Oh the irony

You might well hmmm. It's hard to imagine what effect a magnetic field might have on limescale. There is an outfit that hypes its product on TV here - little magnets in the mattress to fix your bad back, or something. Maybe the same mechanism.

There is some evidence that it precipitates a slightly different crystalline form, so the theory is that the precipitate will be a powder not a rock.

Seems not to have worked here tho :-)

Just to confirm - this is on the output of the descaler (magic water) and not the input (normal water)?

Yep, although it may have been fitted back to front since there is no indication of which is input and which is output - apart from a small arrow on the label that may indicate the direction of flow. In which case it has been installed back-to-front. The manufacturers website gives no technical or installation details at all.

I think it works the same whichever way its installed. In fact its just as good if you buy it and diont install it at all.

merely spending money on it is enough for it to adequately fulfil its design objectives. (see also 'renewable energy', 'green solutions' et al.)

That's terrible. That means it's been increasing the scale! .-)

To be clear, this is a product whose main effect is to destroy Speedfit fittings?

Cheers Richard

No, it's a product with no effect...

I'd be fascinated to see that evidence.

Andy

A while ago I posted a peer reviewed paper on this subject which did support this characteristic, of a forming a different crystalline form after being subjected to a magnetic field.

Ever since magnetism was discovered it's been viewed as a kind of magic (which it is, I suppose) and all sorts of people with no scientific grasp have ascribed special powers to it. I had a neighbour who was convinced that he had a way of controlling the weather using magnetism, and he never forgave me for declining to use my scientific training to help him with this project. A real nutter.

well that's the evidence the snake oil merchants claim exists.

Some peoples' minds are so open their brains have fallen out.

How strong a field?

I haven't just dismissed it as snake oil, and that paper does seem to be from people working at a reputable institution. However the various studies on this seem to show a lack of reproducability, and no theory which would explain the effect.

I could live with one or the other, but both makes me suspicious.

Ion exchange water softeners do work, all the time, for everyone. Phosphate dosing also works. The various magnetic and electrical systems seem to work some of the time for some of the people. I'm not saying there is nothing in it, but I am very sceptical.

Andy

To be honest there are few studies on the subject and not aware of substantive studies which disprove this study.

I also wouldn't go out and buy one of these devices on one publication, but at the same time I wouldn't discount the possibility such a device may be of value.

In article , Andrew May writes

That's me learned something today, I hadn't realised the limescale dropped out significantly on the cold side. Also I'm surprised it could cause a leak without movement ie. crust causes imperfect seal if O-ring is moved.

Not a problem here as it's soft water.

What a load of bollocks.