Immersion heater puzzle

[robgil]

You could pull the emmersion to see its condition, do you have a softener? How old is the tank?

If you dont have a softener I would consider fitting one , we are in the worst area for hard water. Be carefull though if you let a plumber do it, usually they leave the outside tap hard to get around regs. The reason you leave the cold tap in the kitchen un-softened is because very young children/babies cannot drink softened water , it could potentially kill them. Anyhow , back on track , it could be a scale problem.

 

[robgil]

Thinking about it, the intermittent gurgling tends to come from the secondary side - central heating - so I suppose this is not going to affect the over-heat cutout in the way that air in the primary would.

Now that is something I'd stop.
It is an indicator of corrosion.
The gas is probably hydrogen generated by the corrosion of steel or iron in electrical contact with brass and copper immersed in an agressive conductive fluid that was once plain tap water.
It needs to be drained and a good inhibitor put in to the system to stop corrosion throughout the piped heating system.
Fernox inhibitor is the best IME and don't skimp on quantities.
http://www.fernox.com/products/water+treatment+chemicals/inhibitors
A few pounds spent today will save £1000s later.

Would it pay to use a cleaning agent first do you think?

 

[Lime]

It rather depends on how bad the corrosion is!

Cleaning agents can work but IME the sediment in radiators is often so thick and heavy that it takes a high pressure hose to shift it.

But a clean system is the aim, so draining and cleaning by any means is better than no action at all.

 

[Penners]

Thanks for those further thoughts.

The odd thing is that I know there is fairly fresh Fernox in the system, at the recommended quantities. I put it in myself last year when I had to move two radiators in order to accommodate some layout modifications. When I drained down there was no indication of sludge.

 

[AMc]

If you dont have a softener I would consider fitting one , we are in the worst area for hard water. Be carefull though if you let a plumber do it, usually they leave the outside tap hard to get around regs. The reason you leave the cold tap in the kitchen un-softened is because very young children/babies cannot drink softened water , it could potentially kill them.

We fitted a softener as part of "the work". The plumber was horrified when he ran the test kit - hardest water he'd ever seen (proud face )
I thought you left the garden tap hard as plants don't like softened water and I don't like paying to soften water for the lawn v ?
Are you saying they sometimes soften the kitchen tap to simplify the plumbing job? :shock:

Our kitchen and utility sink taps are both hard but soft everywhere else. It has made a massive difference to the state of the taps and baths compared with the old stuff before the softener and the few weeks we used them before the softener was commissioned.

 

[LadyArowana]

Soft water gives you much nicer shinier hair, but drinking a lot of the artificially treated stuff wouldn't be a brilliant idea.

 

[Penners]

Soft water gives you much nicer shinier hair

Yer Ladyship - if the water softener could ensure the hair before it ensured the shininess, I'd buy one like a shot.

 

[LadyArowana]

Soft water gives you much nicer shinier hair

Yer Ladyship - if the water softener could ensure the hair before it ensured the shininess, I'd buy one like a shot.

There's always the Wayne Rooney option or Minoxidil, but shiny can be sexy too!

 

[Lime]

Thanks for those further thoughts.

The odd thing is that I know there is fairly fresh Fernox in the system, at the recommended quantities. I put it in myself last year when I had to move two radiators in order to accommodate some layout modifications. When I drained down there was no indication of sludge.

I usually double their recommendations.

 

[robgil]

Are you saying they sometimes soften the kitchen tap to simplify the plumbing job? :shock:

Our kitchen and utility sink taps are both hard but soft everywhere else. It has made a massive difference to the state of the taps and baths compared with the old stuff before the softener and the few weeks we used them before the softener was commissioned.

That and because some people dont want scale in their kettles. You should not really drink softened water but babies cannot deal very well with the amount of sodium in softened water, it gives them high blood pressure, heart disease and can disolve metals in pipework , lead and cadmium which isnt good for you either.

Hard water is rich in calcium and magnesium which are beneficial to us humans. I do know that even bottled water isnt recommended for babies with the exception of one brand , but I cannot remember which one.

Basically babies and salt dont mix too well.

 

[Penners]

but babies cannot deal very well with the amount of sodium in softened water, it gives them high blood pressure, heart disease

The same is true of adults.

 

[robgil]

I best lay off the bottled water then, I dont drink tap water at all.

 

[madworthy]

Sounds like the best option is the period one. Drink beer instead

 

[AMc]

That and because some people dont want scale in their kettles. You should not really drink softened water but babies cannot deal very well with the amount of sodium in softened water, it gives them high blood pressure, heart disease and can disolve metals in pipework , lead and cadmium which isnt good for you either.

@robgil - As you know a thing or two about water softeners - can I ask you a question?

I've just noticed that the salt tank on ours is filled with water. As there was no salt in the tank (oops) I've bailed it out and sponged some dust and grit off the bottom of the tank. The clock was also out (we had an 8 hour power cut a couple of weeks back and I forget it would need to be set) but it didn't seem to be in a cycle.

IIRC the salt tank isn't normally filled with water - if it wasn't actually dry to the bottom it wasn't full.
I'm guessing there is a filter somewhere in there that is blocked - any suggestions before I have to call out a service engineer?

It's a Culligan SLHITECHF fitted in 2009 if that helps.