descaler

[mrcrow]

It would have been quicker for you to use the Ferroquest! Two-three days!

It sounds as if your system is quite badly sludged up and I would not expect that those non acidic products will necessarily clear it without power flushing.

Your rads are probably in too poor condition to risk using a citric acid based product so you will have to see what effect the X400 has but dont be disappointed if it is not totally effective.

Its quite possible that there is oxide sludge in the rads and lime compounds in the boiler which will need different chemicals to treat.

Tony Glazier

cheers tony..i will have the chems on monday and keep everyone posted on all the leaks..
i dont expect wonders but need to do something to alleviate symptoms... as for power flushing...if it comes to that so be it...then i will be back with the q's on how to do it...unless its too advanced and requires specialist equipment...
not to put a fine point on it but my central heating and hw system is so archaic you wouldnt believe it...and so is the boiler...not in age but design..
i live in a world of compromise and peace

 

[mrcrow]

The limefighter is only ( and then only possibly...) any use on the mains into a COMBI boiler. Not on the CH pipe.
You won't get limescale as such in a conventional boiler - especially in Manchester (soft water?)
If your system is v bad then consider using the mains to flush it first (see FAQ) , or taking the rads into the garden with the hose, which is very effective.
If when you've done all your stuff the boiler 's still noisy you could try Boiler Silencer which raises the boiling point of the water a bit so it "kettles" less.

this may be the most positive way...and i did think manchester was low on lime-iness
cheers chris

 

[namsag]

As someone has already said best way to clean rads is to take them off and hose them out in the garden giving them a thump with a rubber mallet to loosen stubborn lumps. From experience X400 is not very succesful even when leaving it in the system longer than is recommended. As for X200 this can be left in system with the X100 and is an excellent noise reducer regards kettling etc

 

[Agile]

Whilst X200 can be left in the system, its more effective if the boiler has lime scale problems if its put in the system after all the rads have been isolated so that it can work in greater concentration just on the boiler for a few days.

If only the boiler is to be treated for limescale and a little risk is taken then its better to use Fernox DS3 or sulphamic acid but that needs to be at about 80 C to be effective but will only take a few hours. It must then be carefully drained and flushed a few times. A second dosage is often useful.

Tony

 

[meldrew's_mate]

...Its quite possible that there is oxide sludge in the rads and lime compounds in the boiler which will need different chemicals to treat...

Tony, Manchester is in a soft water area (this is a hard concept for Londoners to grasp), which means combis don't scale-up, boilers don't scale-up, kettle elements and DHW cylinders last FOREVER, and you can make a bar of soap last a month (well, I can ). Calgon isn't on Supermarket shelves (leaving extra space for Vimto, potato cakes, and tripe), and Permutit don't bother doing leaflet drops.

This leads us to....you don't need X200 or any other scale removing/disguising chemicals, just a good sludge dislodger. You are right in doing a water flush first, use the expensive chemicals to get rid of the hard to shift stuff, use water to shift the loose stuff. Then dismantle and manually clean the pump impellor, and with all the money saved consider fitting a Boiler Buddy or similar to the boiler return pipe to catch the remaining crap.

 

[mrcrow]

Tony, Manchester is in a soft water area (this is a hard concept for Londoners to grasp), which means combis don't scale-up, boilers don't scale-up, kettle elements and DHW cylinders last FOREVER, and you can make a bar of soap last a month (well, I can ). Calgon isn't on Supermarket shelves (leaving extra space for Vimto, potato cakes, and tripe), and Permutit don't bother doing leaflet drops.

vimto and eccles cakes for tea tonight...balti style

got the chems..its overkill mrcrow..x400 3weeks..X200 for a few days...X100 to finish..
i jumped the gun on the X200 and forgot sunny manchester is low scale...thats £11.23 down the drain.. literally...

be glad when its running properly and my friend told me how to re set the lockshields on the rads which i thought didnt need to be done as they have T valves...

god bless
geof