Spirotec Magnacleans

[diamondgas]

Hi folks,

Last Friday I get landed with one of these on a system ... Never seen one before you see!

History; Icos boiler ground floor, pump and 3 way in the old airing cupboard and a combined Rolyat, I think it was, tank in the loft, pumping over, although I didn't know it at the time!!!

The call I get is that only the upstairs rads are heating and they can't have heating and hot water together!! So when I land the pump, CP53, is clunking and chugging like an old steam train!! baring in mind it's now 4pm I'm thinking "do I or don't I get involved?" By-the-way, ballafix iso valves on the pump looking a bit green around the centre valve :cry_smile:

Being it a Friday and the folk would be without much if I didn't do something I decide to change the pump & I happen to have a cupl of valves ,just in case! This install was done on the stay warm scheme, something like that by-the-way! Anyhoo's .. Went to turn valve off and it pee'd out! lol .. ok, bungs in, that's when I noticed how hot the c/h tank was! Pump and valves replace, I found I could only run the pump on its lowest setting, any higher and pumping over!

I'm going back, hopefully next year to combine the f&v pipes ... What I'm wondering though is this - do any of you have any experience with these spirotec filters? There's definitely a circulation issue and I was wondering whether they can 'block up' ... The original system must be at least 30yrs old but the boiler and controls are only 2!

How do you clean these spirotec's out? It looks like a brass version of the TF1 so I'm assuming its hose on the bottom and open the valve?

Any guidance or experience with these would be greatful 🙂

 

[GasmanxxxR1]

Yes thats how you clean them, i use one of those hose lock 1/2" outside tap conectors to atach a hose to the 1/2" male thread on the bottom of the the spirotap

in you drain it down you can actually undo the whole spindle and remove the magnets

in side its 22mm full bore so would have to be very sludgy to block itup

 

[mfgs]

Shoule be a hose connector with the unit which screws onto the bottom. Then its literally just a case of pulling water through it, I prefer the magnaclean and TF1's as its easier to see how much crap it has collected.

 

[diamondgas]

Thanks for the quick reply! So there's no way of removing the magnet other than drain down? That seems poor IMO

 

[mfgs]

There isnt any isolation on the unit, so a drain down is needed to take it fully out. You would have to assume its designed in such a way that it doesnt block up, but I have never seen the internals myself.

 

[diamondgas]

Shoule be a hose connector with the unit which screws onto the bottom. Then its literally just a case of pulling water through it, I prefer the magnaclean and TF1's as its easier to see how much crap it has collected.

Cheers mfgs 🙂

My concern after working with magnacleans is that the magnet will eventually clogg and if not restrict flow through at least be deamed redundant! 🙂

 

[GasmanxxxR1]

Its been said on these forums quite a few time that these spirotaps dont collect as much as the magnacleans.

Spirotaps are nicer to fit as there are all brass, but do they do their job as well as the other brands?

I'll let you decide after you've cleaned this one out.

I guess you could just bung the system to take it apart

 

[diamondgas]

I guess you could just bung the system to take it apart

Excellent idea my friend 🙂 Are the seals going to be water tight afterwards though? That's my first thought?

Regards dong there job I think it'll have been working overtime the state this system was left!! The people who have it istalled though think they're getting a bargain, under the warmfront thing, so are reluctant to complain! Still a shoddy install!!

 

[REDSAW]

how do you go with one of these on a combi, do you have to drop the pressure or drain down?.

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

bad design with no isos,i prefer the magnacleans

 

[CES]

Got to agree with Gasman, now if you could get the Magnaclean or TF1 with a Spirotec brass body, that would be the dogs!..

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

every time i fill in the adey warranty card it has suggestions on how to improve the product i keep writing make it out of brass and have done for years so what do they do instead? fk about with the plastic sleeve inside it instead

 

[diamondgas]

The spiro does look a solid piece of kit. I just don't understand how a flow of water over a strong magnet can clean it of its debris! Doesn't compute with me *shrug* I like the idea of being able to remove and clean the deposits IMO

 

[GasmanxxxR1]

Cheers mfgs 🙂

My concern after working with magnacleans is that the magnet will eventually clogg and if not restrict flow through at least be deamed redundant! 🙂

Yes, where the main body (the big round bit, done up hand tight) is attached to the pipework section there is an o ring. its not a common size so when one went on me i couldnt find one in any merchents, however new spirotaps come with a spare in the box now

Ive only had one o ring fail on me. It might depend on how old the unit is. Just go easy on it

 

[stevetheplumber]

tip that some of you may have missed the cap on the bottom of spirotecs has a square in it which fits the valve sqaure making it easy to open and close
i say you might have missed this as it was on the fourth one i fitted i noticed

 

[RoryD]

I was sceptical about these until recently cleaning one on a service. When you turn the drain / clean out valve (1/4 turn) it certainly comes out with some force, I suspect that will clear most of the magnet if not all. They are designed with a "no flow" zone so sludge/particles drop and are attracted to the magnet. If there's too much crap in the system it will travel on through as if it were'nt fitted. They don't leak like magnacleans. As was said a washing machine hose should do it, I have a cut out plastic milk container which i fit over the end too stop splashing

 

[diamondgas]

Thanks for that RoryD 🙂

It's gonna be next year now before I do the changes needed to the system to stop it pumping over for good. That's when I'll be running this through ...

Cheers folk for your responses .. Has helped me gain confidence in tackling the issue :clap:

 

[RoryD]

Incidentally check the directional flow arrow on the body. there is a 'slide' effect as one side of the female connection is deeper so you can slide it down and then back up to fit tight.
We fit them near the boiler if possible on the return. Alternatively fit before an external pump, you'll see yourself diamond. Have a good Xmas