pipe freezing spray

[Fred]

Hi,

I bought a 220ml can of pipe freezing spray from tool station:

quick and easy, saves draining down pipes Cons: expensive, especially for 22mm pipes; draining down costs nothing to do (or does it? If you drain the CH and don't recycle the water, you would need to buy new inhibitor*)

The can says you need to use one small can to freeze a 15mm pipe and two small cans for a 22mm pipe.

They also sell a big can. I was wondering: one big can is cheaper than two little cans; is there a clever way to use half the big can at a time? If working on CH you might need to freeze two pipes: flow and return. How could you estimate when you had used half the can on one and use the remaining half on the other? Or is it just best to pay the extra and buy two little cans?

Tool station are usually excellent on price but I think they are not the best price for these. I see other places selling "freezer spray" but some of it is advertised as for cooling electronics. Is it the same stuff or must you buy the plumbing type for plumbing jobs?

TIA

*In anticipation of the post about inhibitor, I realise you would want to replace it with fresh every couple of years anyway.

[Arfa Daily]

Weigh the full can. Then use it and weigh again, and when you are a few grams above half the weight that you first had, you have used about half the freezer, and allowed for the weight of the can. Someone once told me that they used industrial chewing gum removal freezer as electronic freezer and that it was much cheaper. Electronics freezer used to be quite cheap, but is now expensive. I wonder if it's all actually the same stuff ? Electronics freezer claims to be to -50 deg C. What's the figure for pipe freezer ? I thought I had some left in the garage, but I must have used it, so can't check if it says on the can.

Arfa

> Pros: quick and easy, saves draining down pipes

[A.Lee]

The biggest gain is in time. I had to change a downstairs radiator and pipework in a 3 storey house. I could either wait the 15 mins or so for it to drain down fully then cut the pipes, fit the new valves, then refill, and drain/test every raditaor in the house. 1.5 hours minimum. Also with the added hassle of getting to every radiator in the house - it is quite common for one end to be stuck behind a wardrobe, or behind so much rubbish that it is 10 minutes to clear a space to get access to the valve. Or take a chance, cut the pipe while full, and quickly slip on a compression isolator valve and hope it doesnt leak too much. 5 minutes, Pretty good chance of a leak, especially over walls. Or, freeze the pipe, and do it with relative ease.Takes maybe half an hour start to finish. Cost £8 for the one-off kit.

I froze it, with little fuss, and saved at least an hour compared to draining off.

If you are careful, and quick, one can will do a 22mm pipe or 2 x 15mm pipes. I did it a few weeks ago on the above 2x15mm central heating radiator pipes that needed to be changed. Didnt leak at all.

Alan.

[pete]

> Pros: quick and easy, saves draining down pipes

When I've used pipe freezer before (I can't remember the supplier - could've been Toolstation) I've always been aware that once you've started, you've got to finish. If the job takes longer than you expected, or you didn't use enough freezer to start with then the pipe can start to thaw out. if that happens you don't have many choices! As a consequence, if I thought I'd need 2 cans for a job I'd make sure I had three. Likewise, my natural caution tells me not to skimp on this stuff. Touse what it says, rather than the amount I think might do the job. So I tend to use whole cans and make sure I've got all the bits I need before starting. As a DIY-er the time element is less important, but I could imaging that when a pro puts an hourly rate on their time, this stuff would save money if it avoids the time needed to drain down the CH before starting.

[tony sayer]

Course a bag of frozen peas wrapped around the joint might eke out the frozen time a bit;)..

[The Medway Handyman]

You only need enough time to get a service valve on the pipe :-)

[A Plumber]

One can also hire an electric type of pipe freezin kit, which are very good on larger jobs, have used them numerous times when a spray can just wouldn't cut the mustard so to speak.

[newshound]

And there are ones which use a carbon dioxide cylinder (rather like a fire extinguisher) feeding a cuff.

Got any friends around a decent science lab? Liquid nitrogen works a treat provided you are used to handling it.

[Dave Liquorice]

Or a push fit stop end, make sure you get ones that are easy to release.

[F Murtz]

Pipe freezing spray and electronic freezer and a product called "air brush air duster" by servisol, (used to blow the dust off your keyboard etc)is usually R134a, The refrigerant used in car air conditioners, the same stuff that the refrigeration people say that is so dangerous that you get fined thousands if you vent it to atmosphere from your car air con.

>>>>> Pros: quick and easy, saves draining down pipes

[Fred]

I never knew that air duster was refrigerant. I always assumed it was compressed air until I read the can said flammable and then I assumed it was butane, as that seems to be used in all aerosols. Thinking about it though, it wouldn't be sensible using butane to dust a hot surface! I wonder why refrigerant is used? Is it very cheap? It seems a bit wasteful.

A couple of years ago Wickes and B&Q were selling split unit air conditioners. I always fancied buying one but the "summer" always finished before I got round to it. I would have liked one when we had our hot fortnight this year but never saw any. I did think it was strange no-one was selling them. That explains why. Thanks.

[Frank Erskine]

I have a tin of Servisol Aero Duster labelled as (Non-flammable), but it warns you that 10% of the contents by mass _are_ flammable.

Hmmm. 8-)

[F Murtz]

The split unit probably uses R22 which is a different gas.This is getting off topic but a big secret that you are "not supposed to know" is that they will run on propane (r290)which in some countries can be used by people without a refrigeration license.

[Alan]

In message , F Murtz wrote

"Not regarded as dangerous for the environment. ["/quote]

[F Murtz]

Is that why they are going to ban its use soon in car air conditioners? It does not seem to be dangerous to humans as it is used as a propellant in some asthma sprays.