how dirty would a central heating system be after 2 months

[danlightbulb]

Hi all,

Removed a rad the other day to have plastering work done. The water was brown through and through. No noticable sludge build up, just brown water. There was also an apparant soapyness to the water, like soap bubbles on the surface. Is this the additive?

System has only been in 2 months. Everything was new, rads pipework boiler the lot. Installer said it was flushed with sentinal and protected with Fernox. He has filled this information in to the back of the boiler instruction manual.

Cheers
Dan

 

[bengasman]

The system is new, bit dirty? Flushed with one brand and inhibitor of another? Sound suspicious to me. most installers are quite fanatic about which brand is best. Whatever the case, a properly installed system will not get dirty at all.

 

[weareleeds]

Could be flux residue to be on safe side add some sentinel x300 run until hot then drain all water, fill up & run till hot again then re-drain then on last fill add inhibiter like sentinel x100

 

[danlightbulb]

Hi

I think I might do that when I reattach the bathroom rad.

1. Do I add the sentinel by tipping the bottle directlty into the rad before I fill it?

2. Will each drain & refill require me to recharge expansion vessel in Combi boiler.


Cheers

 

[clf-gas]

Agree with Ben here, and like wearel***s says It does sound like flux residue, so would suspect system was not flushed properly if at all.

1. Do I add the sentinel by tipping the bottle directlty into the rad before I fill it?

If its a towel rad, then thats your easiest option.

2. Will each drain & refill require me to recharge expansion vessel in Combi boiler.

No you will have no need to touch the EV.


After you have run your cleaner through system and drained, then do three or four clean water flushes then add inhibitor/protector.

 

[Timmyturtle]

I didnt put inhibitor in mine for about 3 weeks(thought i had some in my van but didnt...then just forgot)...was amazed at the colour of water after such a short time,had to flush again and now have plenty in there

Water was runny(not sludgy) but just brown tinged

Inhibitors usually create a bit of froth when disturbed

There is no British Standard for the quality control of inhibitors!!!...some cheaper brands have been tested and found to be slightly harmful to systems!!
If its really cheap its probably bad
sentinell and fernox were fine by the way

 

[namsag]

Flux residue generally leaves the water white.

 

[sambotc]

What type of system is it?

Do you have tanks in the loft or is it a combi boiler?

Could be an installation error.

 

[danlightbulb]

Hi

Its a combi, 7 rads in house plus towel rail, combi in loft. I'm generally hapy with the install, was just a little surprised to see such dirty water after onlt 2 months. Then again we didn't get expensive rads so maybe they discolour more easily.

I will drain and refill a couple of times as suggested.

Edit: just thought of something - as my boiler is in the loft it is therefore the highest point in the system - how do I bleed the air out when refilling?

 

[namsag]

There will be anauto airvent on the boiler

 

[gas4you]

System water should look like weak pee

 

[bengasman]

System water should look like weak pee

depending on how much lager you drink

 

[gas4you]

Oh well dark pee then

But then it will be diluted by Bacardi

 

[danlightbulb]

It looks like something you see in the toilet bowl after a vindaloo.

 

[gas4you]

Needs sorting then