One of the shopping channels is currently selling this. It's just a
wire wrapped around the rising main pipe, presumably creating a
magnetic field.

You just switch it on and leave it.

Anyone tried one of these or anything similar?

On Tue, 24 Feb 2009 14:25:58 -0800 (PST),
wrote:

Anyone tried one of these or anything similar?

Yes. Pure unadulterated snake oil.

Peter Parry wrote:
On Tue, 24 Feb 2009 14:25:58 -0800 (PST),
wrote:

Anyone tried one of these or anything similar?

Yes. Pure unadulterated snake oil.

Are you now telling me that snake oil doesn't work?

I'm gutted after spending so much on it :-)

Dave

wrote in message
...
One of the shopping channels is currently selling this. It's just a
wire wrapped around the rising main pipe, presumably creating a
magnetic field.

You just switch it on and leave it.

Anyone tried one of these or anything similar?

Many people have tried and used such devices.

It will not work.

Scale Wizards website states "that water remains chemically unchanged". So
there you have the proof. £90 to do sod all.

Adam

On 24 Feb, 22:49, "ARWadsworth"
wrote:

Scale Wizards website states "that water remains chemically unchanged". So
there you have the proof. £90 to do sod all.

It doesn't work by chemistry though, it works by Sympathetic
Relational Vibration (or somesuch homeopathic nonsense). Ask them
about the chemistry and they just wriggle - the claim is that the
composition remains unchanged, but the scale's "inclination" to
crystallise is changed.

On Thu, 26 Feb 2009 10:38:46 -0800, Andy Dingley wrote:

It doesn't work by chemistry though, it works by Sympathetic
Relational Vibration (or somesuch homeopathic nonsense). Ask them
about the chemistry and they just wriggle - the claim is that the
composition remains unchanged, but the scale's "inclination" to
crystallise is changed.


Obviously its crystal energy is subluxated by the sympathetic harmonic
vibrational field. :-|

--
John Stumbles

What is a simile like?

On Feb 24, 4:25*pm, wrote:
One of the shopping channels is currently selling this. It's just a
wire wrapped around the rising main pipe, presumably creating a
magnetic field.

You just switch it on and leave it.

Anyone tried one of these or anything similar?

Then you can get a magnet that goes on your cars gas line, and one on
your head

ransley wrote:
On Feb 24, 4:25 pm, wrote:
One of the shopping channels is currently selling this. It's just a
wire wrapped around the rising main pipe, presumably creating a
magnetic field.

You just switch it on and leave it.

Anyone tried one of these or anything similar?

Then you can get a magnet that goes on your cars gas line, and one on
your head

The latter would never penetrate my alluminiun foil hat though....


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

The Medway Handyman wrote:

The latter would never penetrate my alluminiun foil hat though....

At half term we went to a show at the Peter Harrison Planetarium at
the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. It's covered in an 8mm phosphor bronze
shell.

At the start of the show they asked us to turn off our mobile phones but
commented that anyone who could get a signal must have quite a phone!

http://www.nmm.ac.uk/places/royal-ob...y/planetarium/

Guy
-- --------------------------------------------------------------------
Guy Dawson I.T. Manager Crossflight Ltd

wrote:

One of the shopping channels is currently selling this. It's just a
wire wrapped around the rising main pipe, presumably creating a
magnetic field.

Oh FFS.

Look there are two schools of thought on this. One is the rational,
scientific view that such a device cannot produce the effects claimed.
And the other is the view of ****wits like Dr Drivel.

There should be an entry in the FAQ about this.

(Steve Firth) writes:

wrote:

One of the shopping channels is currently selling this. It's just a
wire wrapped around the rising main pipe, presumably creating a
magnetic field.

Oh FFS.

Look there are two schools of thought on this. One is the rational,
scientific view that such a device cannot produce the effects claimed.

No, the rational scientific view is

1. the explanations given by the manufacturers are pure
bull****

2. It's difficult to come up with an explanation that fits
with our otherwise very effective understanding of the
physics and chemistry involved

and

3. Nearly all the respectable tests show no effect.

hence

4. They almost certainly¹ don't work.

[1] almost certainly, like "I almost certainly won't win the
lottery² tomorrow".

