Adding senitnol x100 to open vented heating system

[nitro23456]

Hi,

I'm going to add 1 litre of sentinol x100 inhibitor to my system (9rads) as I have had problems with air accumulating and I suspect that there may be none in the system since we moved in recently. This is what i am going to do, please point out anything wrong or other suggestions/improvements:

- pour 1 litre x100 in f&e tank in loft
- drain approx 1 litre of existing water from a bleed valve on a ground floor rad to draw it into the system.
- run system for 3 hours or so to circulate

Is it possible to overdose a system if there be some in already?
Will I need to remove some water from f&e 1st or is above method ok?

While Im up there, what is the correct height for the vent pipe above the f&e water level?

 

[bengasman]

you can just chuck it in and nature will do the rest.
if you want to do it really nicely, you stop the tank from filling, drain a bucket full, tip the inhibitor in and fill the tank again.
adding the inhibitor and draining a litre is pointless

 

[Softus]

- pour 1 litre x100 in f&e tank in loft
- drain approx 1 litre of existing water from a bleed valve on a ground floor rad to draw it into the system.

Wrong sequence, and wrong amount.

- run system for 3 hours or so to circulate

And after the three hours?

 

[namsag]

the way to do it is to tie ball valve up drain the system for a couple of minutes through a hose at drain cock so that the tank is completley empty aswell as some of the system. shut the drain cock then tip it in tank and untie ball valve.
That way it will get into the system ,better still use a concentrate and inject it into the rad( instructions come with it)

Anyone who thinks tipping it in the tank and it will eventually circulate has never put there hand into a header tank and been attacked by the jelly monster that used to form when inhibitor came in gallon containers.

 

[nitro23456]

why is 1 litre the wrong amount?

So now i'm going to all but completely empty the f&e tank, pour it in, untie ball valve and let it refill. (keep a small amount of inhibitor in reserve)......

Why, after the above, is draining some water from a radiator not going to draw this inhibitor into the system from the f&e?- I would have thought draining a few litres would be a good idea to get it into the system.

.....Then put in remaining inhibitor inot the new water in the f&e and turn on heating to circulate, follwed by any bleeding necessary.

please advise.

 

[Softus]

why is 1 litre the wrong amount?

For one thing you're not proposing to drain only 1 litre - you're planning to drain more, but in a bizarre and protracted manner.

So now i'm going to all but completely empty the f&e tank, pour it in, untie ball valve and let it refill. (keep a small amount of inhibitor in reserve)......

Why oh why oh why are you making it so complicated?

Why, after the above, is draining some water from a radiator not going to draw this inhibitor into the system from the f&e?- I would have thought draining a few litres would be a good idea to get it into the system.

It is, but it's better to do it before adding the dose.

.....Then put in remaining inhibitor inot the new water in the f&e and turn on heating to circulate, follwed by any bleeding necessary.

As I said - bizarre.

please advise.

OK then.

1. Isolate the supply to the F&E (or tie up the float arm).
2. Drain the system. Optionally, if you want to make it more complicated, stop when it's half drained.
3. Add the dose of inhibitor.
4. Reinstate the supply, or untie the float arm.
5. Have a cup of tea.
6. Vent.
7. Test.
8. Two days later, vent again.

 

[nitro23456]

I am making it so complicated, so I dont have to spend the next 3 weeks trying to remove airlocks at various points of the system caused by draining down.

 

[namsag]

Put it in rad then.

 

[nitro23456]

Put it in rad then.

I already have the x100 and dont intend swappign it for concentrate or inject kits.

It is essentially the same thing as im proposing as you would have to drain the rad to put it in a rad and no doubt pour half of it on the floor and also no doubt end up with a leaking bleed assembly...... im just adding it at the top and then drawing it in.

Thanks for all your advice.... It might seem a complicated way round to a seasoned pro, but it is the route of least hassle (airlocks, faffing about with rads) for my DIY level.

 

[Softus]

Let's go back to the beginning...

This is what i am going to do, please point out anything wrong or other suggestions/improvements:

I already have the x100 and dont intend swappign it for concentrate or inject kits.

That's a mistake.

It is essentially the same thing as im proposing

No it isn't.

you would have to drain the rad to put it in a rad

No you wouldn't.

pour half of it on the floor

No you wouldn't.

and also no doubt end up with a leaking bleed assembly.

So you have a faulty rad vent, and you're going to add inhibitor before fixing it?

That's a mistake.

im just adding it at the top and then drawing it in.

That's the wrong way to do it.

It might seem a complicated way round to a seasoned pro, but it is the route of least hassle (airlocks, faffing about with rads) for my DIY level.

You're wrong. You're making it more complicated, and putting in more effort into it, with more hassle, than any pro would contemplate.

If you never intended changing the way that you're going to do it, why did you bother posting in the first place?

 

[namsag]

Look it simple by removing a litre and adding a litre it wont mix and get into the system properly it just does not work like that.
If you dont want to change it ,it is easy to rig up a funnel and add it to a rad by removing the plug and opening the bleed .obviously after emptying water from bottom of rad.

 

[nitro23456]

If you never intended changing the way that you're going to do it, why did you bother posting in the first place?

thats a fair point.

 

[Softus]

If you never intended changing the way that you're going to do it, why did you bother posting in the first place?

thats a fair point.

No, it's a question.

 

[Aquaheat]

Seriously,

Why bother posting and asking for advice when you are going to argue with the advice you are given?

Maybe they can use it as an excuse when it all goes Pete Tong??!!

Softus' advice is spot on the only thing that i would say is that to avoid potential F**k ups for the OP there is no need to drain the whole system just run it for a minute or so and drop out 4 or 5 litres and then add the inhibitor to the empty F+E tank.

Thats just personal opinion though.

 

[Slugbabydotcom]

Wasting time putting in x100. Your system is drawing in air for a reason.
Faulty pump, blocked feed pipe, bad:- vent/pump/feed layout, other air infiltration issue.
When you have dealt with that you can put in your X100