Domestic scale reducers- snake oil?
BenB - 18/10/09 at 12:28 PM
Has anyone ever used the magnetic or electrolytic scale reducers? Screwfix sell 'em, most of the plumbing barns sell'em.... (not talking
about the salt dosing units here, just the magnetic or electrolytic stylee ones).
To me they appear to smack of snake oil or the "magnetic leaded petrol" devices. Or the devices that clip onto the fuel inlet pipe and make
more BHP by "aligning the fuel particles".
But they sell in scarily large numbers.
Anyone on here ever used one to good effect? All the explanations sounds a bit like smoke and mirrors to me and I know some big companies use them but
knowing how inefficient some big companies are, it doesn't mean they work!! 
It's almost tempting to buy some and do some side by side
comparisons!!
blakep82 - 18/10/09 at 12:59 PM
scale as in lime scale? that stuffs not magnetic is it?
i don't know, we don't get it here. if any plumber tried telling me i need it, i tell them where to go 
[Edited on 18/10/09 by blakep82]
BenB - 18/10/09 at 01:04 PM
Well we're well hard down here
dhutch - 18/10/09 at 01:04 PM
I dont under stand them either.
- We have one in the house (rented student accoms) before the cold feed to the boiler. Presumably to protect that?
Cant see it working, but there we go!
Daniel
dave r - 18/10/09 at 02:24 PM
had a new boiler fitted 2 years ago, and the manufacturer insists they are fitted, or the warrenty is void ??
BenB - 18/10/09 at 03:08 PM
yup! crazy!!!!!
dinosaurjuice - 18/10/09 at 04:45 PM
theres 2 systems available, both easily confused and very different.
theres things called magnaclean and alike which work on the central heating loop to catch any ferous material from radiators etc. these are GOOD, make
valves, pumps and exchangers work better for longer. Theyre essentially a swirl pot with a magnetic bar in the middle. they need cleaning out
occasionally.
theres also those wires you wrap around pipes to prevent limescale, these are CRAP. no hard proof that they actually work. just a waste of energy IMO.
dhutch - 18/10/09 at 07:36 PM
quote:
Originally posted by dinosaurjuicetheres things called magnaclean and alike which work on the central heating loop to catch any ferous
material from radiators etc. these are GOOD, make valves, pumps and exchangers work better for longer.
Yeah, well that works, i can see the point in that.
- Just like magnetic sump plug.
JoelP - 18/10/09 at 07:40 PM
when fitting a kitchen i once replumbed it all neater without the magnetic cartridge, the guy actually complained saying he had paid good money for
it! I told him it was a scam...
Liam - 18/10/09 at 08:22 PM
quote:
Originally posted by dinosaurjuice
theres 2 systems available, both easily confused and very different.
theres things called magnaclean and alike which work on the central heating loop to catch any ferous material from radiators etc. these are GOOD, make
valves, pumps and exchangers work better for longer. Theyre essentially a swirl pot with a magnetic bar in the middle. they need cleaning out
occasionally.
theres also those wires you wrap around pipes to prevent limescale, these are CRAP. no hard proof that they actually work. just a waste of energy IMO.
Or there's the things I think the OP is talking about - sort of an in-line magnet-round-the-pipe - no wires/power. Fitted one of those in my new
plumbing system during my renovation cos it came with the boiler kit. If I recall the blurb it's supposed to charge/ionise the scale ingredients
or something to make them less likely to come together to form the actual scale. Hmmm.
Hard to say if it's doing anything - the bedford water still seems as hard as usual - every drop of water dries leaving residue. But then the
thing doesn't do the same as a proper water softener. I would say my kettle isn't really scaling up and neither does the shower head etc
seem to be, but maybe it's just too early to tell. Or maybe it really is helping to stop scale building up? We'll see I guess.
Liam
[Edited on 18/10/09 by Liam]
adam1985 - 18/10/09 at 08:52 PM
id fit one for the sake of £20 they are a fit and forget item so once its in jobs done. lost count how many dhw heat exchangers ive changed/cleaned
any most of them had no scale reducer fitted i suppose it all depends what your waters like
[Edited on 18/10/09 by adam1985]