[2] I've never bought a lottery ticket. Maybe someone
accidentally bought one in my name?

--
Jón Fairbairn
http://www.chaos.org.uk/~jf/Stuff-I-dont-want.html (updated 2009-01-31)

Steve Firth wrote:
wrote:

One of the shopping channels is currently selling this. It's just a
wire wrapped around the rising main pipe, presumably creating a
magnetic field.

Oh FFS.

Look there are two schools of thought on this. One is the rational,
scientific view that such a device cannot produce the effects claimed.
And the other is the view of ****wits like Dr Drivel.



Doesn't quite explain why similar systems are used in industrial
applications. However, IIRC, for a magnet to be effective on the typical
domestic mains supply it would need to be the size of a large fridge.

Stuart Noble wrote:

Doesn't quite explain why similar systems are used in industrial
applications.

As I've posted before, a building maanger in a place I worked at got
tired of paying for water treatment chemicals. He installed several of
these "scale inhibitors" and ceased to use the tried and tested methods
of avoiding scale formation (water softener and phosphates). Within a
couple of years of the chance the boiler for two industrial scale
autoclaves suffered from severe scale build up. Energy costs rose and
descaling and maintenance costs went through the roof. He was sacked.

The reason why these and similar systems are used in industrial
applications are that there are individuals who believe in witchcraft
and they purchase the systems in question. Not every business purchase
is based on performing an objective evaluation of the system to be
purchased.


However, IIRC, for a magnet to be effective on the typical
domestic mains supply it would need to be the size of a large fridge.

Even then it's going to do precisely **** all.

(Steve Firth) writes:

Stuart Noble wrote:

Doesn't quite explain why similar systems are used in industrial
applications.

As I've posted before, a building maanger in a place I worked at got
tired of paying for water treatment chemicals. He installed several of
these "scale inhibitors" and ceased to use the tried and tested methods
of avoiding scale formation (water softener and phosphates).

Recently having had to have the plate heat exchanger on my
combi replaced, I was looking at the Cistermiser siliphos
thing that someone mentioned in another thread. It seems to
be ca £100 + a refill costing about £15 each year
afterwards. The boiler had been there about six years before
the replacement, so that would make 100+5*15 = £175 (and VAT
on top). Having the exchanger replaced cost me £170.

If I'd had one fitted (instead of the stupid magnet that the
installers insisted on fitting, and in which I never had the
slightest confidence) at the start, I might be about to
break even. If I fit one now, what are the chances that the
rest of the boiler will still be going in six years?

Argh.
--
Jón Fairbairn
http://www.chaos.org.uk/~jf/Stuff-I-dont-want.html (updated 2009-01-31)

On Wed, 25 Feb 2009 15:18:29 +0000, Jon Fairbairn wrote:

If I'd had one fitted (instead of the stupid magnet that the
installers insisted on fitting, and in which I never had the
slightest confidence) at the start, I might be about to
break even. If I fit one now, what are the chances that the
rest of the boiler will still be going in six years?

Screwfix do a phosphate dosing one for about £35 - single stage
whole-house scale inhibitor. Refills about £15 but much bigger & should
last longer than Combimate (combimate refills are about £20).


--
John Stumbles -- http://yaph.co.uk

Life is nature's way of keeping meat fresh

"Stuart Noble" wrote in message
m...
Steve Firth wrote:
wrote:

One of the shopping channels is currently selling this. It's just a
wire wrapped around the rising main pipe, presumably creating a
magnetic field.

Oh FFS.

Look there are two schools of thought on this. One is the rational,
scientific view that such a device cannot produce the effects claimed.
And the other is the view of ****wits like Dr Drivel.



Doesn't quite explain why similar systems are used in industrial
applications. However, IIRC, for a magnet to be effective on the typical
domestic mains supply it would need to be the size of a large fridge.

I believe the industrial "successes" (if such they be) are those with
permanent magnets rather than coils and where the systems are sealed (ie the
same water passes the magnet many times), *entirely* different to a poxy
little coil on a rising main, which will have no effect at all.


