more info on my HE

[Hertfordlass]

I recently posted regarding a two year old Ideal Isar with a limescaled HE that needs replacing.At the time of installation the thermostat remained uncommissioned for about 6-7 weeks so it read 24 instead of 21 which we'd set it to.During this time the magnetic scale reducer had not yet been installed.
Could this have caused premature scale build up?If so I will be calling the installation company to account.
Someone reckoned it was caused by a dripping tap,but this seems a more feasable explanation.
So,what do all you experts reckon then?

 

[gas4you]

I thought I'd answered this for you in your other post

 

[Hertfordlass]

No Dave ,you didn't answer this for me because you assumed the system was without a scale reducer for the two years but I subsequently posted that it was only missing for 6 weeks.
Look at all the info I,ve given and think about it for me please!
Thankyou.

 

[corgiman]

Could be that Magnetic Scale "reducers" are blooming monkeyshine

 

[htgeng]

No Dave
Look at all the info I,ve given and think about it for me please!
Thankyou.

ouch! that told you Dave

 

[corgiman]

No Dave
Look at all the info I,ve given and think about it for me please!
Thankyou.

ouch! that told you Dave

He needs to be told no and again htgeng

Nuffin our dave likes more than being told his job by some numpty nugget DIY'er, keeps him on his toes it does

 

[bengasman]

Always the same with these plumbers: they’re never there when you need ‘em.
Or was that an other profession?

 

[EliteHeat]

It was Agile that said that the cause was a dripping tap. He then congratulated himself profusely and didn't explain his diagnosis further.

I am interested to see why this is the case - the reason for the HE failure and not the lack of further comment by Agile

 

[Gasguru]

Looking at the MI the Isars use a thermistor for hot water flow detection and the boiler incorporates 24Hr pre-heat. Perhaps the combination of an unusual method of DHW flow sensing and the pre-heat function can lead to premature scaling if a hot tap drips.

If the tempertaure control on the primary side is poor (carp software etc) then the plate could be going above 60 Centigrade during preheat or the perhaps the preheat software could be firing up the boiler more often than necessary.

Or it could be some other reason. Don't work on this junk, local merchants won't sell Ideal anymore.

The OP said the DHW flow rate had dropped, does the Isar not incorporate flow restrictors etc, ie has a more obvious cause been ruled out.

 

[Onetap]

Any combi could scale up in 2 years, IF fitted in a hard water area and IF a scale-prevention device had not been fitted.

A magnetic/electronic 'water conditioner' is not a scale prevention device, they do not work. A base-exchange water softener or a phosphate dosing Combimate device are the only scale prevention devices that work. Read the Installation Instructions; what is recommended?

ISTR water in the Hertford area (Three Valleys Water Co?) is mostly drawn from boreholes in chalk and is hard, 350ppm or so. With an occasional soupcon of crypto-sporidium.

 

[Hertfordlass]

Thanks for your replies!Fernox was added at time of installation by the way!

 

[gas4you]

Firstly, b o l l o c k s

IF we are talking about the main HE then hard water in the system will not really cause any problems as it is only filled once.

Secondly in line scale inhibitors of ANY type are a total con and a waste of time and money, IMHO.

IF we are talking about the plate HE then the only thing I would have fitted, as I said before, would have been a combiguard type filter.

You can add any amount of Fernox you like, it will not get get rid of any c r a p that is already there or make up for a cheap cowboy installation done wrong in the first place, and lets face it we all know what c r a p Ideal boilers are generally