Question for boiler plumber (preferably British Gas plumber)

sho_me_da_money

Hi Forum,

A British Gas Engineer has just installed me a TF1 Omega Filter. There are two types of installations - with or without isolation valves. Due to the short length of pipe available he installed the 'no isolation-valves' version of the filter.  Now the part that is bugging me is that he installed the filter on the FLOW pipe. He explained that there is literally no room available on the return pipe and although it is best practise to install the filter on the RETURN, it can be installed on the FLOW.  I read the product spec and it does suggest the TF1 Omega Filter can be installed on the FLOW but I just wanted to verify this with someone experienced in this field please?

Finally, if the filter is installed on the FLOW, which way should the arrow on the filter be pointing? UP or DOWN?

Thanks

tacpot12

The filter can be fitted on the flow pipe. If the filter is installed on the flow, the arrow should be pointing away from the boiler. 

sho_me_da_money

Appreciate the response tacpot12. 

What happens if the arrow is pointing DOWN towards the boiler? Ill share an image:

Zoomed out:




Zoomed in:

Bendy_House

Clearly it ain't 'right'. But just how significant is hard to judge.

These usually work by sending the water flow in a spiral around the magnet inside, so that the magnet has the best chance of attracting any sludge by increasing the amount of contact time with the water flow. Whether having this fitted in the wrong direction will affect this, I don't know. Personally, I'd ask Fernox - email them.

I understand the reason it's best to have it on the return is simply because the temp will be lower, so probably not a major issue for a metal-bodied filter like yours. And the instructions do seemingly say it's 'ok'?

Where do the two 22mm pipes go when they pass through the ceiling? You can't access them in an upstairs cupboard, or anything, can you?

Looking again at that pic, it seems very possible to simply reverse that fitting, and just rotate the body to suit? It'll mean another drain-down, of course... :-(

sho_me_da_money

If they reverse that fitting with the arrow pointing UP, then im guessing the filter will be screwed on the right side (side of the earth wire). That would then mean the filter would be resting against pipe next to the earth wire (the one bending down) i.e. meaning it wouldn't sit flush against the back wall.

I am beginning to wonder if they simply installed it where it is because there of the space constraint.

I am extremely peeved off. They should be doing the job right and repipe if necessary and not try to cut corners by putting it on the flow AND the wrong way. I am going to call Fernox today.

Regarding the 2 x 22m pipes - no idea. The room above the boiler is a bedroom and I cannot see anything there. But I can see  pipes in a different bedroom on the other side of the house. This is the bedroom that had the boiler cupboard and large water tank back in the day.
 

Zandoni

That is obviously bodged to fit the space and that wacking great arrow is there for a reason. Get them back out to either remove it or find a place to fit it correctly.

jefaz07

sho_me_da_money said:

If they reverse that fitting with the arrow pointing UP, then im guessing the filter will be screwed on the right side (side of the earth wire). That would then mean the filter would be resting against pipe next to the earth wire (the one bending down) i.e. meaning it wouldn't sit flush against the back wall.

I am beginning to wonder if they simply installed it where it is because there of the space constraint.

I am extremely peeved off. They should be doing the job right and repipe if necessary and not try to cut corners by putting it on the flow AND the wrong way. I am going to call Fernox today.

Regarding the 2 x 22m pipes - no idea. The room above the boiler is a bedroom and I cannot see anything there. But I can see  pipes in a different bedroom on the other side of the house. This is the bedroom that had the boiler cupboard and large water tank back in the day.
 

No, the filter body can be just turned 180 degrees and the filter can still be the same way. 

The arrow doesn’t need to be visible. It is fitted incorrectly though. 

There is no issue with fitting it on the flow. Not the best place but certainly not wrong! 

You should get the body orientated correctly but I can’t see why they should re pipe to fit it on the return when it is fitted to MI’s (subject to body change) 

sho_me_da_money

jefaz07 said:

sho_me_da_money said:

If they reverse that fitting with the arrow pointing UP, then im guessing the filter will be screwed on the right side (side of the earth wire). That would then mean the filter would be resting against pipe next to the earth wire (the one bending down) i.e. meaning it wouldn't sit flush against the back wall.

I am beginning to wonder if they simply installed it where it is because there of the space constraint.

I am extremely peeved off. They should be doing the job right and repipe if necessary and not try to cut corners by putting it on the flow AND the wrong way. I am going to call Fernox today.

Regarding the 2 x 22m pipes - no idea. The room above the boiler is a bedroom and I cannot see anything there. But I can see  pipes in a different bedroom on the other side of the house. This is the bedroom that had the boiler cupboard and large water tank back in the day.
 

No, the filter body can be just turned 180 degrees and the filter can still be the same way. 

The arrow doesn’t need to be visible. It is fitted incorrectly though. 

There is no issue with fitting it on the flow. Not the best place but certainly not wrong! 

You should get the body orientated correctly but I can’t see why they should re pipe to fit it on the return when it is fitted to MI’s (subject to body change) 

Question.

As it stands the body/orientation is positioned with the magnet at the top of the filter and the drain on the bottom. When it comes to cleaning/maintenance, one can quickly unscrew the bottom, catch the water in a bucket and lift the magnet out of the top.

If the body is flipped 180 degrees, wouldn't that mean the drain side is at the top and the magnet side at the bottom. Pulling the magnet isn't an issue but surely trying to drain up and out of a filter is going to be like.a challenge on the Krypton factor?

Sorry if i've misunderstood. Would be grateful for a rough doodle.

jefaz07

Hi. No problem. If you can imagine the body just being rotated 180 degrees. The thread for the filter still facing the same way. 

Try to think of it as 2 parts. 

1 - the filter…Move the filter out of the way by pulling it out…hold it there. 

2 - the body, just flip it 180! The thread for the filter the same place. Only a 180 flip…no rotation. 

Hope that makes sense. I’m out drinking in Newcastle. 

bris

It's perfectly acceptable to fit on the flow side.

The reason it's preffered on the return side is simply that any sludge, iron debris etc is caught before it goes back through the heat exchanger.

Sometimes it's just not possible to use the return pipe so the flow is all there is but it will still do it's job and catch most of it after a few passes. 

I always do a chemical flush after fitting which clears most of it out leaving very little to catch, drain, add inhibitor and don't worry about it. 

It gets cleaned at the annual service after that. 

sho_me_da_money

jefaz07 said:

Hi. No problem. If you can imagine the body just being rotated 180 degrees. The thread for the filter still facing the same way. 

Try to think of it as 2 parts. 

1 - the filter…Move the filter out of the way by pulling it out…hold it there. 

2 - the body, just flip it 180! The thread for the filter the same place. Only a 180 flip…no rotation. 

Hope that makes sense. I’m out drinking in Newcastle. 

Ahh I get you know. The arrow simply won't be visible looking head on.