Power flush machine

[Ginger plumbing]

Hi there Im thinking about buying a power flushing machine but not sure which to go for I've heard fenox does a good one. Any one recommend any others and if so how much.

Cheers

 

[CES]

Hi Ginger, that's a bit like asking to recommend a car tbh you will get different opinions. Ive got a Kamco flushing machine and I like it but its not to everyones taste. The fernox machine is supposed to be good but I cant say for certain as I haven't used it.

 

[stevetheplumber]

ive got an unbranded one that does all i want it to most people will have only used the one they have

 

[SafeGasInstall]

hi and welcome along i use norstrom


[DLMURL="http://www.norstrom.co.uk/prods_proflush_proflush.htm"]Norstrom Group Limited[/DLMURL]

 

[Gascat]

I have just got myself a magnacleanse which isnt a powerflush machine but does the same thing. i have used it 3 times and is so much easier than powerflushing and very effective when used in conjunction with the radiator agitator (although a little on the noisy side and be careful if you have any loose brackets)
Its very fast to do uses the system/boiler pump and has very little to go wrong and no bloody meesy water to dump/spill flush , dump , spill, flush

 

[essexplumber1]

I recently got the new fernox powerflow mk3 machine, to replace an old Kamco CF90 machine.
Wow what a difference, the flow rates are excellent and the machine build quality is just so much better. All backed up by the Fernox brand and got a good price off descale direct limited, with a free digital solids meter and training course place. One happy customer!

 

[Js58gas]

I use norstrom with a heat element which comes in very handy if the boiler is not working or your changing the boiler

 

[essexplumber1]

I would ask how a 3kw heating element is capable of heating an average 80Litre heating system, how long does it take to heat the whole system to 60 degrees to optimise any cleaning chemical?

 

[Js58gas]

Yeah your right it won't heat the whole system but what you do is fill the tank turn on the element while that's heating connect up your machine then you work with two rads at a time looking for cold spots and circulation problems. If u work with two rads at a time the water is hot, it takes about 10-15 min to heat. I find it very helpful when you have a boiler blocked so bad you can't get any heat from it or your changing the boiler.

 

[essexplumber1]

Thank you Js58gas for your response.
We have tried using 3Kw heater elements before now and found the heat was lose from the rads was faster then we could into the water. Resulting in a very marginal temperature increse, typically only 10 to 15 degrees! No where near high enough to optimise the chemicals being used. We always advocate using the boiler and cleaning at 60 to 80 degrees C, maximum cleaning with only a short contact time required.

 

[Js58gas]

Hi essexplumber thanks for your comments I agree with u that it's
much better to be able to use the boiler for heat but this is not always
possible as you must find. So with
this machine it gets up to 60oc and
with a 40 ltr tank holds the heat long
enough for the chemicals. I admit it is
a longer process I find it helpful to
check for cold spots and circulation
problems when the boiler won't fire for example a sealed system with a low water pressure switch. How do you go about flushing a system with an inoperative boiler?

 

[FD Powerflow]

Ive got a Mk3 Fernox machine, great piece of kit, Kamco being the only other brand Id recommend. As for magnacleanse its a poor mans powerflush, it wont shift anything, just remove whats already floating about, might as well stick a normal magnaclean or TF1 on and run the system for a day or two, and before the magnacleanse lovers come on and slate me check out the dozens of posts from other heating engineers who have used it themselves and agree with me.

Was talking to Kamco on the phone asking for advice on a commercial job and they also pointed out that the Advertising Standards Agency had refuted most of the Magnaclean claims about the magnacleanse,
ASA Adjudication on ADEY Ltd - Advertising Standards Authority
dont get me wrong, I sometimes fit magnacleans and I also own a magnacleanse but I use it in conjunction with my Powerflushing machine and it just boils my **** when some people do a lazy install but big it up as something different, just to undercut me. Same goes for telling a customer Salus is better than Honeywell, or instead of a Vaillant someone prices a biasi but says its better.

Rant over.

 

[FD Powerflow]

Hi there Im thinking about buying a power flushing machine but not sure which to go for I've heard fenox does a good one. Any one recommend any others and if so how much.

Cheers

PS Ginger sorry for my rant in answer to your question pound for pound the fernox machine is probably the best out there, I got my MK3 for £725 plus the VAT from Plumbase and it had a free TDS meter for measuring how clean a system is, I already had one but worth keeping a spare

 

[essexplumber1]

Hi Jsgas58gas, In answer to your question if the boiler has a low pressure switch you can throttle back the return valve on your machine, assuming it produces enough pressure like the Fernox unit does, which will apply pressure across the boiler enabling it to be fired up.
FD Powerflow, agree whole heartedly, Magnacleanse system does very little to clean a system other than remove the loose material already circulating, efficiency of clean is less than 50%, Powerflush with the right chemicals and achieve an efficiency of clean around 95%+!

 

[boblydon]

I also use the norstum machine with the heating element coupled to a magnacleanse filter, for me it's an excellent set up, expensive but well worth the money to get the job done correctly.

I never ever leave the boiler connected when power flushing (sealed system type boilers), the last thing you need is is any dislodged system crud entering the boiler.

I find the vibra tool really works well on the radiators, not heard of many other people using one though........and finally you have to laugh at the poster who thinks the magna cleanse does the same job as full powerflush, would hate to be one of his customers!!!!, it's people like him who give the trade a bad name.

 

[scorps]

..and finally you have to laugh at the poster who thinks the magna cleanse does the same job as full powerflush, would hate to be one of his customers!!!!, it's people like him who give the trade a bad name.

Over the top statement,what gives the trade a bad name is one plumber slagging off another plumber to all n sundry when it's not needed,He,s bought that machine on a salesman's word that it does the job,in time he will realise it won't,that does'nt make him a bad tradesman