Power flush my only choice ?

[wanleg]

My combi's plate heat exchanger keeps getting clogged up every other month with small bits of debris which I have now found are coming from the pipework around the heating system. Is power flushing my only choice to get rid of this or can I flush it with a hose pipe or something ?

My brother in law suggested just completely draining and refilling the system a few times to see if this clears it but i'm not sure that's gonna do the trick.

 

[corgigazza]

try this

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=140750&highlight=#140750

try searching on on power flushing etc

 

[wanleg]

Cheers, that Magnaclean looks the business....plumbworld have it online for about £90......would be £90 well spent if it eliminates my headaches and all I have to do is clean it.

 

[croydoncorgi]

Check the debris with a magnet to make sure they really are magnetite - which is what Magnaclean is for.

 

[tony_m]

I haven't checked the links provided but if you want to diy a power flush you can rent the Kamco power flush from Alexandra Hire .For more info go to http://www.kamco.co.uk/.

 

[ChrisR]

Another (also imperfect, but cheap) possibility is to put a strainer in the return pipe to the combi. With a tap each side to isolate, it would still cost only about a tenner.

 

[wanleg]

I've had a look at the Plumbworld web site for strainers and theres bronze and brass and a whole range of sizes measured in inches....which would I need bronze or brass and what does the size refer to as the pictures all look the same ?

 

[oilman]

The large bits are not usually the major problem as they normally settle in places like radiators which have low flow rates. A bigger problem is the tiny bits which don't settle and get into all the working bits, like pump bearings and valves. The tiny bits won't get caught by a strainer.

Doing the job properly and cleaning it out will be cheaper in the long run.