Discuss pipe freezer in the Plumbing Jobs | The Job-board area at PlumbersForums.net
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.
theres on laying in my garage if you want to try it used twice failed both times and relegated to the pile of bits ill never useI was also looking at Rothenberger-6.5030 6.35kg liquid withdrawal type gas. Seemed like a good compromise at around £280.00 then I read 'Stevetheplumber''s post and am back in a quandry.
Take a look at the following link Rothenberger Rofrost CO2 Pipe Freezing Kit
Anyone used it?
Thanks for the feedback Alanka. I was just about to post that I had heard back from PlumbFreeze with a price and a way to order. You info is invaluable. In fairness (and hope?) I wonder if it might just be a faulty unit you got??
I am the MD of plumbfreeze and heard about the forum from a concerned potential customer.
We have had a look at the returned machine and found the problem was a small burr which had come away from plastic component and restricted the coolant flow. We have now put procedures in place to make sure this can not happen again.
As with almost any product there may be an occasional problem and we endeaver to provide the best possible customer care.
Now that I have found the forum, if anyone has any questions, I will try and answer them as quickly as possible.
I am the MD of plumbfreeze and heard about the forum from a concerned potential customer.
We have had a look at the returned machine and found the problem was a small burr which had come away from plastic component and restricted the coolant flow. We have now put procedures in place to make sure this can not happen again.
I'll second that, 'theanalyst'!
Just to update you, I contacted Plumbfreeze again two or three weeks ago, asking them to sell me another unit, with a money-back guarantee that it will work as specified, as my original one did have a serious fault.
However, the MD said that he had stopped taking orders now because a considerable backlog of orders had built up, which took priority. (I thought that I might take priority as he had supplied me with a faulty unit, but he would not agree to this! He said he'd let me know.)
He then told me that in any case he might well not be selling any more units directly from Plumbfreeze, because an important sole agency contract was being negotiated with a large plumbing supplier, and they might object to his company selling units. He did not want to risk compromising this contract.
So that's the position at the moment -- I'll contact him again fairly soon (if he doesn't contact me first) and keep you all posted.
(I'm finding it very hard work trying to spend my money!)
grrrrrrrr had a 22mm one fail last week,well fail is not the word it did not freeze in the first place,over head in a cylinder cubbard on steps,contents of old system full bore straight in the mush.the pipe will stay frozen unlike the gas cannister type uwwwwwww
read your post about freeze master, i've got one, use it half a dozen times, looks brand new. out of gaurantee, asked the rep for advice, says it wants servicing £220.00, plus postage there and back. Costs more than a major service on my car. it stands on a pedestal collecting dust, robbing sods. any help most welcome
i'm in the leicestershire area,It is more a refrigeration repair but a decent ac chap should be able to sort it. this is my main area of work and have repaired loads of them. its normaly the mechanical connections to the flexible pipes which feed the freezer heads that leaks refrigerant. Your dead right though £220 is four times as much of what this sort of repair should be. Wear are you based I might be able to recommend some one
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