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TECPIPES
2605 Westridge Drive
Arlington TX 76012

FAQ

A TEC Pipe or a Thermal Electric Cooling Pipe is a pipe that cools smoke produced by the burning of cannabis, Tobacco, and other herbal substances. In TEC Pipes, the cooling of the smoke can be achieved without the addition of water, ice, or chilled glycerin.

TEC Pipes, sometimes referred to as a smoke freezer pipe for the low temperatures used in the smoke cooling, are in response to a finding in a 2000 NORMLMAPS cannabis study that found “water pipes filter out more psychoactive THC than they do other tars, thereby requiring users to smoke more to reach their desired effect”. While not limited to the preservation of THC, any retained property or enhancement of original product is considered a desired outcome.

In a TEC Pipe, the smoke enters from one side of the unit flows throw the cooling chambers, and comes out cooler on the other side, Users report that the colder smoke from a TEC Pipe are not only smoother but also stronger than a traditional water pipe or Smoking pipe. This increase in potency is due to Boyle’s law, wherein a gas will compress at a lower temperature. Compression and the avoidance of a filter such as water or physical media, the product used will result in a stronger presentation.

With internal temperatures well below that of a water-pipe, users report that temperatures of
-5 Celsius and below provide a far smoother smoke experience than any non-active cooling water pipe. Not only do users report a more intense effect when smoking with a TEC Pipe, they also report a crisper more intense flavor. TEC Pipes differ in construction/material from most water pipes, hookah, and other pipes in the market. While not limited to plastics only, the difference is in the construction requiring 3D printing is primarily due to the tight specifications required within the smoke cooling chambers, multiple inner chambers, and stresses applied to the materials. Glass bowls are used for the burning of the smoke materials, and pipes use a standard 14mm male adapter.

Further reading application – cold air vs. warmer air

Who are we?
Based in Texas TEC Pipes started as a challenge to more effectively cool down smoke vapor. Using previous knowledge in the computer cooling business creating water blocks to chill water, inventor JMAC created a related process and thermal electric cooling devices (TEC) to actively cool down air.

How is this pipe different?
The SmokeFreezer pipe by TECPipes is unlike any other pipe on the market that we have discovered. Using Patent Pending technology and a series of chambers, smoke entering a freezing chamber will immediately chill. The result is a smooth, and more powerful impact for the user.
Water pipes allow smoke to attach to liquids. This is loss of smoke product and creates a residual mess that must be disposed with a loss of smoked product. Many people when using this remark how the vapor doesn’t FEEL cold. A water pipe user is used to inhaling liquid vapor. Liquid is cold, people are used to feeling the cold water more than the actual smoke. Like a gold nugget encased in rock. Once you become used to getting the product, you do not miss the rock that traditionally encased it.
The SmokeFreezer is ready in just a few minutes and will indicate the temperature of the insulated cooling chamber. Hint: The read out on the display is of mostly air cooling in the chamber, the cooling device is much lower to cool the air to that temperature.
There is a minimal amount of cleaning required to maintain this product, as it is not encased in dirty residual waste water. The conduit size resists clogging. Cleaning ports are available on the unit, and with proper care, and rugged construction, will last well beyond many glass counterparts.

Are plastic pipes safe, more importantly will 3d printing save the pipe?

Plastic is a general term used to describe organic, synthetic or semi-synthetic materials with a wide range of chemical and thermal properties. The key to making any product safe is to choose building materials that will function within the expected working environment of the product being produced.

In recent years, people have built up an opinion that plastics are unsafe for use in food and prone to leaching. Most notably, the BPA plastic drink bottles that made the news a few years back. This was not because ALL plastics are unsafe for food use, but the type of BPA plastic used was not the best option for food use. The food industry has begun moving away from the use of BPA class plastic towards the use of PET class plastic, a much safer but (surprise , surprise) a little more expensive plastic.

Does plastic have a melting point that is too low to be used in pipes? A compatible plastic must be used to have a properly functioning pipe, and plastics should not be used as a bowl for the burning of any smoke material.

Will the smoke melt the plastic affecting the taste? No, and you can easily test this yourself. Grab your favorite glass smoking unit, take a big hit off it and blow the smoke into your hand. Now, was the smoke you blew into your hand so hot that you have to stop reading this to seek medical treatment for 3rd degree burns? Wait, what? Your hand is okay? Guess what, that same smoke will not melt the plastic or affect the taste of your smokes.

Glass will continue to have a place in pipes, as it has for hundreds of years. With a high melting temperature, and excellent thermal resistance, Glass is great for making the material burning bowls. Glass is also a relatively easy material to work with; glass blowers with little experience can produce a pipe in 2 to 3 minutes that are completely transparent or a wide range of color. Whereas, even the simplest 3d printed pipe can take 2 to 3 hours to print and has yet to come close to the color palate available in glass units.

