Cleaning / descaling bowman tube stack?

[contessaman]

Does anyone know what product is best for descaling and cleaning out the tube stack out of a bowman heat exchanger? I guess its brass? Its not at all in bad condition or blocked just a little scale and was wondering if there was something good to clean it up with since I'm in the process of replacing and overhauling everything. Was wondering if white vinegar is any good? I've used that to good effect on scuba parts in the past.

Thanks

 

[Tranona]

Rydelime commonly used for this.

 

[Piers]

This is how I cleaned Play d'eau: http://www.playdeau.com/descaling-the-heat-exchanger/

 

[VicS]

Does anyone know what product is best for descaling and cleaning out the tube stack out of a bowman heat exchanger? I guess its brass? Its not at all in bad condition or blocked just a little scale and was wondering if there was something good to clean it up with since I'm in the process of replacing and overhauling everything. Was wondering if white vinegar is any good? I've used that to good effect on scuba parts in the past.

Thanks

As Tranona suggests "Rydlyme" .... Google for info and instructions.

Vinegar is not only rather too dilute it is only a very weak acid. It would be a very slow process to remove any significant quantity of scale

A sulfamic acid based central heating boiler descaler, such as Fernox DS3, would be more effective than vinegar. It is readily available from plumbing suppliers and some DIY stores.

Cautious use of a well diluted hydrochloric acid based brick and masonry cleaner is another possibility.

 

[contessaman]

Thanks chaps

 

[RichardS]

Cautious use of a well diluted hydrochloric acid based brick and masonry cleaner is another possibility.

That's what I use on aluminium, copper and steel. It doesn't seem to attack the metal and stops fizzing once the calcium has dissolved. However, I wouldn't leave it unattended for long which is presumably why Vic says "cautious" ..... although he might equally well mean "cautious" in the sense of being careful not to get the acid in your eyes etc.

Richard

 

[pvb]

If it's not badly scaled, I'd be cautious about doing anything with it. When the heat exchanger had to be removed from my old Volvo 2003T as part of the oil cooler replacement, the VP dealer suggested it should be cleaned, although there was little scale. They sent it to a radiator specialist to be "pickled" (as they put it). When it came back, they tested it and, sure enough, it now had a slight leak. Fortunately, it was fixable with epoxy.

 

[pcatterall]

Apologies for deviation but are there any products sold in powder form for those of us who need to carry overseas? I want to do similar jobs while in Spain this winter. I think I could get brick cleaner there though.

 

[RichardS]

Apologies for deviation but are there any products sold in powder form for those of us who need to carry overseas? I want to do similar jobs while in Spain this winter. I think I could get brick cleaner there though.

If Spain is anything like Croatia you just go into a supermarket and buy Hydrochloric Acid from the household cleaning section. No need to search for brick cleaner which you'll probably never find.

Richard

 

[superheat6k]

B&Q plumbers powder descaler is fairly gentle, and I find very effective for cleaning heat exchangers. About £6 for two sachets, that will make a jugful each. Leave the stack to soak for about an hour, although you might need to do one end at a time.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Rydelime commonly used for this.

+1

Used this on my last boat. Big bucket full, pumped around and around with a small bilge pump. No need to dismantle anything, other than removing a couple of hoses.