Hard Water Descalers - Electric / Electronic

Joined
26 Jul 2006
Messages
13
Reaction score
0
Location
London
Country
United Kingdom
Hi

I've read a couple of posts that say these descalers don't work but I wondered if anyone has anything positive to say about them and, if so, which one?

I live in West London and my taps and sinks etc need constant descaling, so these would be a perfect solution, if one of them worked.

Any views?

Thanks

F
 
Sponsored Links
The answer is that scale reducers do and don't work...which is probably not all that helpful.

What the electric/electronic devices try to do is the same as an in-line magnetic scale reducer..they impart a magnetic field to the water which changes the polarity of the ions in the calcium carbonate (scale). This has the temporary effect of changing the calcium carbonate from scale to a powder.. which can then pass through a combi plate to plate without scaling it up. Its no use for hot water storage cylinders as the polarity of the ions changes back after a very short time, and you are back where you started.

This part of lincs has very hard water and our in line scalemasters on combis seem to do the trick. We very rarely replace plate to plates for scaling these days, and we are five years into this contract, so they must do some good. On a conventional system scale is deposited when water temp exceeds 60c so we tend to keep cylinder stats below this figure..say 55c..which is enough to kill any bugs. Scale reducers are no good on this sort of application.

The only complete answer is a water softener..I have a Liff 2000..which very good..except it guzzles salt so is not cheap to run, but you soon know when the salt has run out and the recharge doesn't work properly.

I was assured by the technical guys at Glow Worm on our last visit that their tests showed that scale reducers do work, and most boiler manufacturers insist on one being installed with a combi.

Alfredo
 
Alfredo - thanks for that.

Do you know what model Glow Worm use?

I'd rather not have to ask them directly, as I have a Glow Worm and I can't afford their premium call fees!

Thanks again.

F
 
Sponsored Links
hot then cold hot then cold same old story yeh i know but will fitting one reduce scale before i need to remove heat exchanger and clean it manualy.?
 
most boiler manufacturers insist on one being installed with a combi

Most combi boiler manufacturers do not insist on limescale preventative devices. Would you care to name the ones that 'insist'?

Modern modulating boilers have a better temp control of the water in their heat exchangers. It is very uncommon for a DHW HeX to need descaling.

Partially blocked units are common but that is the magnetite debris from the rads on the boiler side.
 
and our in line scalemasters on combis seem to do the trick.

What is this scalemaster please?

I am in west london and like others, I have a horrible time with scale.
I have a combi and a scalewatcher attached to the main pipe coming in, but I am not sure if this does the trick or not.

We still get scale so I am wondering if this scalemaster is better than the scalewatcher (or is it the same thing?)
 
Well electronic descalers do work and I should know.

The real problem I have found is that you must determine whether your plumbing is VENTED or UNVENTED and this simply means "have you got a tank in the loft"?
If you have you'll need to treat the rising main AND the cold down service to the hot water cylinder. So many of these water conditioning Companies say ONE UNIT DOES THE WHOLE HOUSE but this is just not true.
 
Sorry, but the fact that you are making and selling something is no guarantee that it works.

As an example, to stick with this theme, there are dozens of rip-off merchants selling the clip-on permanent magnet devices to soften water/prevent scaling at prices as high as pnds 70 for something that costs less than 50 p to make and they don't work.
 
Sorry, but the fact that you are making and selling something is no guarantee that it works.

.
Yeah, But the Brocket Rocket ;) Spitfire WW11 petrol power producing pellets DO work or I`ll eat my "Ride to Live" Harley-Davidson baseball cap:cool:
 
Yeah, But the Brocket Rocket Spitfire WW11 petrol power producing pellets DO work or I`ll eat my "Ride to Live" Harley-Davidson baseball cap

Sounds really interesting NF. How much ? How far ? Why ?

Sooooooo many questions
 

DIYnot Local

Staff member

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.


Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

 
Sponsored Links
Back
Top