--
Bob Mannix
(anti-spam is as easy as 1-2-3 - not)

"Stuart Noble" wrote in message
m...
Steve Firth wrote:
wrote:

One of the shopping channels is currently selling this. It's just a
wire wrapped around the rising main pipe, presumably creating a
magnetic field.

Oh FFS.

Look there are two schools of thought on this. One is the rational,
scientific view that such a device cannot produce the effects claimed.
And the other is the view of ****wits like Dr Drivel.

Doesn't quite explain why similar systems are used in industrial
applications. However, IIRC, for a magnet to be effective on the typical
domestic mains supply it would need to be the size of a large fridge.

No reason why snake oil can't be sold for industrial applications :-)

"Stuart Noble" wrote in message
m...

Doesn't quite explain why similar systems are used in industrial
applications. However, IIRC, for a magnet to be effective on the typical
domestic mains supply it would need to be the size of a large fridge.

They have been sued to great effect on commercial systems for decades.

Doctor Drivel wrote:

They have been sued to great effect on commercial systems

So they should be.

"Steve Firth" wrote in message
. ..
Doctor Drivel wrote:

They have been sued to great effect on commercial systems

So they should be.

This one needs tagging.

"Steve Firth" wrote in message
. ..
wrote:

One of the shopping channels is currently selling this. It's just a
wire wrapped around the rising main pipe, presumably creating a
magnetic field.

Oh FFS.

Look there are two schools of thought on this. One is the rational,
scientific view that such a device cannot produce the effects claimed.
And the other is the view of ****wits like Dr Drivel.

This man needs to be sectioned and tagged.

"Doctor Drivel" wrote in message
...

"Steve Firth" wrote in message
. ..
wrote:

One of the shopping channels is currently selling this. It's just a
wire wrapped around the rising main pipe, presumably creating a
magnetic field.

Oh FFS.

Look there are two schools of thought on this. One is the rational,
scientific view that such a device cannot produce the effects claimed.
And the other is the view of ****wits like Dr Drivel.

This man needs to be sectioned and tagged.


Is there anyone that you do not tag and section?

Adam

"ARWadsworth" wrote in message
...

"Doctor Drivel" wrote in message
...

"Steve Firth" wrote in message
. ..
wrote:

One of the shopping channels is currently selling this. It's just a
wire wrapped around the rising main pipe, presumably creating a
magnetic field.

Oh FFS.

Look there are two schools of thought on this. One is the rational,
scientific view that such a device cannot produce the effects claimed.
And the other is the view of ****wits like Dr Drivel.

This man needs to be sectioned and tagged.

Is there anyone that you do not tag and section?

Many need it and the system is letting us down.

Doctor Drivel wrote:

This man needs to be sectioned and tagged.

Is there anyone that you do not tag and section?

Many need it and the system is letting us down.


Here, Instructions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np3rlniQ2X4

--
Adrian C

In message , ARWadsworth
writes

"Doctor Drivel" wrote in message
...

"Steve Firth" wrote in message
. ..
wrote:

One of the shopping channels is currently selling this. It's just a
wire wrapped around the rising main pipe, presumably creating a
magnetic field.

Oh FFS.

Look there are two schools of thought on this. One is the rational,
scientific view that such a device cannot produce the effects claimed.
And the other is the view of ****wits like Dr Drivel.

This man needs to be sectioned and tagged.


Is there anyone that you do not tag and section?

Well, since all the other inmates of Drivel's home" probably are, it's
all he knows


--
geoff

"geoff" wrote in message
...

This man needs to be sectioned and tagged.

Is there anyone that you do not tag and section?

Well, since all the other inmates of Drivel's home" probably are, it's all
he knows

Maxie, at least I have a home and it is increasing in value. Foreclosure in
Watford Maxie? Sad I know. Very sad Maxie. Are you in sheltered
accommodation? My sympathies go out to you.

On Wed, 25 Feb 2009 15:58:44 -0000, "Doctor Drivel"
wrote:


"Steve Firth" wrote in message
...
wrote:

One of the shopping channels is currently selling this. It's just a
wire wrapped around the rising main pipe, presumably creating a
magnetic field.

Oh FFS.

Look there are two schools of thought on this. One is the rational,
scientific view that such a device cannot produce the effects claimed.
And the other is the view of ****wits like Dr Drivel.

