Pipe freezing machine?

[plumb_know]

Thanks everyone think I will go for the freezemaster when I have saved enough pennies 🙂

 

[Mike Jackson]

I've had my Arctic electric for around 10 years and it's still going strong. Never needed recharging. Used it today to swap a snapped gate valve from a communal cold water cistern.

 

[WaterTight]

Arctic Electric Pipe Freezing Kit | Arctic Products AE28/2

is this the one you're talking about? not much more expensive than me eco.

 

[Mike Jackson]

Yes that's the machine I've got. Cost me about a grand when I bought it so that's a very good price. Paid for itself very quickly though as we used to do a lot of work for a hotel and there were no iso valves on loads of stuff. It's not good practice to turn off the water to an entire hotel just to change a tap.

 

[WaterTight]

why don't iso valves (full bore if necessary) get used everywhere applicable on a large building like a hotel. it's bonkers.

 

[Ermintrude]

why don't iso valves (full bore if necessary) get used everywhere applicable on a large building like a hotel. it's bonkers.

Mr DIY must learn from the best . See more and more rads with cheap ISo valves on tails or under tiled floors . Always remove them . Agree on larger systems. We got to re route system in old 1910 school next week. Woop woop. Pipework is horrid full drain down and asbestos blokes in first.

 

[cr0ft]

The freezemaster is brill. One very important thing, not in the manual. To keep it working you have to unclip the control panel and top up the reservoir underneath with water. Run the system. It bleeds out air. Repeat until reservoir stays full when run. System will work till the end of its life then.

 

[plumb_know]

Thanks for the tip croft, does the I freeze master do 10 -28mm pipe work as the artic electric saids it only comes with 15 and 22mm freeze plates? And if not can you buy other sized freeze plates?

 

[Mike Jackson]

The freeze heads are 28 and it comes with plates to reduce down to 15 and 22. I've also got some plates that allow me to freeze 35.

 

[plumb_know]

What about 10 and 12mm as lots of heating systems this size and usually have a lovely new white carpet under them so don't fancy doing it live and prefer to freeze where possible to reduce chance of air locks or blockages from draining whole system.

 

[Mike Jackson]

For smaller/odd sizes you wrap the pipe in wet tissue and then clamp the freeze head around. The freeze takes a bit longer but it works.

 

[plumb_know]

Thanks mike and everyone else been a great help as usual

 

[cr0ft]

Freezemaster does 10 12 15 and 22 with the bits to do it in the box you buy. 28mm and above will need a more expensive machine.

 

[WHPES]

I get the machine serviced when it starts to lose performance (approx every 3 years) and it costs me £50. They last longer between servicing if you turn them on a couple of minutes every week rather than letting them stand for long periods. My refrigeration engineer guy says its just a basic refrigeration system like a car aircon so its not particularly complex to service and maintain.

Reminder that Arctic and Freezemaster are the same machine under different badges.