pipe freezer

[malc]

hello,anyone any experience or advice on pipe freezing equipment please.

 

[Bernie2]

Hmm!

Had a few goes with this stuff. Don't rely on small bottles of CO2 make sure you have got a good sized full cylinder. Make sure the pipe cuff's are the right size and fit properly. Make sure there is no movement in the water inside the pipe. Make sure the water is cool as convection currents within warm water can stop it freezing.
Oh! Aye! Here are some more. Don't rely on the time it tells you it should take to freeze a pipe, its often wrong. Plastic pipe takes longer to freeze than iron or copper. Make sure you leave room for the ice plug and it doesn't expand to blow the pipe.

Don't take it for granted that when the frost forms on the outside of the pipe its frozen. Try and arrange it so that you can test the down stream flow has stopped.

And don't touch the frost, watch out for frost burns. Read all instructions thoroughly, it may seem none dangerous to freeze pipes but it can be. And by the way I've had pipes defrost in a few minutes not he half hour they tell you. And what a mess it makes. But then I have also had them go as sweet as a nut!
It depends, just take your time.


There are loads of tricks with freezing, I've forgotten a lot of them, I'll try and post a few later.

 

[stevetheplumber]

electric freezers are great never had any problems with themeven up to two inch barrel
ive found the disposable ones oknon small stuff where you can open something to prove its worked fine just to get a valve on or fit a cap its the larger co2 bottles weve had troubles with so id go electric if the job warrants it or disposable for quick small works
ive changed a six inch valve on a working heating system with the pipe frozen with liquid nitrogen but this was applied by a specialist company

 

[migoplumber]

follow steves advice, hire from your local shop an electric one, i did 1 1/2 steel, biggest problem was waiting for the thing to defrost!!
best 60 quid ive spent

shaun

 

[Mike Jackson]

I used to have the distillers Co2 setup. Worked fine but you had to sit over the job topping up the freeze jackets. Switched to an arctic electric kit and that's a lot better. Stick the freeze heads on and shoot off, have a cuppa, pick up materials and get back to a frozen pipe. The freeze took longer than the Co2 but the job was quicker because you could leave it to it.

Mike

 

[HTB]

I've got an electric one but I think it needs re-gassing, on a hot day it just doesn't work.

(And to be fair on 15 and 22 copper the small disposable cans and jacket are much quicker).

Anyone know where I can get it re-gassed??

 

[Alanka]

There is a new type of pipe freezer now available which I've just ordered and expect to have in a few days -- the 'Plumbfreeze FZ400'. It is totally electronic -- no gas, no refrigerant, no compressor. It uses a thermoelectric effect (the Peltier effect) where an electric current causes cooling (indefinitely) at special junctions situated in the clip-on freezer heads. When you want to thaw the pipework you flick a switch to reverse the current, which rapidly heats up the heads and melts the iceplug!

The principle is not new and has been used for years in small mobile refrigerators and cool boxes, and to control the temperature of electronic equipment, but it's the first time I've seen it applied to a plumbing pipe freezer.

I've had the traditional electric freezers, but have found them exceedingly ***bersome and prone to need regassing quite often, and at great expense (£50 a throw, plus transportation). I currently use the gas canister and foam jacket method, which is pretty good but sometimes thaws out rather quickly and catches you out!

I'm hoping this new type will solve all the problems. In any case I'll report to this forum when I've given it a good try.

 

[flat pack]

Hi ive shut down the plantroom on a block of flats
when heating was on
did the biz
20 min new valve connect on steel pipework


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[emergencyman]

There is a new type of pipe freezer now available which I've just ordered and expect to have in a few days -- the 'Plumbfreeze FZ400'. It is totally electronic -- no gas, no refrigerant, no compressor. It uses a thermoelectric effect (the Peltier effect) where an electric current causes cooling (indefinitely) at special junctions situated in the clip-on freezer heads. When you want to thaw the pipework you flick a switch to reverse the current, which rapidly heats up the heads and melts the iceplug!

The principle is not new and has been used for years in small mobile refrigerators and cool boxes, and to control the temperature of electronic equipment, but it's the first time I've seen it applied to a plumbing pipe freezer.

I've had the traditional electric freezers, but have found them exceedingly ***bersome and prone to need regassing quite often, and at great expense (£50 a throw, plus transportation). I currently use the gas canister and foam jacket method, which is pretty good but sometimes thaws out rather quickly and catches you out!

I'm hoping this new type will solve all the problems. In any case I'll report to this forum when I've given it a good try.

Any news yet? Im thinking of buying one. I have just looked at the website and it looks a great piece of kit, think I want one. How much did you pay?

 

[bcp]

for Alanka. I also had a look at the Plumbfreeze website but couldn't find any info on price or how to order. I emailed a coule of days ago but had no reply.. Can you tell us how did you get one and what was the cost?