Megaflo scale problems - advice required on descale.

[2Jays]

Update: (FYI it is a CL210HE) spoken to Megaflo, said straight away it'll be the internal air jobbie breaking down, not repairable. It's a new cylinder. Thanks for the info guys, hope Dave_79 has a better result!

 

[snb]

So luckyfor you it's covered under their 25 year warranty, as long as you have had it serviced every year. Always have trouble getting them to do this but be persistent

 

[KitB]

Dave_79 did you get to the bottom of your issue? I ask because we are experiencing the same issue. Bar shower little to no hot water, called out a plumber who found the white gritty sludge your pics show, cleared shower fine. He said it was the plastic from a failed scale reducer which needed replacing but he couldn’t find a scale reducer on our system anywhere. He concluded that once it had “gone” and dumped its contents and it had been manually cleared problem should go but it was back again in a week. He will not return calls ( second shower failed cold and hot, I found a little strainer thingy in shower hose was full of same white gunk, washed it out and it is ok now. called another guy out who found same sludge behind bar shower (I didn’t know how to take it off) cleared it and said the issue is with our megaflo and something is degrading inside it. Called megaflo out today he cleared an inlet filter, has arranged to change the PRV but said that the issue with the gunk is limescale. “Ok, how do we stop it getting behind the showers and stopping the flow? Can’t afford a plumber every 3 weeks” the response was limescale sits at the bottom of the tank and should not be getting out at the top outlet so he has no idea what to do if the PRV doesn’t improve the flow. He missed the point that the issue is the white gunk. I don’t think it’s limescale. The system is 11 years old and surely if limescale was going to be an issue it would have flared before now. Nothing is stirring the water in the tank. Wondering if the ring that makes the bubble that was mentioned in the thread was the cause of the issue in Dave_79 issue. Three supposed sets of expert eyes and still one expensive mystery.

 

[dilalio]

Have heard reports of similar issues from a number of different quarters over the last couple of years, yet to come across it myself though.

Seems that, on some occasions, Heatrae Sadia have replaced units under warranty, but now are claiming other factors as the cause. I wonder if the service team have been briefed!?

As for the expansion bubble plastic degrading and being the source of this white gunk that's getting pushed out and blocking outlets, only when someone (other than Heatrae) goes to the trouble of having this analysed and dissecting the cylinder, from which it came, will we get to know if this is a confirmed issue.

Perhaps there was a "bad batch" at some point... 10 or so years ago!?

In the meantime, you could fit a couple of lever valves, with a strainer in between them, to the hot outlet pipe of the cylinder, and see if this catches the gunk! It would mean a regular maintenance clean out but might save this having to be done on several downstream outlets.

 

[JezzaA]

Thanks a bunch to all who posted on this, about 2 years ago - it's been extremely helpful as I now have the same problem. Megaflo was installed Dec' 2012 and we're getting the same gunk on all our hot taps. Won't bore you with further details but suffice to say I'm confident it's a breakdown of SOMETHING (baffle plate?) inside the Megaflo.

Here's my question (& how you may be able to help even further): what sort of joy did you get from Megaflo? The reason for asking is that ours has never been serviced (TBH I didn't know it needed servicing). I'm cynical enough to think that Megaflo might use that as a "get out clause" to do nothing, even though this is clearly NOT a service issue.

Any thoughts, ideas, comments much appreciated.

Jezza.

 

[BlueLoo]

Demanding service records for warranty claims is highly dubious behavior and i suspect probably illegal and not enforceable should the issue be argued in a court of law.

Its the Apple thing (which i detest). An apple warranty is not your consumer rights. (apple is 12 months, in the EU, you get two years.)
Just lie.

"Have you a service records?"
"Eh, why?"
"because warranty etc etc"
"don't need them surely? just fix the damn thing"
*Argue*
"Well, yes it was serviced i think but i don't keep records of it"

 

[JezzaA]

Thanks BlueLoo - my thinking precisely.

 

[Gasguru]

So you never change the oil in your car and expect the manufacturer to replace your blown engine?
No law woukd support you there.
Of course you have to service some parts and modern boilers are no different...leave the vessel, burner gaskets etc and they'll void the warranty and rightly so.
The argument over the baffle is clearly a manufacturing defect but with the cylinder so old AFAIR you are time barred from any consumer legislation.

 

[JezzaA]

Thanks Gasguru, I can see that logic. Will let you know what happens.

 

[Gasguru]

I'm not sure what the legal aspect would be but Baxi may approve an external expansion vessel fitted to the cold inlet...and then add some sort of filter unit to collect the old baffle debris. Something like a polypropylene cartridge type device.

 

[BlueLoo]

I'm not sure what the legal aspect would be but Baxi may approve an external expansion vessel fitted to the cold inlet...and then add some sort of filter unit to collect the old baffle debris. Something like a polypropylene cartridge type device.

You could add a Y strainer downstream of the outlet. (Coupled with shut off valves)
Cheap, easy to fit and easy to clean.

 

[JezzaA]

Thanks GasGuru and BlueLoo both - much appreciated. I should point out that I'm not a plumber, I'm only the householder so deffo won't be doing any of that myself, but I see where you're coming from. Currently trying to get hold of Heatrae Sadia to see what they've got to say for themselves.

 

[dilalio]

Thanks GasGuru and BlueLoo both - much appreciated. I should point out that I'm not a plumber, I'm only the householder so deffo won't be doing any of that myself, but I see where you're coming from. Currently trying to get hold of Heatrae Sadia to see what they've got to say for themselves.

Been there got the T.
They are aware of this issue and have been for some time. You will not be getting a replacement under warranty... I can guarantee that!

 

[JezzaA]

Thanks to you too dilalio, I appreciate it. Duly noted and kinda what I expected. That said, I won’t let it stop me TRYING (on principle).

 

[Andrew Heard]

I have the same problem with white deposits In the hot water inlet filters to showers, taps etc. From what I read it looks like limescale but the water is very soft here. Kettle never needs descaling for example. I have attached a photo of the shower hot and cold inlet filters, any clues out there? The tank is 16 years old and I’m afraid it may need to be replaced. I’m getting good at cleaning the filters every few months but I shouldn’t have to do that. Someone mentioned installing a hot outlet filter?
Thanks for any advice.