Dan O. -- Friday, 19 July 2002, at 1:29 p.m.
: I recently poked a hole thru one condensor line
: in my new GE Window unit. I have torn the
: unit apart and no other damage is present.
: Can this hole be soldered? It maybe to large
: for just soldering I am looking for
: suggestions.
Depending on exactly where the hole is, it may be able to be braised then recharged by a licienced technician. Otherwise the effected part would have to be replaced. Hopefully it was not left running in that condition for long or it may have damaged the compressor or sucked in moisture which will effect the compressor eventually.
From our Appliance411 'Home Service' section's "Helpful Tips":
Do not drill holes to remove excess moisture from inside the unit. The water that accumulates in the bottom is the humidity removed from your room. On many models, the condenser fan blade picks up this water and throws it on the hot condenser. When it evaporates it aids in the heat removal from the refrigerant. In addition, the refrigerant gas travels in thin copper tubing easily punctured. Expensive repairs will be required to fix it and that damage will not be covered by any warranty.
Do not attempt to use regular plumbing solder to repair copper or steel refrigerant lines. This requires special silver-alloy solders such as Silfoss or silver solder to withstand refrigerant pressures. In addition, once tried, it may not be possible to remove the household solder to weld the lines properly.
Dan O.
