I'm a newcomer to the forum, so please be gentle.ACOperson said:(Detailed instructions for descaling)
Like others here, I'm facing a situation where my Vokera Linea 28 is repeatedly cutting out when delivering h/w, apparently due to overheat on the internal side of the H/E.
This boiler provides one useful bit of data to help the diagnosis: I can see the boiler side H/E water temp, and it's very high - up close to 100C. The actual hot water out is in the 40C range. This seems pretty conclusive proof to me that, with a temperature differential like that, the exchanger is being very inefficient, and I assume that it's scaled up.
I can get along by reducing the output water temp, so this isn't an emergency yet. But it's bound to get a lot worse, especially living in an area where the mains water is actually a concentrated chalk solution. Questions, then:
- Is replacing the exchanger a much better fix that descaling it? I assume they have some passivated surface that reduces scale, and that just descaling wouldn't necessarily restore the thing to pristine.
- I can get a new exchanger for £70. Is there any way of knowing in advance all the little washers, gaskets, O-rings and other crud I'm going to need? Do spares places rotinely sell purpose-made kits with all the stuff in it?
- Descaling the thing would probably also involve removing it from the system, so it will probably be just as sensible to replace it - and avoid all that fezzle with acids. Does that make sense?
- Finally, although I'm strongly motivated to do the job myself, I've recently discovered the mixed joys of getting somebody in to do things for you. How likely am I to get a rip-off merchant who will try to flog me a new boiler etc.?
CD
MOD
please do not hijack posts