Magnaclean a must?

[Onetap]

I have to disagree with you there. But different acids have varying effectiveness on different deposits found in heating systems.

I'm not a chemist, my opinions are based on what I've been told over the years by water treatment specialists and on own my experience.

The black magnetite sludge is a ferrous oxide, the product of corrosion of the insides of the radiators; SFAIK, it is not a compound that can be dissolved with acids. It can only be removed by filtering the suspended particles out of the water stream or by flushing.

Limescale is calcium carbonates and can be dissolved with acids. It would accumulate in a system as a result of a long term leak and excessive topping-up with hard mains water.

I'd suggest that you should cut out a section of low-lying pipe, after you've cleaned a system by your preferred powerflushing technique, to assess how effective the cleaning has been. You might then revise your opinions. Or you might not.

 

[hansthebear]

Thank you everyone for very interesting replies, especially Onetap and Agile.

For those talking about prices, in case you're interested, to fit Magnaclean in the course of installing my new boiler British Gas quoted an additional £230+VAT, while my local engineer quoted an extra £85+VAT! Overall, although it wasn't cheap, the BG quote seemed quite fair, so I don't know what's going on there...

BG dont fit magnacleans, the spirotech magnabooster that they would have quoted you for filters non magnetic dirt also so is more effective.

 

[transam]

Want to clean out the magnatite from a plate exc , hydrochloric acid guaranteed to shift it ! same with the secondary side ! obviously the plate is removed first ! acids into systems DS9 used to be used ? tread a careful path IMO !

The cost of fitting a magna clean filter ect depends were it is going not every one wants one on show ! so one price does not fit all !