This man needs to be sectioned and tagged.

Whereas you should be sectioned an' de-todged.

Derek

On Wed, 25 Feb 2009 09:19:19 +0000, Steve Firth wrote:

Look there are two schools of thought on this. One is the rational,
scientific view that such a device cannot produce the effects claimed.
And the other is the view of ****wits like Dr Drivel.

There should be an entry in the FAQ about this.

There is http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Limescale
(about Limescale, not Drivel ... oh maybe there should be one about him
too).

I've also written about it on my work site http://yaph.co.uk/Limescale/


--
John Stumbles -- http://yaph.co.uk

Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus
and Pop Psychologists are from Uranus

"YAPH" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 25 Feb 2009 09:19:19 +0000, Steve Firth wrote:

Look there are two schools of thought on this. One is the rational,
scientific view that such a device cannot produce the effects claimed.
And the other is the view of ****wits like Dr Drivel.

There should be an entry in the FAQ about this.

There is http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Limescale
(about Limescale, not Drivel ... oh maybe there should be one about him
too).

I've also written about it on my work site http://yaph.co.uk/Limescale/

They actually work in any cases as few on here have stated. The industrial
version do work.

Anyone tried one of these or anything similar?

No, but funnily enough just the other day I was reading this:

http://www.magnetnerd.com/Neodymium%20Magnets/magnet_scams.htm

Shortened:

http://is.gd/kN6t

I do happen to know someone who sells these things and swears blind that
they really do work. But then, if I were selling them, I do the same

Al.

On Wed, 25 Feb 2009 10:49:51 +0000, Al wrote:

Anyone tried one of these or anything similar?

No, but funnily enough just the other day I was reading this:

http://www.magnetnerd.com/Neodymium%20Magnets/magnet_scams.htm

I did come across one installation with a magnetic thingy on the CW supply
to the tanks that had absolutely no sign of either limescale (in the
storage tank or HW cylinder) or any other form of scale inhibitor.

--
John Stumbles -- http://yaph.co.uk

My other sigs are posh

wrote in message
...
One of the shopping channels is currently selling this. It's just a
wire wrapped around the rising main pipe, presumably creating a
magnetic field.

You just switch it on and leave it.

Anyone tried one of these or anything similar?



My missus bought one of these some years ago and I duly fitted it.

The kettle *seemed* to stay cleaner for a bit longer but still scaled up
eventually.

A month or so after fitting, the head on our electric shower started to
block regularly and needed cleaning twice a week or so.
If I ran the shower on full flow without the head, bits of crap would come
out for quite some time, and, upon closer inspection I could see that they
were bits of limescale with a slight curve on them which indicated to me
that they had come from the element.

I unplugged the scalewatcher a month ago and have not needed to clean the
shower head since, the kettle looks the same.

My verdict: (A) They *do* something to the water in the system.
(B) They are ****.

"Franko" wrote in message
...
wrote in message
...
One of the shopping channels is currently selling this. It's just a
wire wrapped around the rising main pipe, presumably creating a
magnetic field.

You just switch it on and leave it.

Anyone tried one of these or anything similar?



My missus bought one of these some years ago and I duly fitted it.

The kettle *seemed* to stay cleaner for a bit longer but still scaled up
eventually.

A month or so after fitting, the head on our electric shower started to
block regularly and needed cleaning twice a week or so.
If I ran the shower on full flow without the head, bits of crap would come
out for quite some time, and, upon closer inspection I could see that they
were bits of limescale with a slight curve on them which indicated to me
that they had come from the element.

I unplugged the scalewatcher a month ago and have not needed to clean the
shower head since, the kettle looks the same.

It appears it was doing its job and removing the scale on the pipes and
element. If you left it longer the caked on scale may have been removed and
the all clear after. You should have ran with it longer.

"Doctor Drivel" wrote in message
...

"Franko" wrote in message
...
wrote in message
...
One of the shopping channels is currently selling this. It's just a
wire wrapped around the rising main pipe, presumably creating a
magnetic field.

You just switch it on and leave it.

Anyone tried one of these or anything similar?



My missus bought one of these some years ago and I duly fitted it.

