Sentinel X400 : any good ?

[Cypermethrin]

I have one vertical radiator on my sealed system which is closest to the Worcester 24 SBI boiler which refuses to get 3 out of the 16 tubes heated up more than luke warm.

I have drained and refilled - some black sediment came out - but to little effect. Its a huge 1.8m tall and wieghs 35 kg so I would prefer to leave it on the wall.

Will Sentinel X400 help ? Don't want to powerflush the system as its 8mm micro stuff.

Appreciate your help - cheers

 

[neds]

Sentinel is good stuff I use nothing else for inhibitor, as for your problem though that product will be as good as any other sludge remover to a point. Chances are there probably is some stubbord sludge that will need a hose at the end of it and flushing out. You can still leave it on the wall to do that...

 

[JohnD]

I drained and rinsed my mum's old system, and fitted a magnaclean. Once it had stopped collecting new sediment, I put X400 in it and got mugfulls more out. So yes, it works. I was very pleased with it.

BTW the Magnaclean is also very good for collecting the loosened sediment, once you have loosened it, more and more gets collected for months and months. I am sure this is much better than just giving it a clean and then putting it back into service.

btw I have heard that some of the big vertical rads have diverters in and must have flow on one side not the other. However I have no experience of that. See if you can find any manufacturer's instructions relating to yours. Pressed steel rads tend to have a "hot at both ends and the top, cold in the middle" pattern when they are sludged.

 

[Cypermethrin]

Thanks for your reply neds - much appreciated

Its annoying that the 3 columns which are only luke warm are in the first three rows after the inlet and are before the constriction which forces water upwards and around the rad. so it affects the performance of the whole rad

At first I thought it was an air lock but now I'm convinced its a sediment thing

Will get the hose out and flush for Britain and add X400 for good measure - all other rads in house are very hot.

Sentinel is good stuff I use nothing else for inhibitor, as for your problem though that product will be as good as any other sludge remover to a point. Chances are there probably is some stubbord sludge that will need a hose at the end of it and flushing out. You can still leave it on the wall to do that...

 

[Cypermethrin]

HI JohnD

Thanks for the advice

The rad has been on wall for 6 years - I fitted it and was aware of the constrictors / diverters as you say and installed it as per manuf instuctions

The other 13 tubes are all fine - but suffer allittle from a cooler middle cf. top and bottom as you say

So I'm hoping that a good flush will do the job - I presume there's no harm in flushing using the large bleed valve at the top and exit out of the bottom ? Also heard that some bangs with a rubber hammer may encourage the blockage to let go ?

Thanks again

btw I have heard that some of the big vertical rads have diverters in and must have flow on one side not the other. However I have no experience of that. See if you can find any manufacturer's instructions relating to yours. Pressed steel rads tend to have a "hot at both ends and the top, cold in the middle" pattern when they are sludged.