Heat Exchanger Repeatably Blocking - Betacom 30c

[kerry_54]

Looking for some advice, please:

GLOWORM BETACOM 30C - HEAT EXCHANGER

My heat exchanger keeps clogging up - This effects the HOT WATER ONLY (boiler heating water and cutting out over and over again).
The central heating radiator side is fine.

Changing the heat exchanger is a simple task - which now I have replaced several times.

But it now gets blocked within a month.

The radiators have been flushed twice in 2 years.
I have a Fernox Magniflow TF1 fitted.

Why does this only affect the HW?

Can anyone give me advice on the next step?

Thank you in advance,
Jason.

 

[undertrained]

Hard water area perhaps?

 

[kerry_54]

As it is only the hot water that is affected - does this mean a water softener may help?? or something else (yes hard water) Nothing in the system needs to be flushed ie boiler??

Thanxs.

 

[undertrained]

Hi yes a water softener/scale reducer would be better fitted in hard water areas, but also drain, flush and protect the system (inhibitor). If you have no inhibitor then this will probably be causing scale at a higher rate, including in your radiators. Also worth noting if it’s causing issues like that then it could also be electrolytic corrosion.

Thanks.

 

[mogget]

In my experience the plate heat exchanger always blocks up first when there are sludge problems. This is because the passages are the tiniest in the whole system.

OP, is the heat exchanger blocking up on the boiler side or the mains water side?