The kettle *seemed* to stay cleaner for a bit longer but still scaled up
eventually.

A month or so after fitting, the head on our electric shower started to
block regularly and needed cleaning twice a week or so.
If I ran the shower on full flow without the head, bits of crap would
come out for quite some time, and, upon closer inspection I could see
that they were bits of limescale with a slight curve on them which
indicated to me that they had come from the element.

I unplugged the scalewatcher a month ago and have not needed to clean the
shower head since, the kettle looks the same.

It appears it was doing its job and removing the scale on the pipes and
element. If you left it longer the caked on scale may have been removed
and the all clear after. You should have ran with it longer.


How much longer though??
I love my showers but have had to put up with having a crap shower each day
for the past 7 or so years, with water going in all directions apart from on
me. I have tried different shower heads but they all block the same.
I can now have a shower with the water actually getting me wet, and not the
just the walls & floor.
You say that the caked on scale may have been removed after time - but
judging by the amount I got out of the system on a bi-weekly basis this
would not have happened, I presume that the scale builds up to a certain
extent but doesn't take hold as easy as normal and is then ejected as little
bits.
I would rather pay out to fit a new shower unit every 10 years or so once
scaled up than have to endure a crappy shower.

I love my showers but have had to put up with having a crap shower each day
for the past 7 or so years, with water going in all directions apart from on
me. I have tried different shower heads but they all block the same.
I can now have a shower with the water actually getting me wet, and not the
just the walls & floor.

Why don't you just stick the shower head in a tub of dilute acid every
week or so? I've been using the same (sulphamic) solution for over a
year and it still does the job with an overnight soak

"Stuart Noble" wrote in message
...

I love my showers but have had to put up with having a crap shower each
day for the past 7 or so years, with water going in all directions apart
from on me. I have tried different shower heads but they all block the
same.
I can now have a shower with the water actually getting me wet, and not
the just the walls & floor.

Why don't you just stick the shower head in a tub of dilute acid every
week or so? I've been using the same (sulphamic) solution for over a year
and it still does the job with an overnight soak


Because roughly 12 hours after doing that, the thing starts spraying random
spurts out of the partly blocked holes in a pretty pattern around the
bathroom.

"Doctor Drivel" wrote in message
...

You should have ran with it longer.

How do you "ran" with something?

Tim

"Tim Downie" wrote in message
...

"Doctor Drivel" wrote in message
...

You should have ran with it longer.

How do you "ran" with something?

You are thicker than what I thought, you need to lern sum Engulish.

Doctor Drivel wrote:
"Tim Downie" wrote in message
...

"Doctor Drivel" wrote in message
...

You should have ran with it longer.

How do you "ran" with something?

You are thicker than what I thought, you need to lern sum Engulish.

If you're going to be pompous, at least make the effort to write
grammatically.

(The correct phrase that escaped you was "You should have RUN with it
longer").

HTH.

Tim

Franko wrote:
wrote in message
...
One of the shopping channels is currently selling this. It's just a
wire wrapped around the rising main pipe, presumably creating a
magnetic field.

You just switch it on and leave it.

Anyone tried one of these or anything similar?



My missus bought one of these some years ago and I duly fitted it.

The kettle *seemed* to stay cleaner for a bit longer but still scaled up
eventually.

A month or so after fitting, the head on our electric shower started to
block regularly and needed cleaning twice a week or so.
If I ran the shower on full flow without the head, bits of crap would come
out for quite some time, and, upon closer inspection I could see that they
were bits of limescale with a slight curve on them which indicated to me
that they had come from the element.

I unplugged the scalewatcher a month ago and have not needed to clean the
shower head since, the kettle looks the same.

My verdict: (A) They *do* something to the water in the system.
(B) They are ****.



I bought one of those in '89, got it cheap after buying several from a
company for industrial applications.
First thing I noticed was all the crap coming out of the shower head,
then a few weeping leaks from some of my pipework (Scale was plugging
the leaks) The kettle now just has lime slush in the base which is easy
to wash out.
Prior to the unit being fitted I de scaled every month, now about every
6 months.

My verdict: (A) they *do* something to the water in the system
(B) Perfectly happy with the results