Adding inhibitor to CH system without draining
 

I've decorated a few rooms recently which has involved the draining
and removal of radiators. I'm just

about to put the last one back on, however before I do this it struck
me that I've probably diluted the

inhibitor. The towel rail came off a couple of times due to a leaky
TRV.

I know the best approach would be to drain the system and refill
adding inhibitor. I haven't drained

this system before (moved in earlier this year) and November doesn't
strike me as a good time to start

experimenting with ways to clear airlocks.

The previous owners left no indication of what type of inhibitor may
have been in the system.

My question is, am I safe to add more inhibitor in to the system
without draining down?

TIA

Marc

Adding inhibitor to CH system without draining
 

Marc Lee wrote:
I've decorated a few rooms recently which has involved the draining
and removal of radiators. I'm just

about to put the last one back on, however before I do this it struck
me that I've probably diluted the

inhibitor. The towel rail came off a couple of times due to a leaky
TRV.

I know the best approach would be to drain the system and refill
adding inhibitor. I haven't drained

this system before (moved in earlier this year) and November doesn't
strike me as a good time to start

experimenting with ways to clear airlocks.

The previous owners left no indication of what type of inhibitor may
have been in the system.

My question is, am I safe to add more inhibitor in to the system
without draining down?

TIA

Marc
Basically yes. If its a sealed system use the Fernox, squirt into a radiator
stuff.

Adding inhibitor to CH system without draining
 

Yes, but you don't say what system you have. If C/H cistern in loft just
put
some in there. If sealed or combi turn both valves off at any radiator.
Have a few cartons ready then *hold valve with mole grip* and loosen the
nut next to the radiator to drain off a litre or so. Now use a large
radiator
key to open up the radiator at the opposite end to where it's small air
release point is. Use a funnel and rubber tube or anything you can get
your hands on to put the inhibitor in.
Open up valves, repressurise and vent rad when done.

Jon


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Adding inhibitor to CH system without draining
 

"Jonathan Curtis" wrote in message news:2f070d15bc780ca11842e86db5ac4b4d.113530@myga te.mailgate.org...
Yes, but you don't say what system you have. If C/H cistern in loft just
put
some in there. If sealed or combi turn both valves off at any radiator.
Have a few cartons ready then *hold valve with mole grip* and loosen the
nut next to the radiator to drain off a litre or so. Now use a large
radiator
key to open up the radiator at the opposite end to where it's small air
release point is. Use a funnel and rubber tube or anything you can get
your hands on to put the inhibitor in.
Open up valves, repressurise and vent rad when done.

Jon

The system has a cistern in the loft, so I can just add the inhibitor
through there and it will get drawn through when I put the last
radiator back on.

My main concern is that there wont be a reaction between any existing
inhibitor and the new inhibitor that I add to the system.

Does anyone have any views on Fernox / Sentinel? It's a fairly old
system, not sealed with a cast iron boiler.

Thanks
Marc

Adding inhibitor to CH system without draining
 

On 3 Nov 2003 23:41:36 -0800, (Marc Lee) wrote:

"Jonathan Curtis" wrote in message news:2f070d15bc780ca11842e86db5ac4b4d.113530@myga te.mailgate.org...
Yes, but you don't say what system you have. If C/H cistern in loft just
put
some in there. If sealed or combi turn both valves off at any radiator.
Have a few cartons ready then *hold valve with mole grip* and loosen the
nut next to the radiator to drain off a litre or so. Now use a large
radiator
key to open up the radiator at the opposite end to where it's small air
release point is. Use a funnel and rubber tube or anything you can get
your hands on to put the inhibitor in.
Open up valves, repressurise and vent rad when done.

Jon

The system has a cistern in the loft, so I can just add the inhibitor
through there and it will get drawn through when I put the last
radiator back on.

My main concern is that there wont be a reaction between any existing
inhibitor and the new inhibitor that I add to the system.

Does anyone have any views on Fernox / Sentinel? It's a fairly old
system, not sealed with a cast iron boiler.

Thanks
Marc

I doubt whether there would be any reaction between different brands
of chemical, but personally I would flush the lot and start again,
simply to have a known situation.



..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

Adding inhibitor to CH system without draining
 

On Tue, 04 Nov 2003 09:37:19 +0000, Andy Hall
wrote:

I doubt whether there would be any reaction between different brands
of chemical, but personally I would flush the lot and start again,
simply to have a known situation.

I have the same thoughts on this.

I know there is a recommended minimum level of inhibitor for a CH
system, but is it feasible that there might be a maximum level? So if
you've got inhibitor in there already and don't flush it out the
system could overdose on inhibitor?

Might sound implausible I suppose, but I expect heat transfer
constants in water and in inhibitor to be different, so if you get the
mix wrong.....

PoP

Adding inhibitor to CH system without draining
 

On Tue, 04 Nov 2003 14:23:28 +0000, PoP
wrote:

On Tue, 04 Nov 2003 09:37:19 +0000, Andy Hall
wrote:

I doubt whether there would be any reaction between different brands
of chemical, but personally I would flush the lot and start again,
simply to have a known situation.

I have the same thoughts on this.

I know there is a recommended minimum level of inhibitor for a CH
system, but is it feasible that there might be a maximum level? So if
you've got inhibitor in there already and don't flush it out the
system could overdose on inhibitor?

Might sound implausible I suppose, but I expect heat transfer
constants in water and in inhibitor to be different, so if you get the
mix wrong.....

PoP

I'm not sure that overdosing (like double) with products like MB-1 is
a particular problem - Fernox recommend a 4% dosing but don't warn
about higher levels.

I did use some of their Alphi-11 product, which is a combined
antifreeze and inhibitor for my garage workshop circuit, which is
separate to the main house. While the pipework is well insulated, I
thought that there could be circumstances such as pump or other
failure where freezing could occur. With this product, there is a
maximum dosing level of 40%, which is good to -22 degrees, although I
used 30% which is good to -15 so a pretty safe bet.
ALphi-11 is glycol based and distinctly more viscous than water.

The circuit in question is sealed, and since this is a liquid product
rather than gel, it was necessary to come up with a means of delivery.
Fernox sells an injector product, which is, in effect, a modified
pumped garden sprayer. I bought a cheap sprayer from a DIY shed and
modified it with suitable pipework to have an adaptor to fit onto a
filling connection point. I was able to add the inhibitor (4
containers of it) quite easily this way and then added water to fill
and pressurise it in the same way. To begin with, the two liquids
didn't mix very well and there were circulation problems through the
radiators - one getting hot, the rest not. Judicious operating of
valves forced flow and mixing in the end, but it illustrates that
additives can have an effect. I've kept the injection machine in
case I have to do any work on the circuit. Since Alphi-11 is fairly
expensive, I can part drain the circuit into a large container and the
re-use the liquid. With some hard pumping, I can get 2 bar out of
the sprayer to pressurise the system.



..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl