Hard or Soft water for CH system

[GeorgeTL]

I've just put X400 in my CH system and will be flushing this out in a few weeks.

I live in an area with very hard water so I have a water softener which supplies virtually all cold water outlets in the house. Currently this includes the supply to the loft header tank for the CH system (it's an open system).

Is it best to fill the system with the softened water or the very hard mains water? There are softener bypass valves fitted so I can easily do either.

I'll be replacing some of the plumbing to the 2 loft tanks (cold water and CH) soon so I could change the feed to the CH header tank permanently if this is best.

Any opinions please ??

Cheers.

George.

 

[JAllen]

Check with the manufacturer of your boiler but I think it depends on what type of metal the heat exchanger is made from. For example, some of the Worcester Bosch ones have aluminium heat exchangers and they specifically state not to use water from a water softener:

http://www.worcester-bosch.co.uk/ho...out-hard-water-can-i-install-a-water-softener

 

[45yearsagasman]

J Allen is perfectly correct with regard to soft/hard water and certain heat exchangers.Not knowing the Make/Model of you boiler it is impossible to advise you. Most manufacturers will have advice in the Inst/Serv manuals of their boilers. Pete

 

[GeorgeTL]

Thanks for the replies chaps - and on the weekend too!!

It's a Potterton Suprima 50 and was installed by British Gas just over 10 years ago. It's covered by a BG maintenance contract so has been checked/serviced every year. Apart from needing a replacement main control board back in 2005 ("they all do that sir") it has been fault-free.

I've got all the paperwork that came with it (and there is alot) but cannot find anything about using softened water.

George.

 

[45yearsagasman]

You are quite correct and the instructions do not mention water type for filling your system,except that on a sealed system water is taken straight from the incoming main.I would suggest that you fill with mains water after flushing and use the correct level of inhibitors to protec the sytem.