fridge repair

[delzep]

would Sugru work as a patch?

[Garry]

I drilled a hole in aluminium pipe . Does anyone know a welder for aluminium.

There are plenty of good welders around who repair alloy wheels. The potholes keep the busy. Ask at your local motor factors and I'm sure you'll find someone? Good luck.

[brenmurph]

I drilled a hole in aluminium pipe . Does anyone know a welder for aluminium.

can u not get at the pipe to replace a section with compression fitting and olives ( cost 2 euros)?

[DEMPSEY]

apparently you cannot use a compression fitting on these aluminium pipes too soft. On to the manufactures of the fridge ATM.

[brenmurph]

ok can accept that, ive a camper fridge that got broke ( not by drilling but during a refit) and it was a 6 mm steel pipe.

Trying to understand how light alu can be welded? it melts at seriously low temp?

[johnrm]

I recall seeing some super dee dooper aluminum welding stuff at a motorcycle show.
Maybe a post on biker.ie might illicit a response.

[Shane Phelan]

Test in progress for fridge repair. I will pressurise the keg in the morning once the Sugru has cured and see what PSI it can take.

[DEMPSEY]

Thanks Shiny,you know in the interest of science you need to keep building the pressure up until it fails so as to gett a true result

[Shane Phelan]

Its up to 20 PSI and holding this morning. I wasn't able to turn the regulator higher without getting a wrench. So I will go a little bit higher later, as it gets higher I'm getting more and more reluctant to blow it off.

So far it looks like it will do what you are hoping it to do as long as the fluid flowing underneath doesn't eat away at it?

[DEMPSEY]

Posted on the Sugru site about using it and they said no . Here is a picture of the exposed area.

[johnrm]

Heres the lad...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiThO-UQIWE

[Garry]

That's nasty. On the bend too! It's going to be very difficult to weld without doing damage to the surrounding area.

How about building it up with JB weld? That stuff sets very hard, I'd imagine it would be as strong the aluminium?

Maybe test it out on an off-cut of copper or something first?

[brenmurph]

is that a flattened aluminium pipe?

What size is the hole ( drill bit size)

Can it be rounded back into a round pipe carefuly with a pliers?

[johnrm]

So no-one looked at alutight then?
The youtube post above?

[DEMPSEY]

So no-one looked at alutight then?
The youtube post above?

I have can this be got here in Ireland,do you know anyone who has used it.

Brendan yes the pipe is slightly flattened as per all these pipes in fridges. The hole is 3mm.