Flushing CH system

[carissa]

Bottom of some of our radiators are cool, and the boiler is kettling (Myson Economy, about 12 years old?). So we will be flushing the system this weekend and putting Sentinel 300 in to clean it out.

I understand from searching this site that we should leave the Sentinel in the system for 4 weeks or so. We'll probably stop using the CH within the next week or so, or at least use it a lot less (already have reduced time on in evenings by an hour) so will the Sentinel still work? Or does it have to be circulating around the system for much of the 4 weeks it's in. Would it be better to leave it until the autumn when we'll start using the CH regularly again?

Thanks.

 

[namsag]

Sentinel x 300 waste of time this is for new systems... Best way to do it is remove rads take them outside and hose them through from both sides with rad upside down give them a wallop with a rubber mallet to loosen bits, half empty give them a shake an then empty it . Do this till it runs clear take about five to ten mins a rad. Put x200 in leave it in and this should get rid of the kettling in the myson which are prone to it

 

[2face]

i would recomend a powerflush and treatment ..

 

[carissa]

Thanks namsag. My mistake, I meant Sentinel x400, not 300. Is it still better to remove the rads and clean them with a hose? Or should we go ahead with putting x400 in through the whole system for a couple of days then flush the system?

 

[namsag]

For all it costs stick it in, leave it in as long as it says on the bottle but it isn`t that good, Don`t just tip it in header tank though tie ball valve up drain system for five mins then put it in and then release the ball valve that way it will go into system.. If you want it to circulate without having heat just turn boiler stat off

 

[Agile]

Thanks namsag. My mistake, I meant Sentinel x400, not 300. Is it still better to remove the rads and clean them with a hose? Or should we go ahead with putting x400 in through the whole system for a couple of days then flush the system?

If you want to do it quickly then you have to use Sentinel X800 !

You can leave it circulating on Ch for about 4 hours and then drain it and clean flush twice and then fill and add X100 inhibitor.

However, the boiler needs a different treatment if its kettling. Before adding the inhibitor turn off all the rads and add x200 to the boiler circuit only and run it on DHW for as long as possible and until well after a lessening of the kettling is noticed. Then drain it all out and clean water flush before adding the X100.

I do have to say I prefer to use sulphamic acid as Fernox DS3 which I can dissolve and use in the most relevant concentrations to the job in hand. Its stronger and more appropriate to professional use.

Tony

 

[clf-gas]

wheres your flushing kit Tony. Would have thought you'ed have sorted this with the ds40 mate..

 

[Agile]

Kettling in boilers is almost always calcium compounds and citric acid has little effect on them.

Sulphamic acid although pretty insoluble works well on calcium salts at elevated temperatures.

Tony

 

[clf-gas]

Technically Tony your theoris are sound, though this is a case of system flush. should tell OP how to drain clean rads and flush system , then on merits of introducing inhibitor.

Excuse spelling , full of ale,

 

[Agile]

I think you have have too much of the ale and should go to bed.

The OP has severely sludged rads and a kettling boiler.

I have proposed X800 for the rads and sulphamic acid for the boiler!

Read it again in the morning with the alke !

 

[namsag]

The only trouble with using the stronger chemicals you are suggesting is they can find weak spots in the system and create leaks . Also you don`t just drain it twice it sould be drained from every drop to rads an they don`t always have drain cocks , so that none is left in to carry on reacting so although best way for a pro not always best for a diyer.. And x200 is left in a system.

Going back to your orginal point of some rads being cool at bottom this may just be a simple balancing problem and not sludge.. As a rule of thumb on the upstairs rads turn the rad valve on the return off then open it by about a quarter to half a turn. on the downstairs rads have both sides fully open. .

Also to force heat to affected rads turn all the others off and see if rads heat evenly all over if not they do have sludge