Filters for combi boiler

[james74]

Hi everyone,

We recently had our boiler serviced, and the engineer recommended that we get a magnetic sludge filter fitted (Magnatec or similar). The boiler already has a filter of some kind fitted to the cold water intake - pic attached. I'm not sure what this is, but I have a feeling it's for limescale, not sludge. We live in a very hard water area.



Can anyone identify the filter (or whatever it is) in the pic, and / or advise regarding whether a Magnatec filter would do something different?

The boiler is a Glow-Worm Flexicom 30 CX, about eight years old.

Grateful for any advice.

Thanks

James.

 

[robin7]

Looks like a Shock Arrestor - like this: https://www.bes.co.uk/mini-expansio...MI_enO56-K3AIVCL7tCh3mWggpEAQYAiABEgIXAPD_BwE

Fitted to help with Water Hammer.

 

[ReganAndCarter]

Yes, it's a shock arrestor. It may have been fitted because you have a deadleg somewhere in the pipework, and when a cold tap was turned off, it was fooling the boiler into thinking there was hot water demand and firing up momentarily.

You need to fit a magnetic filter to the large return pipe on right side of boiler to filter out rust particles from inside the rads as the system's water returns to the boiler. This will mean that the filter will stop the rust from entering boiler and causing damage. This damage can reduce the life of your boiler. Engineer probably found sludge/rust particles when examining boiler. All of this is nothing to do with the water that goes through boiler to hot taps.

I always fit Magnaclean Professional 2. https://www.mrcentralheating.co.uk/adey-magnaclean-professional-2-filter-22mm

 

[Hot&Cold]

We recently had our boiler serviced, and the engineer recommended that we get a magnetic sludge filter fitted (Magnatec or similar).

doubt it was an actual engineer,more of a technician and hopefully not a sales person.

did the inspecting person find a fault which would be rectified by fitting an additional unit

 

[durhamplumber]

old and twisty....another who moans about the engineer /technician definition...its always got right on my tits...ohhh...only science graduates and fully paid up members of some old gits institute can call themselves "engineer" otherwise you are unworthy scum with dirty hands and no clipboard...

 

[durhamplumber]

old and twisty....another who moans about the engineer /technician defintion...its always got right on my tits...ohhh...only science graduates and fully paid up members of some old gits institute can call themselves "engineer" otherwise you are unworthy scum with dirty hands and no clipboard...

"Now where did i put those vernier calipers so i can measure my superiority again"

 

[james74]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

Not wishing to get into the engineer vs. technician debate - the boiler was serviced by a Gas Safe registered person. He didn't find any specific fault but advised that fitting a magnetic filter should prevent the life of the boiler being shortened by build-up of rust and sludge, as ReganAndCarter said.

I think it makes sense to go ahead and get it fitted.

Thanks again for all the advice.

 

[lightning]

I always fit filters on new systems and advise on older systems, it down to the customer if they want to go ahead , I give them a price and leave it as that

Lot of customers think it’s a good idea when they see them working

 

[winston1]

Magnetic filters are a fairly new thing. My prievous central heating system did not have one and there was no noticeable sludge build up in the 22 years I lived there. It did Fernox in though.

Is rust (iron oxide) magnetic anyway?

EDIT. Just Googled it. Rust is NOT magnetic. Seems we are being taken for a ride (once again).

 

[durhamplumber]

Magnetic filters are a fairly new thing. My prievous central heating system did not have one and there was no noticeable sludge build up in the 22 years I lived there. It did Fernox in though.

Is rust (iron oxide) magnetic anyway?

EDIT. Just Googled it. Rust is NOT magnetic. Seems we are being taken for a ride (once again).

Maybe you should regoogle it.Rust is not a pure substance,different variations take to a magnet more strongly than others...What ever you wish to call it, a magnet takes a lot of shy...e out of a dirty central heating system

 

[fixitflav]

EDIT. Just Googled it. Rust is NOT magnetic. Seems we are being taken for a ride (once again)

One ore of iron is called magnetite for a good reason! My Magnaclean has removed stuff, mostly black particles.

 

[ReganAndCarter]

Magnetic filters are a fairly new thing. My prievous central heating system did not have one and there was no noticeable sludge build up in the 22 years I lived there. It did Fernox in though.

Is rust (iron oxide) magnetic anyway?

EDIT. Just Googled it. Rust is NOT magnetic. Seems we are being taken for a ride (once again).

Rust is only a coating that attaches itself to iron oxide. It's the iron oxide that is ferric and magnetic.

Anyway, Magnacleans have a compartment in the bottom that attracts non-magnetic debris.