Radiator Pipes Blocked or Kinked?

trills

I had a new boiler Vaillant Ecotec Plus Combi installed around 10 months ago with a Magnaclean fitted. Some of our radiators (all 10 years old) didn't work before or after the new boiler & system flush. The plumber mentioned that the pipes may be kinked somewhere, but didn't want to take the floor boards up until I was ready for that.

I have just found out that Magnaclean should be emptied (we weren't told this!), so I have emptied it - there was quite a lot of magnetite, around half the capacity of the chamber was filled. I checked it a week later and there was some more, but not very much.

I have had a look at the radiators that don't heat up at all (the metal bit on the thermostat got warm after a long time of having heating on, but no heat to these radiators). I removed the plastic pipes to check flow, which was very slow - and put a zip tie up the pipe and dislodged some black sludge. After this the water flow increased somewhat. I also emptied the radiators and flushed out the sludge from them. The radiators still didn't heat up, so I guess the pipes either are kinked somewhere, or the pipes to these radiators are sludged up.

Should I try adding a chemical product to try to move the sludge? If so, which would be best for my boiler/plastic piping and do I add it in via the Magnaclean air vent as per the Magnaclean instructions?

Zandoni

You could try this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJWlPDxMnCM

trills

It was flushed a short while ago.

southcoastrgi

trills wrote: »

It was flushed a short while ago.

not very well

garryselby

I cant see the pipes being kinked unless the guy who fit originally screwed up but you may have loads of silt in oxide and this needs to be removed at guess I think who ever did your power flush did a poor job but if the pipe work is small 10mm or 8mm then it could possibly be totaly blocked and worse come will have to be replaced unless it frees . but maybe a valve is stuck or blocked on a radiator it could take ages to talk you through options or solutions . Try turning most of radiators off at one end then leave 2 on one working one and the one not this pill put more pressure on the one working one to attempt to move sludge also make sure its fully open both ends , I would also get some sentinal x800 or Fernox F5 put it in your magnaclean if you have old style magnaclean then bail out water put the cleaner in you may have to do this operation 2 times as you cant always get full dose in one go , leave in for 2 weeks then completely drain system you need hose pipe then refill clean water and do process again put inhibitor in . if you know a good plumber you can get him to do it and clean the magnaclean regular if loads in every other day then reduce process as less and less in it mine was daily then weekly then monthly now yearly and clear water loads of inhibitor .
If you want more help contact me direct . but its a professional job but unfortunately not all are and you paid to gave it flushed . I did a job other week boiler swap insisted everything worked and after wasting lots of hours we soaped a plastic pipe out close to blocked this is what happens if you dont put inhibitor in.

southcoastrgi

garryselby wrote: »

If you want more help contact me direct

the rest of your advice is valid & very good, but tut tut to the above :cool:

squeeks

Are you sure you don't need to balance the radiators.

Cleaning the magnaclean:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBwKsvXj1JY

unclebulgaria

Microbore piping wont successfully powerflush especially if its quite heavily sludged. Your best bet is to add, as above, F5 or X800 and leave it in. The only problem with that is if there is no flow you might as well be weeing in the wind!
Actually just re-read your post, was that a powerflush or just chemical flush?

agoodplumber

A power flush is a procedure which cleans your central heating system. Over time the insides of your radiators corrode, as the metal rusts debris mixes with the water in the system to create a thick sludge like substance. This sludge can reek havoc in your central heating system as it disrupts the normal flow causing blockages which can make it work less efficiently or lead it to fully breakdown. I would agree that micro bore does not power flush as well as normal systems.