New boiler or not?

[CountryFan]

What is a bright wire nail test?

Take a sample of heating water, in a suitable receptacle, eg a glass jar with lid, add some bright nails and after a few days see if they rust.

Harry, why drop the water level before adding? Could I just scoop some water out of the tank? Would adding at a radiator be better? If so, how?

Yes, if you have a feed and expansion cistern for your heating, by all means scoop water out and add inhibitor.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Harry, why drop the water level before adding? Could I just scoop some water out of the tank? Would adding at a radiator be better? If so, how?

The water level in the tank, will rise and fall, as the heating warms and cools, due to expansion. If you just pour it in the tank without lowering the level, then it may take some time for it to eventually get to the rest of the system. Yes, you can scoop, or even syphon it out.

Adding it at a radiator would be better, but might be a little more involved, but easier if the rad it is added to, happened to need bleeding, then you would have airspace at the top. You would need to shut both valves, remove the entire bleed fitting, syphon water out with a pipe (if there was not enough space in it). Then pour the inhibitor in via a bit of pipe and a funnel. Finally, reassemble, open both valves, and run the heating system.

The bright nail test, is one of taking a sample of the heating system water, in a jar, dropping a couple of bright nails in (plain, iron nails, not galvanised, ot otherwise rust protected), and putting a lid on the jar, then leaving it a while. If they rust, your inhibitor needs topping up.

 

[denso13]

Could I just scoop some water out of the tank? Would adding at a radiator be better? If so, how?

Just add it to the cistern as it is, it will circulate ok