Is it possible to solder the aluminum tubing shut?
It can be soldered fairly easily. You'll need silver solder, a torch capable of melting it and the appropriate flux. A standard propane torch has a hard time melting silver solder.
silver solder aluminum tubing ?
Won't happen.
The aluminum tubing will melt away before silver solder does....
silver solders come in numerous different
alloys, each with it's specific purpose, and specific melting temperatures,
which can vary anywhere from around 1200*F to over 1800*F, depending on the
composition of the alloy.
A number of solder materials, primarily
zinc alloys, are used for soldering aluminium metal and alloys and to some lesser extent steel and zinc. This mechanical soldering is similar to a low temperature brazing operation, in that the mechanical characteristics of the joint are reasonably good and it can be used for structural repairs of those materials.
The
American welding society defines brazing as using filler metals with melting points over 450 °C (842 °F) — or, by the traditional definition in the United States, above 800 °F (427 °C). Aluminium soldering alloys generally have melting temperatures around 730 °F (388 °C).
[11] This soldering / brazing operation can use a propane torch heat source.
[12]
These materials are often advertised as "aluminium welding", but the process does not involve melting the base metal, and therefore is not properly a weld.
United States Military Standard or MIL-SPEC specification MIL-R-4208 defines one standard for these zinc-based brazing/soldering alloys.
[13] A number of products meet this specification.
[12][14][15] or very similar performance standards.
[11]
If it were mine ,,,, and the hole was small... say 1/8" or smaller.....I would scuff the aluminum tubing with some sand cloth,, mix up some J/B weld and fill plug the leak with that.... do it in 2-3 layers smoothing it out as much as possible...let it set for a day... cut a small piece of heater hose for a patch...put it over the J/B welded hole...put a hose clamp on it and call it a day..
We repair tons of aluminum evaporators in grocery stores that get holes in them exactly the same way....and it works perfect. Believe me,,,we have tried every magic solder under the sun to make aluminum coil repairs...most of them fail miserably.......
