Testing for inhibitor level

[Goldspoon]

Is their a test for checking inhibitor strength from a water sample? Fernox do one but only for THEIR brand inhibitor. Anything generic anybody know of?

 

[bengasman]

What is the point of checking for inhibitor level? In case of any doubt, stick another bottle in; they are only 15 quid.

 

[zetland76]

Read somewhere ---
Draw some water from the CH system into a clean jar. In another jar put some ordinary tap water. Chuck a nail in each and check how quickly each rusts. Not very scientific but should give indication of presence inhibitor.

 

[seco services]

Read somewhere ---
Draw some water from the CH system into a clean jar. In another jar put some ordinary tap water. Chuck a nail in each and check how quickly each rusts. Not very scientific but should give indication of presence inhibitor.

thats a long wait in a customers house.
i useally use a tds meter

 

[glasgowgas]

seco

what reading would you get with an adequately inhibited system?

tds of our mains water is between 20-30.

 

[JohnD]

thats a long wait in a customers house.

it's a good DIY tip though

As a householder, I do that and wouldn't know a tds meter if it fell on my head.

 

[seco services]

seco

what reading would you get with an adequately inhibited system?

about 350mg/l

but it has its down sides as many inhibitors are mainly organic and give wrong readings on a tds meter.
best use the liquid form test kits .

 

[oilman]

It'll cost as much to test it as to put more inhibitor in.

 

[Onetap]

Is their a test for checking inhibitor strength from a water sample? Fernox do one but only for THEIR brand inhibitor. Anything generic anybody know of?

No; you'd need to know what was in the inhibitors and the snake oil salesmen, sorry, water treatment companies won't tell you. You can buy test kits for individual chemicals, e.g., from Camlabs. Testing the pH level is usually a good indication, but you need to know what it is in a clean system.

What is the point of checking for inhibitor level? In case of any doubt, stick another bottle in; they are only 15 quid.

Oh dear; another gas geezer who should stick to gas. BG trained? Never mind.

BG do seem to be enthusiastic about selling power flushes. One day the dear old homeowners are going to twig the embarrassing fact that, if the maintenance technicians (or engineers, as BG charmingly call them) were competent they wouldn't have to power flush the corrosion debris out of the heating system.

Read somewhere ---
Draw some water from the CH system into a clean jar. In another jar put some ordinary tap water. Chuck a nail in each and check how quickly each rusts. Not very scientific but should give indication of presence inhibitor.

An internet myth. It doesn't work. It would only show the presence of dissolved oxygen. The corrosion is usually caused by the ingress of oxygen from over-pumping, electrolysis or oxygen permeable plastic pipes. There isn't much dissolved oxygen in a sample because it gets quickly consumed corroding the radiators. The sample absorbs oxygen when you drain it from the system.

 

[wilhelm]

one tap.....define an "internet myth" please.

and youre from essex.........

ffs.

 

[JohnD]

I think he's too young to remember Fernox including this method in their instructions.

Of course, that was before the 'net

 

[seco services]

and youre from essex.........

and whats that got to do with it ?

 

[wilhelm]

just about EVERYTHING.

 

[seco services]

just about EVERYTHING.

well what ?

 

[wilhelm]

nothing, youve done the job for me....