Tadpole - an energy saving device???

Ebe_Scrooge

You could also have a look at my own invention. It's powered by a revolutionary new technology called Super Power Advanced Magnetism, and my tests prove conclusively that savings of up to 61% are not uncommon. If you're interested I can furnish you with the test reports.

renewablespro

I would like to see information on your product. Where do I find information, nothing came up on a search for Super Power Advanced Magnetism?

Cardew

renewablespro wrote: »

I would like to see information on your product. Where do I find information, nothing came up on a search for Super Power Advanced Magnetism?

I believe that the UK Government have ordered that the product be withdrawn on the grounds of National Security.


It is very likely there is an arrest warrant out for Ebe Scrooge and I should think so to!

Richmc

Fitted a tadpole a month ago and am happy to say it works.

1) from day one the system became much quieter
2) I timed the cycle time of the heating and comparing like for like days the heating cycle time is 10 to 15% shorter, so I was able to turn the boiler stat down.
3)The last rad on my system now heats up at the same rate and times as the other radiators all the radiators heat up quicker.

As I'm on oil heating it's not possible to accurately quantify the savings but the reduction in cycle times and being able to turn the radiators and boiler stat down a couple of notches would indicate the system is running more economically.

Got mine that was being sold on eBay as excess stock for £90, not the usual £250 so I thought it was worth a punt, turned out to be a good decision. Looked today the guy has one left if anyone else wants to try it, go do a search!

ihateconmen

Without getting into the actual and genuine experience and qualifications of "energy advisers", this product is a nonsense. In a sealed system (eg a combi), once the water is deaerated, then it is deaerated! No further air until water is replenished, which, unless there is a system leak is very infrequently.
There MAY be a case for one in an open vented system, but there are several similar products available at well less than £100,and these also remove/collect magnetite and other solids.

System

Richmc wrote: »

Fitted a tadpole a month ago and am happy to say it works.

1) from day one the system became much quieter
2) I timed the cycle time of the heating and comparing like for like days the heating cycle time is 10 to 15% shorter, so I was able to turn the boiler stat down.
3)The last rad on my system now heats up at the same rate and times as the other radiators all the radiators heat up quicker.

As I'm on oil heating it's not possible to accurately quantify the savings but the reduction in cycle times and being able to turn the radiators and boiler stat down a couple of notches would indicate the system is running more economically.

Got mine that was being sold on eBay as excess stock for £90, not the usual £250 so I thought it was worth a punt, turned out to be a good decision. Looked today the guy has one left if anyone else wants to try it, go do a search!

So you have just bought a micro-bubble deaerator for £90 when equivalent items are available online for £50. It is true; there are savings to be made. Rust requires air and water. No air in the system, so no rust and no sludge. To work, the system needs to be power flushed first.

In truth, your purchase will save you pence in running costs. You could save a lot more by buying something like Hive. Even then it wouldn't be in the order of £150 per year. I have this fitted to my system

https://www.spirotech.co.uk/products/spirovent-microbubble-deaerators-brass/

and my system is very quiet and heats up quickly but I doubt that it is saving me very much. My savings come from an opentherm-controlled condensing boiler (usage c20% down on a year ago).

Richmc

Hengus wrote: »

So you have just bought a micro-bubble deaerator for £90 when equivalent items are available online for £50. It is true; there are savings to be made. Rust requires air and water. No air in the system, so no rust and no sludge. To work, the system needs to be power flushed first.

In truth, your purchase will save you pence in running costs. You could save a lot more by buying something like Hive. Even then it wouldn't be in the order of £150 per year. I have this fitted to my system

https://www.spirotech.co.uk/products/spirovent-microbubble-deaerators-brass/

and my system is very quiet and heats up quickly but I doubt that it is saving me very much. My savings come from an opentherm-controlled condensing boiler (usage c20% down on a year ago).

You seem to have missed the point slightly, the tadpole has an automatic microbubble deaerator built in, the tadpole not only removes air and micro bubbles but ALL dissolved gasses to improve the conductivity of the water. It works, quantifying it is impossible but there is defiantly a saving, As for power flushing the system, always a good idea to maintain the system, in my case it wasn't required as I replaced all my radiators with new high efficiency ones.

As for savings just like there is no such thing as an energy saving kettle, it will always take the same energy to heat the same volume of water, when heating a home you need the same energy to heat the same volume of air, what the tadpole does is ensure the energy transfer from your gas, oil etc. is as effective as it can be. There is no substitute for ensuring you home is properly insulated and as energy efficient as it can be.

As you can see it's now a year since I had the tadpole fitted, I have used less oil, simple fact. Although there may be differences in the many variables, weather etc.

System

Richmc wrote: »

You seem to have missed the point slightly, the tadpole has an automatic microbubble deaerator built in, the tadpole not only removes air and micro bubbles but ALL dissolved gasses to improve the conductivity of the water. It works, quantifying it is impossible but there is defiantly a saving, As for power flushing the system, always a good idea to maintain the system, in my case it wasn't required as I replaced all my radiators with new high efficiency ones.

As for savings just like there is no such thing as an energy saving kettle, it will always take the same energy to heat the same volume of water, when heating a home you need the same energy to heat the same volume of air, what the tadpole does is ensure the energy transfer from your gas, oil etc. is as effective as it can be. There is no substitute for ensuring you home is properly insulated and as energy efficient as it can be.

As you can see it's now a year since I had the tadpole fitted, I have used less oil, simple fact. Although there may be differences in the many variables, weather etc.

You might find the information below of some interest:

http://www.heating-water.co.uk/technical-information/fill-central-heating.html

All de-aerators work on the same principle: they create a vortex and expel ALL gases from the circulating water. Vortex claim energy savings of '35%'; Tadpole claims savings of 'up to 20%' and most others - including SpiroTech claim 'up to 6%'. They cannot all be correct as these devices do exactly the same thing.

There are advantages to adding auto vents along with magnetic dirt separators to a clean system. I have a lifetime warranty on the boiler heat exchanger and a 10 year parts and labour warranty on the boiler itself. My system has been designed to comply with German Standard VDI 2035 and it doesn't have any CH chemical inhibitor. I also have smart heating controls; zoning and Opentherm boiler control where the manufacturer claims savings of 'up to 40%'. Unlike the savings for de-aeration, the up to 40% figure is based on independent academic research.

http://www.controlyourhome.org.uk/about-us/research.html

The 40% saving was determined using a 3 bed test property at Salford University which had NO heating controls. There are no similar independent tests that I can find for micro bubble de-aerators.

FWiW, my gas usage the year to date is currently 6882.7kWhs compared to 11175.2kWhs for the whole of 2016. In my view, this is down to the much warmer weather we are experiencing at the moment. My gas consumption this month is about a 1/3 of what it was in November 2016.

I am not knocking these devices as having no value but I am extremely doubtful that significant energy savings can be made with them.

If I added up all the claimed efficiency savings that are made for my boiler, and the various devices fitted to my heating system, suppliers would be paying me to use their energy.