Flushed CH w/x400 but still sludged :(

[Satpal Chander]

Hi,

About a 2 weeks ago I flushed my CH system (less than 6year old) with sentinel x400 Desludger. The method was as follows:

1) Turned off supply to CH header tank 2) Drained the system from drain point. Lots of brown stuff came out. 3) Added x400 to filling headrer tank. 4) Removed air from all rads starting upstiars 5) Ran System full blast for 6 hours (As recommened by guy at plumb centre). 6) Turned off supply to header tank 7) Drained system from drain point and all other downstairs rads (all downstiars rads have drain points). More brown stuff. 8) Filled up CH systems and removed air. 9) Turn off supply to header tank. Drained again, more brown stuff. 10) Refilled system and removed air.

I have some X100(inhibitor) but for some reason didn't add it. Now a couple of weeks later rads showing signs of sludge again, this can't be good (is theis because I never added the x100 :(. Question is what should I do now? Should I drain the system again? Should I drain the system and take the rads off?? If I did this then are there any tips (like replacing seals in rads etc)?

Sorry about length of post. Any help would be most appreciated.

Thanks satpal

[SantaUK]

I'm just getting into the swing of things with my radiators, from help on here. On Christmas Eve, I decided to flush mine. But I drained my system down and then took each radiator off and into the garden. Unfortunately my radiators only have one entry pipe, so flushing with a hose wasn't practical, but just half filled them and kept shaking them and flushing them.

A lot of s***t came out of these things. Unfortunately I couldn't clear my huge double radiator, but it did help. I then filled and flushed then filled again with sludge remover. The following day when I drained down again (yes Christmas day) I then watched the quality of the water coming out. For the first ten seconds it was brown, and from then on the till the last drop it was virtually crystal clear. Having now refilled with inhibitor, my system shared the same tank as the hot water, so hasn't had inhibitor in it since 1975 (label of install on the old tank) the radiators are now wonderfully hot - better performance than before. Refitting mine I didn't need any seals of any type, just crank the nut tight.

A previous post suggested by Andy H that all radiators should come off and cleaned then a sludge remover used. I certainly know what he's talking about.

[David Hearn]

I thoroughly recommend the 'remove and flush radiators' method - worked wonders for me (though did have a brown lawn for a while!).

From what I remember reading on my old bottle of X400 was that it can be used for a number of days or even weeks. I might suggest possibly removing all rads and flushing outside with a hosepipe until they run clean (even after shaking). Then run X400 for a few days/week. After that, flush whole system with clean water. Once happy, add inhibitor.

Hope that helps.

David

[Christian McArdle]

If they're this badly sludged, you need to either flush them outside with a pressure washer or hosepipe, or hire a power flusher and do it with chemicals.

Christian.

[Satpal Chander]

Thanks for all the info. I think that I'm going to have to take each rad off and flush it.

Thanks satpal

[Andy Hall]

It'll be quicker and cheaper.

Do watch out for sludgy water when you open the radiator valve unions. The iron compounds in the sludge are a very effective dye.

When you take the radiators outside turn them upside down and put a plastic bag secured with a rubber band on each valve tail. This way, you won't get any drips.

At each radiator position, with other radiators turned off (note the position of the lockshield valves) flush some water out. This will removed sludge that has collected in the pipes as well if there is any.

Once you have the major amount of the sludge removed in this way, put in some more flushing agent and run hot for a few days. Then drain, flush and refill, adding inhibitor.

.andy

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