On Fri, 14 Nov 2003 10:52:32 -0000, "David W.E. Roberts"
wrote:


"Andy Turnbull" no email please! wrote in message
...
Hello,

In a closed CH system where everything is new (boiler, pipes and
radiators)
is it possible to still get a build up of sludge in your radiators and if
so
how?

Yes, if you don't put corrosion inhibitor in the water.
Probably happen faster if you don't flush out the acid residues from
soldering.
Even so, it should take some time for an appreciable build up of sludge.
If you bleed some water off from a radiator and it is black, then this
suggests corrosion and sludge.

HTH
Dave R

Indeed,ah the laziness of acid self cleaning flux. The true tool of a
cowboy. I would never use the stuff myself. Despite all the flushing i
dont believe that it can ever truly be removed.

Only the other day i averted a disaster caused by acid flux and its a
common enough scenario.

A month or so prior to my visit a contractor had fitted a nice new
heating system in a terraced house. Very nice too,Vaillant
Turbomax,shame about the pipework.

Down in the cellar he had left a disaster waiting to happen. He had
T'eed into the existing gas supply and run 22mm to the kitchen to feed
the boiler. A pastoral scene awaited me,green pipe joints
everywhere,nice and guey and evidence of the acid flux bodger.

The homeowner had reported a smell in the house,it had been going on
for weeks and he hadnt been able to trace it. He was an older
chap,retired plumber so he had probably thought it a bit of an affront
to his skills to call someone else but in the end he did,thank god.

So away down to the cellar i went. A quick measure revealed a level of
nearly 2% gas in the atmosphere,a critical situation requiring
evacuation.

Quick investigation revelaed a loud hissing noise in the vicinity of
the meter. The stainless steel meter inlet flex had a nice big hole in
it hissing away. It had probably been like that for days if not weeks.
Directly above it,an acid fluxed soldered joint had dripped its acidic
residue onto to steel flex and eaten through it in such a short space
of time.

Who knows what damage it was foing to the finely machined innards of
the Vaillant turbomax? Its propably stopped working by now.
Irrevocably knackered.

CORGI Reg'd and ACS certified you see,totally competent.