Aluminium rads

[BigBurner]

I am thinking of fitting aluminium rads. Steel rads create sludge which degrades and rots a system. I want to get rid of all ferrous in the system as I am going aluminium rads (I like the styles), and will fit a bronze pump. I will put in X-100 inhibitor.

What does the team here think of corrosion eliminating ferrous? Will alumimium react with copper and brass and stainless steel heat exchangers? Is the X-100 necessary?

 

[superdupergasman]

If installed correctly they may be quite good,as you say less chance of corrosion, however there is a big block of flats in Edinburgh that has aluminium rads and they are nothing but bother. small pieces of a shail like substance is floating about in the water creating havoc!! blockages and jammed pumps left right and center and this is after 5 years.

I might be temptend to stick with steel rads of a funky design and flush inhibit properly after install. they will last just as long if properly installed.

Might the x 100 attack the bronze as its ment for fresh water??

Best of luck.

 

[JPC]

fill the system with x100 (not the alu one)

price ? = 100 litres capacity x £10 ea = £1000...bargain

 

[BigBurner]

If installed correctly they may be quite good,as you say less chance of corrosion, however there is a big block of flats in Edinburgh that has aluminium rads and they are nothing but bother. small pieces of a shail like substance is floating about in the water creating havoc!! blockages and jammed pumps left right and center and this is after 5 years.

Is this poor manufacture of the rads rather than corrosion. Sludge can block up boiler heat exchangers.

 

[BigBurner]

Might the x 100 attack the bronze as its ment for fresh water??

Best of luck.

Bronze is a mixture of copper and brass, so I doubt it. Or are they just the cheaper brass?

 

[wiggikins]

Might the x 100 attack the bronze as its ment for fresh water??

Best of luck.

Bronze is a mixture of copper and brass, so I doubt it. Or are they just the cheaper brass?

Ahem!, COPPER&TIN ,I think you will find!

 

[BigBurner]

Might the x 100 attack the bronze as its ment for fresh water??

Best of luck.

Bronze is a mixture of copper and brass, so I doubt it. Or are they just the cheaper brass?

Ahem!, COPPER&TIN ,I think you will find!

Are there just brass bodied pumps about?

 

[Onetap]

I am thinking of fitting aluminium rads. Steel rads create sludge which degrades and rots a system. I want to get rid of all ferrous in the system as I am going aluminium rads (I like the styles), and will fit a bronze pump. I will put in X-100 inhibitor.

What does the team here think of corrosion eliminating ferrous? Will alumimium react with copper and brass and stainless steel heat exchangers? Is the X-100 necessary?

Look up the galvanic series.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galvanic_series
Aluminium is further down the galvanic series than steel, so it is more anodic/less noble with respect to copper and more prone to bi-mettalic/galvanic corrosion than steel.

Steel radiators will only corrode through negligence (neglect the chemical water treatment, air being drawn into the system, new system not thoroughly flushed out, etc.).

Get the corrosion inhibitors correct to stop galvanic corrosion. You're better off with steel rads.

 

[BigBurner]

I am thinking of fitting aluminium rads. Steel rads create sludge which degrades and rots a system. I want to get rid of all ferrous in the system as I am going aluminium rads (I like the styles), and will fit a bronze pump. I will put in X-100 inhibitor.

What does the team here think of corrosion eliminating ferrous? Will alumimium react with copper and brass and stainless steel heat exchangers? Is the X-100 necessary?

Look up the galvanic series.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galvanic_series
Aluminium is further down the galvanic series than steel, so it is more anodic/less noble with respect to copper and more prone to bi-mettalic/galvanic corrosion than steel.

Steel radiators will only corrode through negligence (neglect the chemical water treatment, air being drawn into the system, new system not thoroughly flushed out, etc.).

Get the corrosion inhibitors correct to stop galvanic corrosion. You're better off with steel rads.

Aluminium is not far below steel in that table. Will sludge occur if the inhibitor is neglected with aluminium rads and a brass/bronze pump?

 

[Onetap]

Aluminium is not far below steel in that table. Will sludge occur if the inhibitor is neglected with aluminium rads and a brass/bronze pump?

It is further below steel and further from copper. Hence worse corrosion with a copper/aluminium galvanic cell than with a copper/steel galvanic cell.

You need a suitable electrolyte for galvanic corrosion to occur. Usually this means an acidic solution (pH <7). The corrosion inhibitors will usually make the water alkaline (pH typically 8 or 9) to stop galvanic corrosion.

However, IF you have galvanic corrosion with steel components, THEN in the same conditions you'll get worse corrosion with aluminium components.

I wouldn't touch ali radiators or heat exchangers. They were banned by one of my former employers, who had the benefit of some very good chemical water treatment specialists.