Cleaning a plate HE.

[David937]

Hello again,

If a plate HE is blocked how can you tell if it's blocked on the primary side?

If it was blocked on the primary side could you clean it by circulating X800 or similar in the system for an hour or so?

Of course you would have to run a hot water tap to get it clean.

As you have diagnosed my grannies boiler with a blocked plate HE I was wondering how easy it is to clean without removing it

Thanks once again.

 

[gas4you]

If it is blocked on the primary system side, the boiler will keep going off and the hot water going hot & cold.

If it is blocked on the domestic side, you would probably get the boiler lock out on overheat and also the flow rate through the hot taps would be reduced do to the scale/blockage.

You could clean it as you suggest, but I hope granny is not on a water meter

 

[David937]

Then it is probably blocked on the primary side, temp on display goes over 70's and the boiler cycles.

So what I would do is drain the system*, add the X800, run the system*, the drain the system again*.

* There are several drain points downstairs, the radiators are fed by 15mm pipes from the ceiling, do I have to drain water from each drain point?

*What is the best temperature to run the system at and how long would I leave a hot water tap open for?

*How can I be sure that I don't just loosen the dirt and leave it in the system, can I leave the filling loop open and the drain cock open to flush out the dirt?

Thankfully there is no water meter

 

[namsag]

What boiler

 

[David937]

Vaillant turboMAX plus.

 

[namsag]

Take ten mins to remove , soak over night . then refitted first thing in morning

 

[David937]

I'm really not confident in removing it, if I do remove it I think it might leak when I replace it for some reason.

 

[David937]

Then it is probably blocked on the primary side, temp on display goes over 70's and the boiler cycles.

So what I would do is drain the system*, add the X800, run the system*, the drain the system again*.

* There are several drain points downstairs, the radiators are fed by 15mm pipes from the ceiling, do I have to drain water from each drain point?

*What is the best temperature to run the system at and how long would I leave a hot water tap open for?

*How can I be sure that I don't just loosen the dirt and leave it in the system, can I leave the filling loop open and the drain cock open to flush out the dirt?

Thankfully there is no water meter

Can anyone answer these questions?

Sorry for asking so many questions but I really believe in doing the job thoroughly and properly.

 

[markymark1234567]

You will never get a plate HE thoroughly clean best of just buying a new one i've tried it loads of times on ideal isars.

 

[Agile]

That thread was posted over a year ago.

He is probably concentrating on his GCSEs at the moment.

 

[markymark1234567]

lol cheers matey

 

[David937]

That thread was posted over a year ago.

He is probably concentrating on his GCSEs at the moment.

Got one exam left now And then work experience.

 

[mysteryman]

You can always try cleaning the system BEFORE fitting a new boiler...

 

[Agile]

What is the work experience David?

 

[David937]

What is the work experience David?

I'm terribly sorry for this late reply, my email account wasn't working properly!

I done my two weeks work experience at a Plumbing and Heating Merchant and installers established since 1905, they sell a wide variety of bathrooms, boilers etc and have about 5 engineers working for them. Majority of the time I was out with a specific engineer doing landlords gas safety certificates, fixing boilers (I remembered you when we repaired a Potterton Puma!) and we also replaced a large steel gas line which was corroding. I learnt how to do a tightness test too when doing the safety certificates. I did learn a lot about what the job involves, I used to be there for 8 everyday and was often stuck in traffic while out and about too. We condemed a back boiler which was leaking soot in the room, fixed an airlock on a vented hot water system on a new build and I done lots of other things. Thoroughly enjoyed it and I think I actually understand things better now and I know why some engineers on here never used to like it when I gave advice as I have no proper practical experience in the real world, I just browse with interest now and will hopefully be able to give advice when I'm fully registered etc.