Inhibitor concentration

[Reesy09]

Hello. I have an Alpha CD50 boiler running off LPG. It's just over 3 years old and at the beginning of the year it leaked. It emerged that 2 of the o- rings had corroded as well as a metal plate (can't remember the technical name) where the water had dripped through the corroded o-ring. It was all replaced under the warranty but the man from Alpha said that the water inside the system had too much inhibitor in it. He said ours is coke coloured and it should be more like olive oil. He suggested we had the heating system drained and refilled so that less inhibitor could be added. He also suggested this may have been the reason the o-rings corroded.

I've had the boiler serviced recently by an 'Alpha specialist' and he didn't know what colour the water should be...

Any ideas gratefully received as I'd prefer not to have another leak if the o-rings corrode again!

Thanks.

 

[crockett]

Less inhibitor ? I think you may find it isn't necessarily critical how much you have in your system, it's how little. If the system water is coke coloured, I would suggest that it may be more to do with corrosion than inhibitor.

 

[Boilerman2]

Or Carpy cheap inhibitor from Wickes!!
I only use Fernox or Sentinel products

 

[Beerlover]

Are you sure it is not system cleaner in the system not inhibitor ? Would recommend a complete drain down followed by a cold water flush and then refill with new inhibitor.

System water should have vitually no colour to the water, but the water should have a 'greasy feal' when rubbed between your fingers. Not an exact science but works for me

 

[Reesy09]

According to the plumber that signed the boiler off, it is inhibitor in the system, although I wouldn't be surprised if it was cheap stuff from Wickes

I guess we'll have to follow your advice Beerlover and get the system drained down and refilled. Will it be ok to wait until the spring or should we do it asap?