231622/11 "2013-07-07T13:41:09Z")
yeah if it was a central air unit, I’d say give it a shot, a small 6400 BTU unit like that is easily replaceable. If you can go without, you can pick one up in the fall fairly cheap. ---
**Author:** ![Spam16v](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/spam16v/32/5287_2.png) [@Spam16v](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Spam16v)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 1:48pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/air-conditionor-repair/231622/12 "2013-07-07T13:48:58Z")
That and there aren’t any service ports on these disposable piles makes it even less cost effective to repair. ---
**Author:** ![travisn](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/travisn/32/5046_2.png) [@travisn](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/travisn)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 2:07pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/air-conditionor-repair/231622/13 "2013-07-07T14:07:19Z")
> [@Beck](#): > > Sounds like it’s worthwhile to just buy a new one. You say summer is only 2-3 more months, but won’t you need a unit next summer? > > There are few things you don’t bother fixing in life, but rather just buy a new one… > > - _Cell Phones_ I definitely fix my own cell phones, sort of. I’ve been using a verizon lg8350 for 5-6 years. Keep buying them on ebay and parting them out when various pieces break to make good ones. Yea, still doing the flip phone thing. ---
**Author:** ![Hass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/51bf81/32.png) [@Hass](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Hass)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 3:55pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/air-conditionor-repair/231622/14 "2013-07-07T15:55:22Z")
> [@Wahoo](#): > > Well it’s do able but the problem is there probably isn’t any service ports to evacuate and charge the unit, so in order to fix the hole you’d have to recover the refrigerant and then repair, leak check, vacuum, and charge the system. > > I can do all this but I’d need to check my van for service ports i could braze in. The refrigerant was all over my arm, and is probably soaked through my skin by now so the refrigerant is probably not able to be recovered. and no, there’s no service ports ;\ After I started thinking about how to repair it I checked and nada. If you’re serious about being able to do it and wanting to, I’ll bring it wherever if it costs less than a new one 😉 I don’t know how much work is involved for you to do it. I know for me to do it, it wouldn’t be worth it. If you’d like I can take a picture if it’s helpful… But nobody is allowed to laugh. > [@Beck](#): > > Sounds like it’s worthwhile to just buy a new one. You say summer is only 2-3 more months, but won’t you need a unit next summer? Most likely, but that’s a year away. A lot can happen before next summer. I’d feel pretty dumb if something happens like one of those nuclear winters. I’m pretty sure I’d wish I didn’t buy it in that scenario. > [@Beck](#): > > There are few things you don’t bother fixing in life, but rather just buy a new one… > > - Televisions > - Cell Phones > - Air Conditioners > - Cameras > - Laptops > -Toasters > - Irons I just repaired my monitor the other day 🙂 It had a few bad caps in it, so I spent 30-45 mins total taking it apart, matching up caps to new ones, ordering, getting the mail, removing and soldering in the new ones, and putting it back together. Kept me from having to replace a 22" Monitor. Granted, I did buy it during the Great Capacitor Plague, and it is from Taiwan. It was only a matter of time I guess. But for $3 in parts and less than an hour of time it was worth it. I used to repair cameras as a source of employment, so obviously I’d do that one 🙂 But I don’t have any… Cellphones \> Camera for the normal person these days. One less thing you’ve got to carry.