Servicing the Sawafuji Compressor in an Engel Cooler

[OzePete]

Originally Posted by Richard Kollmann

Messing with capillary tube and filter/dryer can be a painful experience especially when it is not required.

You may have overlooked it but the OP mentioned a gas leak at the capillary / dryer connection (Post 5)

The best way to repair that is fit a new dryer and reconnect with a fresh end of the capillary. Welding up a cracked capillary is not going to work.

Unless that is repaired for starters he may as well scrap the entire fridge!

Cheers OzePete

[Richard Kollmann]

Not everyone is aware of the extended cap tube inside filter allowing resealing of a cracked joint weld without major replacement risks. It is always better to give advice with low risk to DIY boaters. I always try to avoid silly opinions and follow up with mutable tests to confirm good results. And yes if Addison follows my advice in my post #6 and test results are not good I will recommend the next repair phase if needed.

[sfnz]

Originally Posted by ajchan

I think I'm going to try and fix the leak and then pull a vacuum before recharging. If a drier is required it will become obvious down the road but for now the priority is to prove that the unit is not 100% dead.

Right now I'm trying to figure out how to shield the compressor from the heat of brazing. There is a piece of foam that is less than 2" away from where I have to install the servce valve.

Frankly I'm a little intimidated by the fine tube coming out of the filter drier.

Thanks All

Addison

not sure where in the world you are but down here in NZ/AUS we have a product from james hardie called cement fibre board...also goes by the name of Fibrolite, back in the good old days it had asbestos in it and exploded when heated late 70's ish they removed the asbestos and with it the exploding bit and it now it makes an excellent heat shield, cheap and can be nibbled away at with pliers to fit most places 6mm(1/4") I found the handiest size to use and if its really sensitive close stuff you're welding close to pop a wet rag behind the fibro and as for the capillary/ drier weld, make sure you have plenty of the tube inside the drier before you weld so it cant wick back inside and don't "over weld" and a nitrogen purge is pretty essential

[ajchan]

Thanks OzPete. I just looked at the fine print in your pic. You suggest regular solder as opposed to brazing. If this is sufficient why is brazing neccessary elsewhere? The spaces are really tiny so the less heat the better but I don't want to take a short cut that bites later.

Addison

[ajchan]

Thanks SFNZ

Great idea. I have a chunk left over from a kitchen remodel and I would never have thought of this without your suggestion. I had planned on using a wet rag and a small piece of tile but the Hardie board is so much easier to shape.

Addison

[OzePete]

Originally Posted by ajchan

Thanks OzPete. I just looked at the fine print in your pic. You suggest regular solder as opposed to brazing. If this is sufficient why is brazing neccessary elsewhere? The spaces are really tiny so the less heat the better but I don't want to take a short cut that bites later.

Addison

Brazing is best with pros-copper rod say 5% silver, but if you can't braze then soft solder on a SWAGED joint for a service valve is quite satisfactory.

Cheers OzePete Ozefridge | 12 Volt Refrigeration Systems

[ajchan]

Thanks.

[Pilbara Mike]

Turn the fridge upside down overnight, the right side up and let it sit a couple hours and fire it up