On 27/11/2014 09:20, "Pet @ www.gymratz.co.uk ;¬)" wrote:
On 27/11/2014 07:21, Keefiedee wrote:
I recently came across (while looking for something else) a product called UMAX,

Hmmmmmm smells like tinned meat and snake oil to me...

I'd like to see the result of this additive in a glass pressure cooker.
Adding it to an open boiling pan isn't the same as adding it to a
closed system pressurised to 30 to 40 psi.

Some independent test results would be good....

Surely the boiler sets the temperature of the circulating water so
adding such product to a system isn't going to make the radiators hotter ?

Agreed - although it will vary a bit with the sophistication of the
boilers control system. Some just have a limit stat, but may not
normally reach that depending on the actual load applied.

Would it not just be a simple detergent that reduces surface tension of
the water to prevent "larger" bubbles forming?

The very best I can see it doing is making the water heat up slightly
quicker in the same way a larger heat exchanger would so it doesn't save
ANY energy because MORE energy is passed to the water in the same amount
of time so the net energy saving effect is zero... in fact... it would
as far as I can see use MORE energy in the same amount of time of
heating operation which could be matched by simply setting your
radiators to come on a bit earlier.

Well if you can improve transfer efficiency then the overall temperature
of the HE would fall slightly, raising the rate of energy transfer from
the gas flame slightly.

So with a modern boiler that modulates to meet a predefined flow
temperature, then you *might* get a slight reduction in burn time or gas
rate required...

Having said that, on systems with seasonally adjusted efficiencies
already over 90% it makes you wonder how much marginal extra you can
squeeze out even if it does what it says on the tin.

And while I'm at it.... the manufactures claim between 10 to 12% energy
saving... When has a manufacturer EVER been truthful about claimed
energy saving figures... Just saying. Perhaps a 10 to 12% increase in
bringing water up to temperature but that's it.

Well if you could achieve a faster rise time, that means the rads would
have a higher average temperature over time (even if their actual
maximum temperature is unchanged)


--
Cheers,

John.

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