Eric The Viking
Established Member
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- 19 Jan 2010
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Two types of Iron oxide
Iron(III) oxide (normal rust) isn't magnetic and forms in the presence of oxygen (usually from the air). It is can't be magnetized
Iron(II) oxide (I think, i.e. mainly Magnetite), is black, and forms where there is little free oxygen, such ias inside heating systems. It's your black sludge.
It IS magnetic, so fit something like a Magnaclean, on the return pipe near the Boiler, to remove it from the water.
Also make certain you have a good quality rust inhibitor in the system, at the right concentration to be effective. I bought some cheap stuff from Toolstation (they no longer sell it), and despite using a lot of it, it was useless, so I'm back to Fernox, but other brands are available.
Both destroy modern boilers, so keeping the circulating water as clean as possible is a must. Magnetic cleaners are quite expensive, but not when you consider the repair costs otherwise.
HTH,
E.
Iron(III) oxide (normal rust) isn't magnetic and forms in the presence of oxygen (usually from the air). It is can't be magnetized
Iron(II) oxide (I think, i.e. mainly Magnetite), is black, and forms where there is little free oxygen, such ias inside heating systems. It's your black sludge.
It IS magnetic, so fit something like a Magnaclean, on the return pipe near the Boiler, to remove it from the water.
Also make certain you have a good quality rust inhibitor in the system, at the right concentration to be effective. I bought some cheap stuff from Toolstation (they no longer sell it), and despite using a lot of it, it was useless, so I'm back to Fernox, but other brands are available.
Both destroy modern boilers, so keeping the circulating water as clean as possible is a must. Magnetic cleaners are quite expensive, but not when you consider the repair costs otherwise.
HTH,
E.
