Thinking about getting house ac unit replaced and using current hvac for my garage/shop. I know nitrogen is typically used in hvac for brazing copper line sets and for pressure testing. Can i use my argon/co2 mig mix for the same?

Could i use helium also purchased from wal mart that is used for ballons? I actually read helium is even better for leak checks.Because the molecules are smaller.
I guess my only concern are if these gasses are "dry" enough.

On Fri, 17 Jul 2015 04:00:13 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

Thinking about getting house ac unit replaced and using current hvac for my garage/shop. I know nitrogen is typically used in hvac for brazing copper line sets and for pressure testing. Can i use my argon/co2 mig mix for the same?

Yes. CO2 alone also works. I still do a little HVAC work on the
side. I have a paint gun CO2 tank rigged up with an adapter to
ultimately go to the standard 1/4" flare connection used for HVAC.

Initially I was a bit concerned that the copper might reduce the CO2
to copper oxide and CO or even elemental C but that's not the case. I
did quite a bit of testing before I adapted CO2 as my standard purge
gas.


Could i use helium also purchased from wal mart that is used for ballons? I actually read helium is even better for leak checks.Because the molecules are smaller.

That stuff is only about 50% helium - the balance being air. Just
enough He to float a balloon.

I also make neon (as in signs and art) on the side. I use the party
He as a purge gas for some situations before filling a tube with Ne or
Ar/Hg. I run the gas through a homemade purifier (induction heated
magnesium granules) which strips out all the oxygen and almost all the
nitrogen. What remains doesn't matter for this application.

John

I guess my only concern are if these gasses are "dry" enough.
John DeArmond
http://www.neon-john.com
http://www.fluxeon.com
Tellico Plains, Occupied TN
See website for email address

On Fri, 17 Jul 2015 04:00:13 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

Thinking about getting house ac unit replaced and using current hvac for my garage/shop. I know nitrogen is typically used in hvac for brazing copper line sets and for pressure testing. Can i use my argon/co2 mig mix for the same?

Could i use helium also purchased from wal mart that is used for ballons? I actually read helium is even better for leak checks.Because the molecules are smaller.
I guess my only concern are if these gasses are "dry" enough.
Helium has more than doubled in price over the last year or so.
Your welding mix will work fine for pressure testing/purging.