Powerflush clean scaled heat exchanger?

[professorplumb]

Was at a customers house the other day boiler is a potterton kingfisher MF aprox 6-7 years old.

Problem is the boiler kettles on full heat and eventually goes in to lock out by tripping the overheat stat and a serious amount of steam from the ARV.

client advises me he regulary takes the rads off and cleans them out with a hose pipe when i quizzed him about inhibitor he didn't realise. so i would say the heat exchanger has a fair bit of limescale.

Will a powerflush clear the limescale saying using Fernox DS-40 or Kamco scalebreaker. I dont want to sell him a powerflush only to find it didnt fix the issue. The cost of a new HEX is about £450 my charge for the powerflush will be similar.

Haven't done many powerflushes and want to be sure it will get the system back up on full heat as currently running on half heat and half the rads not getting warm becuase of this.

your help very much apreciated.

Simon

 

[stevetheplumber]

Have you tried a new pump this sometimes works

 

[professorplumb]

I took the Pump off, Seperated it from its casing to expose the propeller and switched it on and checked it was spinning even when pressure applied to it, all seemed fine.

the pump was clean not much magnetite etc

 

[Bartdude]

I'd like to know how effective powerflushing is in removing limescale tour water is very soft down here in Devon and scale is not a problem I come across.

 

[SafeGasInstall]

I would think ........,if you go back and ask him what has he done to his boiler !!!!

 

[professorplumb]

Sorry the heading should read :-

Will a powerflush clean/eliminate the scale build up on the heat exchanger completely???

 

[jase158]

not many replies on this but yes the kamco desclaer used properly will resolve the problem, if he has been hosing pipes out, they should be reasonably clean, so shouldn't need powerflush. I personally would use whichever machine i could get my hands on and pump some "system-hush" from Kamco through the system, fully open for about an hour. Leave it in the system for a few days, go back and show him how to put inhibitor in so he doesnt keep emptying the heating and not putting inhibitor back in.

Now the fairer option is to leave "system hush" in the system for a week. this will break up the scale, but if left too long or too short this will not be effective, if this doesnt solve it then i would power flush.

If you want to test this theory, find an old bit of copper or a tap covered in scale, drop it in a bucket with a drop of System hush or whatever chemical you are thinking of using and fill the bucket with hot water. leave over night, if the next morning most of the scale has gone then you know it will work.

 

[Blackcatgas]

DS 40 is strong stuff, I dont dare use use it as Ive not the exp or skills.

 

[professorplumb]

Client opted for new boiler due to its and pcb now developed a fault before the flush was even carried out.

Gone for GW ultracom HXI

Thanks

 

[FD Powerflow]

I use DS40 for most powerflushes but in fairness its pretty hard water up here in the North East.

DS40 literally dissolves Calcium/Magnesium Carbonate (hard water) and therefore this is the stuff you want to use. Other cleaners like F3 from Fernox or X800 from Sentinel simply break it off the surface of the metal so that you can flush it out.

 

[Heating-eng]

Was at a customers house the other day boiler is a potterton kingfisher MF aprox 6-7 years old.

Problem is the boiler kettles on full heat and eventually goes in to lock out by tripping the overheat stat and a serious amount of steam from the ARV.

client advises me he regulary takes the rads off and cleans them out with a hose pipe when i quizzed him about inhibitor he didn't realise. so i would say the heat exchanger has a fair bit of limescale.

Will a powerflush clear the limescale saying using Fernox DS-40 or Kamco scalebreaker. I dont want to sell him a powerflush only to find it didnt fix the issue. The cost of a new HEX is about £450 my charge for the powerflush will be similar.

Haven't done many powerflushes and want to be sure it will get the system back up on full heat as currently running on half heat and half the rads not getting warm becuase of this.

your help very much apreciated.

Simon

I do not think the power flush would clean it myself.
May be better to put some x400 in for a week or so and then go back and do the powerflush.

 

[Heating-eng]

Sorry the heading should read :-

Will a powerflush clean/eliminate the scale build up on the heat exchanger completely???

No it will not.