DIY Power flushing - Dirty water pump

reeno · 27 Feb 2015

Hi,

Would like some advise please.

I have lot of sludge in my central heating system.
Have taken a couple of radiator off and flushed with hosepipe from the cold water main.
but
still not working to good.

I have added cleaner and can hear rubbish moving around system.
Been looking at power flush machines and seem a bit expensive.
also
about £100 to hire per day.

Was wondering if a bought a dirty water pump (about £40 from screwfix) could I use this by placing pump in bath full of water taking rad off in bathroom connecting central heating pipe to pump and hose from heating pipe to W/C.
Will close off cold feed and overflow to tank in loft.
Then would this pump be sufficient to flush heating system ?

Been searching web to see if anyone has tried this but could not find anything.
Will I be wasting time and effort
or
Could it possibly work ?

Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks

Agile · 27 Feb 2015

It might be better than nothing but unlikely the pump pressure will be anything like that from a proper unit.

Furthermore a lot of skill is required to do power flushing properly.

Taking each rad off in turn and then using chemicals in the system is likely to be as good and cheaper!

Tony

Agile · 27 Feb 2015

It might be better than nothing but unlikely the pump pressure will be anything like that from a proper unit.

Furthermore a lot of skill is required to do power flushing properly.

Taking each rad off in turn and then using chemicals in the system is likely to be as good and cheaper!

Tony

reeno · 27 Feb 2015

Thanks for reply Tony.

Do you think a jet washer would be better then dirty water pump ?
or
about the same ?

john320d · 27 Feb 2015

Dirty water pump not strong enough. Clean water sump pump is ideal, I have just used this idea myself. Bought from screwfix for £35. My boiler is in the bathroom cupboard. I removed heating pump and connected sump pump. Sump pump stood in a bath full of water.The return from the heating system is re-directed into the bath. Change flow around the system a few times.

Boilerman2 · 27 Feb 2015

It never fails to amaze me the lengths people are prepared to go to avoid having to do something properly!

Rob · 27 Feb 2015

Boilerman2 said:
It never fails to amaze me the lengths people are prepared to go to avoid having to do something properly!

reeno · 27 Feb 2015

Would like to do it properly

but
cannot afford to buy power flush machine.
Even second hand ones seem to be over £400.

Even if I hire one will need it at least a couple of times as I want to add cleaner again, so that would cost £200.

If I hire someone to do it will be at least £250.

So think I will give pump for screwfix ago.
Not sure if to get clean or dirty water pump.
Thought dirty water pump would be better for circulating before flushing down W/C
but not sure now

reeno · 27 Feb 2015

Gave some thought to what John said.
Decided to go for clean pump from screwfix and surprise surprise it is out of stock
just my luck

Nozzle · 27 Feb 2015

reeno said:
Thanks for reply Tony.

Do you think a jet washer would be better then dirty water pump ?
or
about the same ?

NO!!!!! A pressure washer has 150bar + of pressure. If you had a solid enough connection between the discharge of the pump and the system then the system would also reach the same pressure.

Nozzle

reeno · 11 Mar 2015

Did not try pressure washer or dirty water pump.

Used hose from outside tap up in the loft and connected to expansion pipe.
Flushed system rads one at a time.
Some black sludge came out
but
now have another problem.
System rads only get hot if I put a non return valve on expansion pipe.
Not sure if I am supposed to do this as it probably is now a pressured system.
Will post as another subject and see what info and help I get.
Thanks for comments on this post.

hazetimesfive · 11 Mar 2015

yes! do this please, use the bath as the dirty water vessel, add chemicals and flush all the magnetite out of your system.

then post the pictures here, I will be waiting.

Terrywookfit · 11 Mar 2015

hazetimesfive said:
yes! do this please, use the bath as the dirty water vessel, add chemicals and flush all the magnetite out of your system.

then post the pictures here, I will be waiting.

ree · 11 Mar 2015

John320d,

Why not? It was guys doing the unexpected with the cheapest means available that made America great - the Wright Bros screwing around in a bike shop, Woz & Jobs bumbling about in someones garage.
In the UK, Whittle the apprentice thinking jet propulsion, Brunel building metal ships.

AAMOI: for some reason the thread calls to mind the song the Tommies sang:

Whiter than the whitewash on the wall, whiter than the whitewash on the wall,
Wash me in the water that you washed your dirty daughter in
And I shall be whiter than the whitewash on the wall ...

Tibbot · 11 Mar 2015

ree said:
It was guys doing the unexpected with the cheapest means available that made America great - the Wright Bros screwing around in a bike shop, Woz & Jobs bumbling about in someones garage.
In the UK, Whittle the apprentice thinking jet propulsion, Brunel building metal ships.

So what great invention do you envisage resulting from using a builder's/gardener's sump pump as a powerflushing machine?

What you can be sure of, is that any idea the OP has will not be intended for the betterment of mankind.

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DIY Power flushing - Dirty water pump

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