Weird gizmo in daughter flat (for limescale)

Jan 24, 2010 7 Replies

Near the front door of my daughter flat is this white box, right on the same piping I think from memory on the stopcock. You basically turn power on a red light flashes and its supposed to stop limescale. Never seen nor heard of any such gizmos like this.



Anyone seen these.... or know where I can find some more info on them ... ? not quite sure what to google.


Google for Snake Oil or similar!!

Peter

Some fool was parted from his money. All it does is flash the light. In terms of limescale, it will work just as well switched off...

They were first marketed, I think, some 20 odd years ago. The claim was that inducing a magnetic field around the pipe somehow altered the molecular structure of the water preventing the formation of limescale. There is plenty of anecdotal evidence that they don't work. At all! Although we have one resident loon who will almost certainly pop up and start proclaiming how good they are!

Yes, but he's a sucker for all types of snake oil. He was promoting "Cataclean" in the motoring groups. A substance that one adds to fuel that supposedly cleans and re-plates the catalytic converter on a car as it is used. It came with shed loads of glowing testimonials. I checked one of them and "surprise! surprise!" that "testimonial" turned out to be a lie.

It is technically known as a FRLB. The FLRB is, as the acronym suggests, a flashing red light on a box. The hard water mollycules see the red light (they can look through copper as everyone knows) and become frightened. When frightened they clump together (the HWMCT response). Thus clubbed they cannot grip the inside of the pipe. Imagine homeopathy for copper pipes and you are not far off, it is more of a belief system than a technological one.

Beautifully explained. Now I understand how they work. You should have been a teacher matey.

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