So if glass pipes can be made so quickly and in more colors than 3d printed pipe why even bother with a 3d printed pipe? Simple: Functionality. 3d printed pipes offer an assembly tolerance that glass can’t match. These assembly tolerances may not seem important until you realize that in order to have harder smoother hits without losing taste or potency, pipes need to become active coolers. It’s no coincidence that pipe use has gone down as people choose to smoke by paper or Vape. Some Water pipes do provide a smoother hit by scarifying flavor and potency in exchange for softer hits.

Active pipes such as the Tec pipe need to be 3d printed to meet the tight tolerance to function; with proper plastic selection this is safe. Active pipes are easy to confuse with the water pipe filled with ice, but taking a hit from an active pipe and the user quickly will see the difference. Active pipes may or may not use water but are not meant to be a replacement pipe, rather it’s the next evolution of the pipe.

Cleaning:

On the Steampunk version, there is a port in the hose nozzle that can be removed to clean out blockages. On the bottom of the base is a circular clean out port for removing built up product from the exit chamber, and allowing the unit to drain after cleaning with alcohol, or your favorite cleaning solution.
All other SmokeFreezer pipes may employ a simple alcohol solution into either the inlet or outlet. It is important to fill the entire plenum inside and then plug the lowest inlet/outlet. Continue filling the pipe in its entirety and allow it to sit for 3-5 minutes and shake the solution. The cleaning solution must reach the upper chamber where the metallic cooling exchanger is located. This is the MOST important cleaning area. Pour the cleaning agent from the pipe from the outlet or mouthpiece as much as possible, then tip back to expel the remaining solution from the back.

Clogged pipe:
This pipe is extremely clog resistant. The most common problem is an internal freezing where too much humidity enters the chamber and freezes it solid. This is more common when smoking outside. Do not worry. Unplug your pipe for just a few minutes, and the pipe will heat the ice and thaw it for you.

A good practice is to unplug it while you change your coals during a smoke session, and plug it back in when complete should your session last more than an hour.

If you are using concentrates, remember to select the correct pipe for your application. The Nectar Processor and Mega Bowl pipes in this case will bypass may clogs from actual material as the pathway to the cooling chamber is much larger than the other Smoke Freezer pipes.

Overheating:
(Temperatures on pipe)
If your fan comes loose, prior to re-attaching, make sure the grey and white Peltier’s (white squares) are centered and in place and laying down flush. Place the fan on top of them, and press firmly on each clamp equally to re-attach. Once attached the fan will not move side to side or back and forth. If attached properly, the unit will once again be able to take the heat way from the cooling unit.
(Power Supply)
The SmokeFreezer is very powerful. Each design we create is more efficient and also delivers a colder product. Every time heat is removed from the pipe, the fan must remove more heat, and more power is required. If you power supply is HOT, then it is delivering a significant power draw to the heat exchange process. The default power supply of 6A is very hot in basic function. The power supply has protections to not get overheated for its rating. Although hot to the touch, this unit is within tolerances of the manufacturer, and is no danger to the user, other than surprisingly hotter than expected. The only solution is to upgrade to a 10A / 12v power supply in most cases.


Shipping:
Each unit is individually crafted. Units can take 40 hours of production each to create prior to assembly. These factors make each one unique. If back-ordered in manufacturing, units can take 3-4 weeks to create then ship. Any product ready for shipment will ship the following business day with tracking for the user. Indication of this status will be provided by being marked as “back ordered” prior to check out.

Warranty:
The SmokeFreezer is a piece of art. Each is individual in its creation. That being said, all units are warrantied to power up, hold a seal, and be free from physical damage. Customers must thoroughly inspect each unit upon receipt. Any unit prior to use may be returned up to 7 days for a full refund for any reason. Should the unit be used or not in the same shape upon return a 15% restocking fee will apply. Exchanges will be performed with same conditions as returns, without a restocking fee. Any additional postage for exchanges will be paid by requestor.
Any use of illegal product per Texas law in the “SmokeFreezer” renders it ineligible for servicing by our staff, or transport by mail for any reason.
There are no moving parts on a “SmokeFreezer” system other than the fan. Non disposable accessories, including fans, rubber seals, gaskets failing to perform up to 1 year of purchase will be sent to the customer at the original shipping address at TECPipes expense upon reasonable proof of failure.

All customers should include a tracking number for their protection. TECPipes is not responsible for lost or damaged items in transit coming from the customer. All original packing, product and instructions must be included in return box for a fully credited refund minus the fees and conditions stated above.

Prior to return, please include the following before return in an email to sales@tecpipes.com

Order # , Name , Mailing address, and Reason for return

Trademark:
“Smokefreezer” and “TECPipe” are both US Trademarked. Any usage for commercial purposes without permission is forbidden.