Magnets found on main cold-water pipe from road.

[Eddy009]

I went to switch off the cold water / mains tap the other day and found that a few inches along from the actual tap a previous owner fitted a plastic "device" which has the words "Mini Wizard" written on it!

All this "Mini Wizard" is is two strong magnets. It appears that you put one magnet on one side of the pipe and the other magnet on the other side and they then cling to each other, with the pipe between them. The device is about 3 inches long so water passing along the pipe passes through a 3-inch corridor of "magnetism".

Have googled a bit and found that people have claimed that such magnets, and even stronger ones which are fuelled by electric current, significantly soften the water, reducing lime-scale.

Is there any truth in this, or is just a gimmick making a few manufacturers some money?

One manufacturer claims that the magnetism causes "the calcium in the water to stay in solution and so inhibit it from adhering to taps, baths and kettles".

Thanks.

Eddy.

 

[ianniann]

The science is dubious at best. Nobody has been able to reliably or repeatedly demonstrate what such magnets do that would prevent scale. Differences have been demonstrated in the type of crystals that are desposited under certain magnetic fields, and theories abound. However they certainly don't cause any harm, except perhaps to the wallets of people buying them, so I'd leave them alone. You are probably in a better situation than most of us to comment on these devices. Does your kettle fur up? If not, take off the magnets and see how longer before your kettle furs up. Simples.

 

[Eddy009]

Thanks, Ianniann.

Your suggestion has reminded me that we suffer from quite marked limescale problems here, in kettle and in the toilet-pans must noticeably, so those two magnets (which are both pretty powerful) haven't been doing much of a job! Nevertheless, as you also suggest, I'll put them back.

Eddy.

 

[Slugbabydotcom]

It works! Here's a report I found on the matter.

I have tried them around my gas feed to the boiler and on vehicles as well. I found a few mpg difference when I tried it on my car back in 2002. At the time the savings were so negligible that I couldn't be bothered taking the magnets off and putting them on my next motor. Thats why they ended up round the gas supply to my boiler. I haven't a clue if its making any difference there.
I personally think there is something in it as far as fuel saving goes but it appears no one has bothered to carry out any proper controlled and conclusive tests. Maybe this will change along with current attitudes towards fuel efficiency.

 

[ianniann]

I found a few mpg difference when I tried it on my car

If you offered me a device that could add "a few mpg" to my mileage without hurting anything, I'd bite your arm off. Fact is they don't. Magnets reducing scale is a possibility. Magnets making your car work better is a scam.

 

[dexthird]

I found a few mpg difference when I tried it on my car

If you offered me a device that could add "a few mpg" to my mileage without hurting anything, I'd bite your arm off. .

How about a sail

 

[Boilerman2]

I had a rep visit my office last year, he handed me a satndard gas cigarette lighter, and asked me to light it, and then put my hand over flame, lowering my hand nearer to the flame untill i could get no closer comfortably, whilst I did this he put one of these magnetic devices next to the fuel tank on the lighter, I can honestley say the flame suddenly became much hotter to the extent that I had to remove my hand immediately!!, I repeated this test several times , in disbelief, but I have to say there did seem to be something in it.

 

[JohnD]

if they really worked, there would be independent, verifiable scientific tests to prove it.

but people are willing to believe superstitious nonsense.

It works! Here's a report I found on the matter.

if you look at the report, it says (among other things)

Consumer Reports magazine (Denver 1996) tested a $535 magnetic water treatment device from Descal-A-Matic Corporation. Two electric water heaters were installed in the home of one of the Consumer Reports staffers. The hard water (200 ppm) entering one of the heaters was first passed through the magnetic treatment device. The second water heater received untreated water. The water heaters were cut open after more than two years and after more than 10,000 gallons of water were heated by each heater. The tanks were found to contain the same quantity and texture of scale. Consumer Reports concluded that the Descal-A-Matic unit was ineffective.

.....

Is there sufficient evidence of a beneficial effect to warrant spending hundreds of dollars on a residential magnetic water treatment unit? Unlikely. The understanding of magnetic water treatment must first be developed to the point where the effects of magnetic treatment can be reliably predicted and shown to be economically attractive.

Does magnetic water treatment perform as well as ion-exchange treatment? Definitely not. At present, the conventional water softening technologies are clearly much more reliable and effective. Further, the initial cost of an ion-exchange water softener (around $500) is comparable to that of many magnetic treatment systems

The utter lack of published test data is revealing. According to the vendors, magnetic fuel treatment has been around for at least fifty years. If it actually worked as claimed, it seems likely that it would by now be commonplace. It is not.

 

[ianniann]

I repeated this test several times , in disbelief, but I have to say there did seem to be something in it

Who was it said there's one born every day?

 

[ChrisR]

in disbelief, but I have to say there did seem to be something in it.

You would feel it more, after you'd burnt your bloody hand

 

[Slugbabydotcom]

if they really worked, there would be independent, verifiable scientific tests to prove it.

but people are willing to believe superstitious nonsense.

Regards the fuels

My own tests were not clinically controlled just what I figured at the time. I am implying that no one has bothered to do proper tests and that any benefits I found were small and could be put down to other factors, such as simply being more aware of fuel economy may have affected my driving habits. I know now that I get fifty miles more out of a tankfull of diesel in my van in the summer than I do in the winter. My economy also improves when my fuel filter is dirty! I put this down to the fact that a dirty filter causes the van to accelerate slower.

As for the water

Read the link carefully,

Gehr et al. (1995) found that magnetic treatment affects the quantity of suspended and dissolved calcium sulfate.

there is proof that it does work but I concede that whether it is financially viable may be another matter