I need to replace a (second) radiator after a pinhole appeared in it. It's one of the original 1970 radiators, others being added in 1983 to make a total of 16. The system was flushed and had inhibitor added quite some time ago now and I'm sure it's due for another clear out and another dose of inhibitor!
Can anyone recommend suitable products? Fernox seems to be the most common, but is it the best? If it's to be Fernox, which ones - there seems to be a variety of Fernox inhibitors for example.
As we have concrete floors downstairs, the pipes to radiators drop down from the bedrooms. Unfortunately some of the drops do not have any way to drain them off. I seem to remember mention on here of some kind of alternative lockshield valve which might be useful in these circumastances. Anyone able to enlighten me?
Ian Stirling wrote in news:420cb346$0$93132$ snipped-for-privacy@ptn-nntp-reader04.plus.net:
Pleased to say that I did that last time.
Sorry, what do you mean by 'filter'? What is it and where does it go?
Any particular cleanser or inhibitor recommended? Fernox products seem to sell at around £19 for 10 radiators but Screwfix have a couple I've not heard of before, 'Flushex' and 'Protex', at £3.69. However, they've got silly names and I don't trust products/companies with silly names - if they can't be bothered to think up anything more original then how much effort do they put in elsewhere?
=============== I used the Screwfix products a few months ago and I got perfectly clear water after the flush. Very good value for money I think.
The Screwfix products are made by a firm called 'Purimachos' (try a 'google' for more information) which has a long history. They're marked 'WRAS approved formulation' so there shouldn't be any real doubt about their quality.
Just had a major overhaul of the CH system and the plumber pointed out the same problem to me - 2 rads on a drop from above with no drain c*ck. So, as part of the overhaul included fitting TRVs and new lockshields, he fitted one of the 'special' type. The valve is kind of like a tee where the 'leg' attaches to the pipe, one end of the 'crossbar' attaches to the rad, and the other end of the crossbar is the drain point. Apparently (not tried it, but this is what he told me) shutting down the valve closes off both the leg and tee connections at the same time. Then, with the valve closed, a bleed key is inserted into the drain c*ck - up the spout, as it were - to remove an internal plug, you attach your drain hose and open the valve again. Water flows from the feed (or more likely return) pipe and from the radiator until both are empty. Damned clever idea ... !
Oh, and by the way, to all those people who replied to my post a few weeks ago on the topic of my sooty boiler, you have caused me to spend two grand on getting a new boiler installed and overhauling the system. It was unquestionably the right decision, thank you.
My CORGI pointed out that the vent for the air needed for combustion was undersized - he showed me the data tables and there's no doubt he was right - so bigger hole in wall and new vent fitted. When a replacement gas meter was fitted a couple of years ago the replacement was smaller than the old one so they left it sitting in mid air supported only by the gas pipes. He was unhappy about that and re-made the outlet connection in a way to permit the meter to be supported. Then on commissioning the new boiler he discovered the gas pressure on the incoming main was insufficient so he had to call Transco to come and fit a new regulator which they promptly did. He was both amused and concerned that the "young lad" wouldn't agree that the pressure had to be set with all appliances - hob, boiler and gas fire - operating simultaneously, and had to make a call back to 'base' before he was convinced and sheepishly agreed John (plumber) was correct! (Thinks, I wonder how many other regulators he has fitted and set incorrectly ....). The system is currently pumping a (second) bottle of X400 around in the water and he's coming back next week to drain it down and re-fill with the inhibitor added.
He left me the printout from his combustion analyser with the boiler's log book and if I read it correctly, it seems to be producing 24 parts per million of carbon monoxide which is apparently well within the required limits, and is operating at a very respectable 87% efficiency. It's a Potterton Kingfisher 60,000 Btu unit with a conventional flue. One thing I'm not too sure about is the flow and return water temperatures, recorded as 80 and 69 degrees respectively. ISTR 82 and 70-something being mentioned here in previous threads as the numbers to aim for. Anyone care to comment?
You've had a new boiler fitted which relies on a vent for the air needed for combustion? You're mad. Sorry to say so. Nobody in their right mind did this 30 years ago - let alone now.
The interesting figure is the CO/CO2 ratio, rather than the raw CO figure, but there shouldn't be a problem with a new boiler.
The figures are fine. The boiler stat will adjust them, but don't adjust the return below 60, or you risk getting condesation forming in a non-condensing boiler, which will corrode it.
When you're at the limit of what you can't really afford anyway, you have to make compromises - replacing the old boiler like for like, more or less, was the cheapest option. A conventional floor standing unit is lower cost than a more modern condensing boiler, and the flue was already in place for re-use. I will hold my hands up to making an assumption that the new unit would be as basic and simple as the old one (ultra-reliable, only thermocouples ever needed replacing) but it has electronic gubbins, pressure switches and fans in it - all extra stuff to wear out and go wrong that I didn't want. But there we are, job done now. We're warm and safe!
I would have to agree with your KISS principle John - however, IMHO having a drain c*ck, with whatever its shortcomings, is a small price to pay for the speed and convenience of being able to attach a hose which can go straight out the patio doors into an outside drain instead of spending ages pratting about with unstable trays full of black nasty water - however infrequently this may be required ... YMMV :o)
Agreed - our previous house had an unusually intelligent version of this idea: a drain c*ck in a large understairs cupboard, so the odd leakette of sludgy gunge (if such were present) would stain only floorboards, rather than your finest lounge carpet.
Never did get round to running a captive length of garden hose (with creepie-crawlie cap) through the airbrick close by - only time we had to drain down we just hooked up the garden hose and let it snake through hall and kitchen...
The message from Stefek Zaba contains these words:
AIUI the particular problem referred to above is drop down links from upstairs which need a drain valve on each section so a common drain c*ck wouldn't work in that case.
FWIW I have drains through the outside wall teed off both flow and return at the lowest point on the circuit. Still have to use hosepipes though as the discharge would otherwise end up in the well. Anyway being tight I drain down into a plastic dustbin and pump back afterwards.
I also have a (gatevalved)* cross link between cold feed for the cylinder and the feed to the hot taps so next time I have to drain down the cylinder I won't have to wait hours while the contents syphon out.
John Stumbles wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@individual.net:
I had to read that several times before I was sure of what you were saying!
I've found Toolstation and they have 'Tower' inhibitor and cleanser at £6+ each. Anyone got any experience of these? Or should I stick to the Fernox and Sentinel at just short of three times the price?
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