MagnaClean and Hydroflow recommended by British Gas: worth it?

[rrh]

Hydroflow to cut scale in domestic hot water at about £140 fitted as here:

(unit seems to cost about £100)

and/or MagnaClean Professional filter to remove iron oxide particles from CH system at £250 fitted as here:

(unit only seems to cost about £90!)

One or both recommended today by the cheerful British Gas cove who (having failed to shift my dead old immersion heater) will return next week to fit a whole new HW cylinder "free" as part of my HomeCare policy.

CH is pressurised system with hardly any discernable loss of pressure in recent years (hence no topping up). Powerflushed by BG several years ago and I presume - though wasn't here to check - refilled with corrosion inhibitor then. Certainly had it in before. Magnet applied to copper outlet of primary flow from cylinder sticks to it, so I'll buy that there is lots of iron oxide residue inside. But surely I want to stop that being produced in the first place?

We are in a very hard water area and shower screens etc do get very encrusted with scale. But googling the group suggests these Hydroflow thingies aren't useful.

And it's BG, the guy is on commission etc. I have no intention of getting either fitted next week, but might consider getting the estimable Ed Sirett to install one or t'other when he does me a new boiler in a few months' time. Updated views?

[Doctor Drivel]

Try them if they don't work get your money back. I fitted an Aqua Dial version and it worked. Many others have had mixed results. Top quality makers recommend them, so the success rate must be good.

[Mike Dodd]

Installed a Magnaclean a year ago, at a time that I needed a replacement boiler (heat-exchanger burnt through). It did a good job collecting crap from the system (for a month or two I would remove the insert and was impressed (or horrified?!) at the amount of suspended oxide it collected.

Lasted a year. Just before XMas I went for an "annual service", only to find the steel shroud around the magnetic core had split and ruptured, losing all magnetic qualities.

I wrote to Adey (manufacturers), providing photo's of the failure and received NO reply whatsoever. I hadn't registered it when I bought from plumbworld.

Because of time-of-year, and a desire to remedy the problem I've bought a replacement, using only the lid/magnetic assembly - to avoid having to replumb around this. I'll be keeping an eye on this one, to make sure it doesn't fall to the same fate. I'm crossing my fingers that there was a manufacturing defect on the first unit.

So...

When they work, they work well. And yes I heard many good things said about them before I bought my first one - by those that HAD used them (those that haven't remain skeptical, of course).

But I'm cautious of advising on their quality - since my first one lasted

[rrh]

[Mike Dodd]

For interest sake (bad mobile phone picture)...

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I wouldn't bet on it. They seem to have an aversion to using inhibitor - I wonder why?

Then the inhibitor isn't effective.

Absolutely. If the radiators are rusting and shedding oxide they *will* eventually rupture. There could be a small amount on a new installation but once filled with water - which isn't constantly being topped up due to leaks or pumping over in an open system - the oxygen in the water disappears and no corrosion should take place. And of course inhibitor should be used anyway.

Not so much 'not useful' as useless and a con. You might as well wrap the pipe in the five pound notes you pay for it.

I'd love to know what Ed thinks of the Hydroflow unit.;-) The Magnaclean may be worth it but shouldn't be necessary - but for gawds sake add inhibitor. I'm utterly amazed BG allow their staff to promote snake oil products, in the case of the Hydroflow.

[TheScullster]

"Mike Dodd"wrote

[rrh]

Sadly I'm not. But thanks to you and others for comments.

[John Rumm]

Snake oil most would say...

Does what it says on the tin, but is is attempting to cure a symptom rather than the real problem.

If you want soft water, then fit an ion exchange water softener...

[Ed Sirett]

If you simply don't want the scale to build up in the boielr then dosing with phosphates also works.

[John Stumbles]

BTW Screwfix now do a monster canister scale reducer

looks as if it shouldn't block up the way the smaller (and more expensive) Permutit/Culligan canister types are prone to doing. Which they're also now selling too. cartridge for the 20315 contains polyphosphate crystal pebbles - about the size or marbles - which you should be able to replace without throwing away the plastic housing, if you can find a source (possibly refills for Boilermates?)

[Ed Sirett]

That was my first question, these devices are no good unless the refills are available (it might be that the refills are nearly the cost of the new units...).

I noticed in the CORGI comic that there is talk of making scale reducers mandatory. I would have to find and look closely at the article to decide if its: Actual building reg in the pipeline. Wished for building reg. Planted copy by a manufacturer.

I always tick the box saying "has a scale reducer been fitted" NO. If I /have/ to install one then I would like one that uses verifiable and repeatable principles and results rather than witchcraft.

[<me9]

A scale reducer would be a rediculous white elephant here. My last kettle had neglgible scale after 25 years of regular boiling. If mandatory I hope it's only where the water is harder than here.

[Doctor Drivel]

Where are you?

[Stuart Noble]

I thought phosphates had been outlawed

[Andy Hall]

Not for this application. The amounts involved are tiny. This is not a Calgon level of operation - the intent is simply to prevent scale formation, and that does not need a lot of phosphate release.

[John Stumbles]

No, about half price in each case. Disappointingly screwfix arene't doing refills for the smaller (but more expensive) metal canister type but you can get them for about £15 from B&Q (and no doubt many PMs). They do refils for the bigger (cheaper) whole-house unit but I was saying I don't think you need to be tied to these since you can easily refill the unit if you can get suitable pebble-type cyrstals of polyphosphate.

In either case refills shouldn't be a problem since the units are made by Culligan & Permutit (are they the same company?)

They are anyway, kind-of: if the MI says so then you have to, and W-B's instructions (at least) do say so.

I'm sure I came across a requirement reading some regs the other day but damned if I can remember which. Possibly a BS, although all I can find at the moment is in BS5446:2000

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5.2.8 Scale formation COMMENTARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Measures to prevent the formation of scale should be considered.

Hard water may deposit scale in pipes, fittings and the waterways of appliances, but does not normally cause corrosion. Excessive deposits cause restriction of water flow in pipes and fittings and may lead to overheating in appliances. The amount of scale deposited depends upon the temporary hardness present in the water and the temperature to which it is raised. Scale deposit can be minimized by the use of a proprietary chemical treatment or other devices acceptable to the water supplier. The appliance manufacturer can usually offer further advice."

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[valenciarentals]

El lunes, 14 de enero de 2008, 16:23:41 (UTC+1), rrh escribió:

HydroFlow is recommended by Plumber's World as the best descaler. I have u sed one for years. worth every penny.

[George Peters]

Does anyone know a good distributor in the UK for HydroFlow industrial models? Any thoughts welcome.

[Capitol]

So, we're back to snake oil again after only 7 years!