Magnaclean or Powerflush before fit new boiler?

jonnyb1978

keystone wrote: »

Actually it is possible to powerflush a microbore system but it takes an awful long time and it probably gets better results than a standard flush. Personally I hate microbore.

Cheers

Didnt say it wasn't. I said sometimes it's not advised.

meanmum

Thanks for all the advice. It is not a microbore system, it's a closed system (no header tank), was installed as new 27 years ago, has been drained down many times over the years (e.g. when removing radiators to decorate) & there has never appeared to be any significant sludge in the system.
We are inclined to go with a local supplier rather than the pushy BG salesman, but just want to make sure they are including everything they should to protect the boiler.
It sounds like I should be asking them to include some sort of flush, possibly a chemical one?

diywhynot

Vaillant's installation specs require a chemical flush....don't want to void warranty.:eek: Magnetic filter also an excellent idea eg. MB3

southcoastrgi

jonnyb1978 wrote: »

Didnt say it wasn't. I said sometimes it's not advised.

Only by people who don't know how to powerflush a system properly, if you add chemicals then the sludge will be freed up from inside the system, because of the flowrate of a powerflush pump then it is actually better on a microbore system rather than just letting the normal heating circulator do it as the system is more likely to get blocked, a little bit of knowledge, dangerous etc

jonnyb1978

southcoastrgi wrote: »

Only by people who don't know how to powerflush a system properly, if you add chemicals then the sludge will be freed up from inside the system, because of the flowrate of a powerflush pump then it is actually better on a microbore system rather than just letting the normal heating circulator do it as the system is more likely to get blocked, a little bit of knowledge, dangerous etc

Rubbish. A powerflush works because of the shear volume of water running through the system not because it uses a pump. The pump gives the volume.. how much volume of water can run through a system with thin pipes.
Ask any half decent gassafe registered folk.
Not to mention the powerflush knocking rust off and causing pinhole leaks

southcoastrgi

if you going to try & teach gran ma how to suck eggs at least know what you are talking about, after all i don't try to tell you how to drive a train do I ?

ps what's gas safe folks got to do with the price of fish ?

jonnyb1978

Like I said SOMETIMES its not advised. Are you saying you would powerflush a system every time then no matter what the system, no matter the condition and no matter what the job entails... would you say a powerflush is always needed?

Christ!

southcoastrgi

the fitting of a new boiler reqs the system to be chemically flushed, now you can put the cleaner in the system & let it work for a week under a normal heating cycle & while this is fine in the middle of winter i'm not sure the customer would be too happy having the heating on atm, you then have to empty & refill from every drain point & do this a few times until the water is clear & you use a tds meter to confirm this, now this is likely to take anywhere between 1/2 day & 1 day to do it properly, draining via an mtcock is only a very small hole so won't get rid of alot of the sludge as it will just settle back down in the rads & pipework so really abit of a waste of time & effort, now using a powerflush machine you can drain the water under full flow plus if you have magnets inline as i do most of the sludge has already been caught therefore giving a far better job, so yes as I have a powerflush unit in my van i will do it everytime over a man chem flush.

pinholes & rust aren't caused by powerflushing they are caused by a poorly maintained heating system & yes my t&c's do cover myself for this.

Here ended the lesson for today, however if there is anything you aren't sure of please feel free to make yourself look silly again

jonnyb1978

southcoastrgi wrote: »

the fitting of a new boiler reqs the system to be chemically flushed, now you can put the cleaner in the system & let it work for a week under a normal heating cycle & while this is fine in the middle of winter i'm not sure the customer would be too happy having the heating on atm, you then have to empty & refill from every drain point & do this a few times until the water is clear & you use a tds meter to confirm this, now this is likely to take anywhere between 1/2 day & 1 day to do it properly, draining via an mtcock is only a very small hole so won't get rid of alot of the sludge as it will just settle back down in the rads & pipework so really abit of a waste of time & effort, now using a powerflush machine you can drain the water under full flow plus if you have magnets inline as i do most of the sludge has already been caught therefore giving a far better job, so yes as I have a powerflush unit in my van i will do it everytime over a man chem flush.

pinholes & rust aren't caused by powerflushing they are caused by a poorly maintained heating system & yes my t&c's do cover myself for this.

Here ended the lesson for today, however if there is anything you aren't sure of please feel free to make yourself look silly again

Not silly just fact. Im not interested in trying to put people down like some people on here as most threads now turn into petty arguments like this one nor am i interested in the methods of powerflushing although I dont doubt you.

But to say a power flush is needed every time is wrong. How can you possibly say that without knowing the ins and outs of the job beforehand. For all you know it could have been power flushed the week before therefore its probably best advised that one would not be needed.

keystone

jonnyb1978 wrote: »

For all you know it could have been power flushed the week before therefore its probably best advised that one would not be needed.

True but equally for all you know it hasn't been done for twenty years by either method. Thats normally where the lil ol test kit comes in very handy to check the quality and composition of the system water. I suspect that now might be a good time to remind you of the First Law Of Holes. SC does this sort of stuff all day every day.

Cheers