How often should a heat exchanger be cleaned?

[crazymotorbik...]

Hi,
Since moving into my house i've slowly replaced bits on my combi boiler and it is finally in good working order.

6 months ago i replaced the secondary heat exchanger. The old one was completely blocked with limescale. We live in a hard water area. How often should the heat exchanger be cleaned to prevent limescale build up?

I eventually want to fit a magnaclean but funds are currently very short.

PS. Please don't give me a lecture on repairing my own boiler. I'm not daft enough to touch the gas side.

Cheers,
Shaun.

[Nexus Icon]

I'd use the kettle as an indicator of the limescale build-up rate myself.
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Greetings from Shitsville!

[panrider_uk]

The magnaclean will help prevent it getting clogged with crap from the rads but won't prevent scale.

Mark
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Current bikes: Honda ST1100 Pan European. Moto Guzzi V85 TT Travel

[michael j]

Fit a scale reducer (sesi or similar) on the cold feed to the boiler. Cost about £35 from plumbcenter and an easy diy job.

[Walloper]

If you fill the system with Hard Free water and use an additive it will prevent scale.
To remove scale you need to add a scale removing/dissolving additive Normally Citric Acid is sold in tubs. Depending on the size of system you may need one 1kg or more. You need to leave this in the system to circulate over a few days or weeks to thoroughly remove any scale from the system. Drain and flush several times.
Once it's clean you can fill with Soft water and a protector.

Magnaclean will only pick up iron particles/rust etc. from the radiators and boiler. They say they save pump wear and radiator clogging. I fitted one and it removed loads at first but now it's been in the system for three years it only has a light coating each time I service.

I fitted Alladin Automatic bleeders to the rads in the house too. No More coldspots

These dudes are helpful when you call them. The site has tons of info too.

https://www.fernox.com/problem+solving/how+to+sheets/preventing+limescale
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W-ireless A-rtificial L-ifeform L-imited to O-bservation P-eacekeeping and E-fficient R-epair

[panrider_uk]

I'm tempted by those Alladins.

Why do they have to have cartridges replaced after a few years (what do the cartridges do)?

Ta

Mark
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Current bikes: Honda ST1100 Pan European. Moto Guzzi V85 TT Travel

[Walloper]

[panrider_uk]

Cheers

Mark
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Current bikes: Honda ST1100 Pan European. Moto Guzzi V85 TT Travel