Hi - An interesting problem to be solved....

[fridaypassion]

Hi

I've registered here in the hope that the UKs finest plumbing brains can help me with a problem.

I have a consignment of smoke generating machines that have got a fault which I have tracked down to being a blocked tube. Heres a picture of the unit so I can hopefully explain in a little bit more detail:

The small diameter copper pipe you see there basically winds round a heat exchanger and pops out the front of the unit. Fluid enters through the top there and travels around the heat exchange (a solid aluminium block) and by the time it comes out the front its smoke vapor.

Whats happened is that the pipe has become blocked because somwhere the smoke fluid has congealed (the units are on standby all the time as they are a security device)

So my problem to solve is essentially how to unblock a very small diameter (3mm ID) pipe that is wound quite tightly within the aluminium block?

So far I've tried blowing compressed air down and putting some electrical wire as far as I could inside the pipe but I could only get the first few inches before I must have hit a bend.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and I'd really appreciate any help with this problem.

 

[Mbear]

Would a wire coat hanger fit ?

 

[fridaypassion]

It wouldn't go round the bends unfortunately

 

[Mbear]

It wouldn't go round the bends unfortunately

I keep one in my toolbox for Clearing choked small diameter ch pipes.

I wonder if u could grind a coat hanger down a bit to make it slightly skinier to fight round the bends. Other that that I can't think of anything else that could be used matey. Sorry

 

[REDSAW]

is it eucalyptus oil?. cant you get a cleaner fluid from lighting effect shop.
otherwise you need some mig welding wire 1.2mm bend over the end to stop it digging in, any welder will give you a couple of meters.

 

[turnpin]

already posted a similar reply to a blocked water pipe a few days ago but what about curtain wire .....alternatively if you can use the compression fitting that appears to have been undone on top of unit you could obtain a new coupling and possibly cut into the pipe at a more advantagous point good luck..regards turnpin

 

[fridaypassion]

Hi guys

Thanks for all the replies. I've tried some wire and a coat hanger to no avail. I have a couple of other options to sound you out on.

I've thought of getting something like fernox in a syringe and trying to push that down the pipe do you think that would work? Does fernox eat through gunge?

The other option is just to cut off the pipe and get some more copper pipe of the same diameter (would a plumbers merchants sell this?) and wrap it around the outside of the aluminium block. I think this would work as a last resort.

 

[Puddle]

Was going to suggest a drain cleaning chemical drip fed down pipe work,however using strong chemicals like this you have to be very careful,maybe try a diluted mixture first to see if clears,leave over night,however as said,handle with care ,make sure room well ventilated or in this weather do outside,make sure you ware correct protecting gear and have a bucket of water available if quick dilution required for any reason
remember when you clear blockage,chemical will/may come out the other end of pipework,so again allow for this,when clear,make sure you flush through well with water
maybe you could rig a flushing system up to be used after the machine has been used to prevent this happening again,maybe fit a tee piece with two valves attached
imho

 

[ecowarm]

If its an oil based grunge you need to get a solvent cleaner like brake cleaner FX020290 500ml Universal solvent cleaner Electrical Brake parts degreaser spray
Eco

 

[fridaypassion]

The gunge is essentially food based as the smoke fluid the unit pumps is vegetable based.

Has anyone any recommendations for products I could try? The nastier the better probably!

 

[prs1]

Try gentley heating it with a blow torch then try the compressed air and may be a brake cable from a bike or motor bike.
it might just softed it up enough ,but still if u clear it i doubt u will be able too clean it enough to stop it building up again.
Good luck.
If it small bore copper chances are u will be able to replace it and it will be annealed so can be bent by hand (carefully).

 

[stevetheplumber]

The gunge is essentially food based as the smoke fluid the unit pumps is vegetable based.

Has anyone any recommendations for products I could try? The nastier the better probably!

any of the acid drain cleaner will eat through vegtable oils its getting it in saflely probaly best to syrynge it in
in our raving days we used to put amyll nitrate in the bubble machines

 

[ecowarm]

Its organic so a acid drain cleaner will do, but be carefull.

 

[lee25]

Could u not just run sum HOt water through it clear it like u would with a powerflush then no need for chemical, mabe just sum fairy up liquid

 

[turnpin]

just a thought what about some ear wax drops from the chemist?