Can I use beer line cleaner in a CH system's primary? BLC is sodium hydroxide with a little bleach. The CH primary contains copper pipe, steel rads, a boiler with silicon steel exchanger & a few rubber rings in drain-down points. The problem is some fairly heavy biofouling - exactly what blc is designed for.


NT

On Friday, 25 January 2019 02:04:25 UTC, wrote:
Can I use beer line cleaner in a CH system's primary? BLC is sodium hydroxide with a little bleach. The CH primary contains copper pipe, steel rads, a boiler with silicon steel exchanger & a few rubber rings in drain-down points. The problem is some fairly heavy biofouling - exactly what blc is designed for.


NT

No-one can say.
An unwanted effect might be to cause leaks and might not be effective anyway.
Better to get something intended for the purpose. Even then you might get leaks.
The best way to prevent is is by use of one of the propriety heating water additives (also slows galvanic action) and an occasional run at high temperature.

It's a very complex topic.
https://www.researchgate.net/publica...ountermeasures

On 25/01/2019 02:04, wrote:
Can I use beer line cleaner in a CH system's primary? BLC is sodium hydroxide with a little bleach. The CH primary contains copper pipe, steel rads, a boiler with silicon steel exchanger & a few rubber rings in drain-down points. The problem is some fairly heavy biofouling - exactly what blc is designed for.


NT

I can't help but wonder how "bio-fouling" has built up in a CH system
and not been killed off by the operating temperature?

I'd be a bit concerned about running caustic soda based cleaner in there
for any length of time but short term use of domestic bleach ought to be OK.

On 25/01/2019 02:04, wrote:
Can I use beer line cleaner in a CH system's primary? BLC is sodium hydroxide with a little bleach. The CH primary contains copper pipe, steel rads, a boiler with silicon steel exchanger & a few rubber rings in drain-down points. The problem is some fairly heavy biofouling - exactly what blc is designed for.


NT

As long as you are sure you don't have any aluminium-based parts
(diverter valves, etc?) I think you are probably OK. Strong alkali is
good because anaerobic bacteria create acidic by-products and you don't
really want that in ferrous systems. Always a theoretical risk that you
will reveal holes currently blocked by corrosion products (but if your
system is like this perhaps it is better to find out while doing
maintenance). I'd want to make sure I flushed it very well afterwards. I
wouldn't expect problems with O-rings.

Bob Minchin wrote:

On 25/01/2019 02:04, wrote:
Can I use beer line cleaner in a CH system's primary? BLC is sodium
hydroxide with a little bleach. The CH primary contains copper pipe,
steel rads, a boiler with silicon steel exchanger & a few rubber rings
in drain-down points. The problem is some fairly heavy biofouling -
exactly what blc is designed for.


NT

I can't help but wonder how "bio-fouling" has built up in a CH system and
not been killed off by the operating temperature?

I'd be a bit concerned about running caustic soda based cleaner in there
for any length of time but short term use of domestic bleach ought to be
OK.

I agree. Doesn't caustic soda dissolve aluminium?

--

Roger Hayter

On 25/01/2019 12:31, Roger Hayter wrote:
I agree. Doesn't caustic soda dissolve aluminium?
Indeed it does but I'd be amazed if there was any aluminium in a normal
CH system.

On 25/01/2019 12:40, Bob Minchin wrote:
On 25/01/2019 12:31, Roger Hayter wrote:
I agree.Â* Doesn't caustic soda dissolve aluminium?
Indeed it does but I'd be amazed if there was any aluminium in a normal
CH system.

Isn't the heat exchanger sometimes aluminium? Pretty sure the one in my
Ideal Logic is - they make it a selling point ;-)

--
Cheers, Rob

Bob Minchin Wrote in message:
On 25/01/2019 12:31, Roger Hayter wrote:
I agree. Doesn't caustic soda dissolve aluminium?
Indeed it does but I'd be amazed if there was any aluminium in a normal
CH system.


Lots of (possibly all?) Worcester Bosch domestic boilers have
cast aluminium heat exchangers.
--
Biggles


----Android NewsGroup Reader----
http://usenet.sinaapp.com/

On 25/01/2019 12:49, RJH wrote:
On 25/01/2019 12:40, Bob Minchin wrote:
On 25/01/2019 12:31, Roger Hayter wrote:
I agree.Â* Doesn't caustic soda dissolve aluminium?
Indeed it does but I'd be amazed if there was any aluminium in a
normal CH system.

Isn't the heat exchanger sometimes aluminium? Pretty sure the one in my
Ideal Logic is - they make it a selling point ;-)

But OP said it was a steel HX. (Actually silicon steel, not sure what
that means). Older boilers had cast iron heat exchangers which normally
lasted forever.

On Thu, 24 Jan 2019 18:04:22 -0800 (PST), wrote:

Can I use beer line cleaner in a CH system's primary? BLC is sodium hydroxide with a little bleach. The CH primary contains copper pipe, steel rads, a boiler with silicon steel exchanger & a few rubber rings in drain-down points. The problem is some fairly heavy biofouling - exactly what blc is designed for.


NT

I think a biocide like Benzalkonium Chloride (sold as BAC-50) would be
a better option. It only needs a low percentage to be active, and
isn't corrosive like bleach and caustic soda are.

On Friday, 25 January 2019 12:40:09 UTC, Bob Minchin wrote:
On 25/01/2019 12:31, Roger Hayter wrote:
I agree. Doesn't caustic soda dissolve aluminium?
Indeed it does but I'd be amazed if there was any aluminium in a normal
CH system.

Many condensing boilers have aluminium heat exchangers.
Probably even most.

On Friday, 25 January 2019 02:04:25 UTC, tabby wrote:

Can I use beer line cleaner in a CH system's primary? BLC is sodium hydroxide with a little bleach. The CH primary contains copper pipe, steel rads, a boiler with silicon steel exchanger & a few rubber rings in drain-down points. The problem is some fairly heavy biofouling - exactly what blc is designed for.


NT

The boiler is a Vaillant 4 series ecotec with welded steel HX. I've no idea what's in the 3 way valve though.

The system runs well above 60C. The header tank seems to be where it started, it looks grim in there. Presumably lumps of it have been sucked into the main primary circuit, circulation is now weak. Such fun.

If I'm able to get a look in the 3 way I'll know whether it's doable. That will take several days though.


NT

On 25/01/2019 14:57, newshound wrote:
On 25/01/2019 12:49, RJH wrote:
On 25/01/2019 12:40, Bob Minchin wrote:
On 25/01/2019 12:31, Roger Hayter wrote:
I agree.Â* Doesn't caustic soda dissolve aluminium?
Indeed it does but I'd be amazed if there was any aluminium in a
normal CH system.

Isn't the heat exchanger sometimes aluminium? Pretty sure the one in
my Ideal Logic is - they make it a selling point ;-)

But OP said it was a steel HX. (Actually silicon steel, not sure what
that means). Older boilers had cast iron heat exchangers which normally
lasted forever.

Indeed - I was replying to Bob.

--
Cheers, Rob

On Fri, 25 Jan 2019 14:57:30 +0000, newshound wrote:

====snip====

But OP said it was a steel HX. (Actually silicon steel, not sure what
that means). Older boilers had cast iron heat exchangers which normally

last forever.
^^^^------------ corrected your post 4U (wrong tense - now corrected
to present tense :-)

--
Johnny B Good