Cleaners & inhibitors

[Hallsy]

After finding a blockage in the flow fill pipe from F&E tank I am debating using a chemical cleaner.

This is a 1960's conventional boiler, F&E tank in loft, all pretty std stuff.

Would I be opening up a can of worms by adding a cleaner to the system? Released sludge causing blockages elsewhere?

With the blockage removed the CH system is operating OK so is it worth bothering?

I will be adding some inhibitor though as the boiler sounds like it is kettling, possibly only since I have drained & refilled, but this may be that I never noticed before.

Are they all much of a muchness? I notice Screwfix sell 'no nonsense' ones for about half the price of Fernox, Sentinel, etc.... but are they only half as good?

 

[JohnD]

If you have a blockage, you ought to use a cleaner (at least).

If you can lay your hands on an extra £100 or so, put in a Magnaclean too.

 

[Hallsy]

Well, I've sorted the blockage in the pipe.

I still believe this was caused by the bag of chemical that was in the F&E tank shedding some of whatever it had in it as there doesn't appear to be enough limescale anywhere else to signify a constant topping up of water.

Just concerned that it may well help with some of the pipework that could be a little sludged up, but end up blocking the heat exchanger or pump, etc.

We have had just this problem at work of late due to the chilled water system being flushed with a top notch cleaner

 

[clf-gas]

Are they all much of a muchness? I notice Screwfix sell 'no nonsense' ones for about half the price of Fernox, Sentinel, etc.... but are they only half as good?

Sentinel is good, Fernox better. IMO.

Give the system a cleaner run it a few days, then return to job flush, flush and flush again then add Inhibitor and refill,

 

[JohnD]

Well, I've sorted the blockage in the pipe.

You've already had one blockage, so we know that your system contains sludge and sediment. Some of this will have settled into nooks and crannies, and some will be drifting around the pipes looking for somewhere to settle.

You can never get it all out.

So the cleaner you make it, the less likely you are to get another blockage, or to wear out your pump with abrasive particles.

The stuff is usually black resulting from the corrosion of the steel radiators.

 

[Hallsy]

OK, thanks chaps

I'll gete some cleaner in there, leave it to do it's thing for a few days then drain, flush it a few times, then add inhibitor