Flushing the system after installing a replacement radiator

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I've just installed a replacement radiator and the instructions for the radiator state that 'after installation a flushing compound should be added to the system prior to flushing after which a central heating protector should be added to the system'.
:?: Is this really necessary as only last year we had a new boiler installed when the system was power-flushed and a corrosion inhibitor (which I assume is the same as a 'central heating protector') was added? Would appreciate any help. Thanks, David.
 
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When you tipped up the old radiator after taking it off, what came out?

Have you got any new soldered joints or is it all screwed and compression?

Did you drain the syst to fit the new rad?

What was wrong with the old rad?
 
If you had the system powerflushed so recently there is no need to do anything, other than put back the corrosion protector you drained off when removing the old rad.

I assume you changed the rad for cosmetic reasons rather than because it rusted to bits......?
 
I replaced the radiator with a double because the old one was a single and didn't heat the room sufficiently.

I didn't drain the system to fit the new radiator, I just closed the radiator valves and removed the radiator.

When I removed the radiator about 75% of the water which came out was clean but the last 25% was black.

There are no new soldered joints.
 
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David_W said:
...When I removed the radiator about 75% of the water which came out was clean but the last 25% was black......

Then you can assume the rest of the syst is equally dirty :cry: and would benefit from at least a flush, rinse, refill with new inhibitor. If you are going to all that trouble you might as well give it a chemical clean too.
Let's assume that the previous work loosened more grime than it flushed out (not unusual, the Magnaclean is getting very popular for that reason).

There is also a possibility that the black is from new corrosion, though that really shouldn't happen if it was refilled with the correct amount of inhibitor and you have no leaks.

The black stuff is likely to collect in the boiler and increase wear on the pump a bit so you are better off without it.
 
I would advise that the best water to have in the rads is the relatively inert stuff that's already in there.

By completely draining and refilling you are introducing oxygen bubbles which you are then trying to render inert with chemical treatments. Chemicals that are already present in the existing water ;)

In Germany inhibitor is not generally used, because it can swell up certain types of water seals. They reckon on the water fill only being able to support very limited corrosion and therefore leave sealed systems....sealed.

It is worth remembering that sludged up systems are the ones which have, in one way or another, been given a regular supply of airated water into the system, either by leaks or pumping over.
 

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