Ultra cleaning question

kpc_75

it was not too bad. Used a toothbrush dry, thena stip of metal, washed it out with water. I am suprised by the looks on the condensate trap... pulled it out... A LOT of aluminum sand built up. Flushed it all out. How long will it last at that rate?

Nathan_6

mineral oil

Buderus recommends using mineral oil to aid with cleaning of their GB boiler with the Aluminum heat exchanger and I was wondering if anyone has done that with the Ultra boiler's Exchanger? We have 12 310 ultras that we installed in a facility in 2006 that we have been cleaning yearly but we find with the cleaning rod that WeilMclain has it takes about 2hours each boiler from start to finish to clean(due to tight little pins) and I was wondering if the mineral oil trick that Buderus recomends might make cleaning go a little faster?

nathan_8

I guess know one cleans the ultra's :-)

So has know one came up with any time saving cleaning tips for the ultra?? The only one we have found is to clean the boiler Hot. The cleaning rod goes through the pins better when the boiler is hot.

tim smith

Nathan, I would call Weil Mclain tech support to see if they

have any problem with that. We have used this on Buderus also and it works pretty well but have yet to try it on a Weil but it is in que to do. Tim
Ps, I contacted Weil Mclain tech support and they will check with engineering about using the mineral oil technique. Should hear back today.

Nathan_6

Thanks Tim

Thanks Tim,

It has been on my list to do but with getting everything ready for the up coming jobs at the facility it has slipped to the bottom. The remote facility is located 1500miles from us one way and every time we come up they have a list of projects for us to do along with cleaning the boilers.

Jean-David Beyer

I do not know what works, but I do have the Weil McLain installation manual and it suggests pretty strongly:

"Do not use petroleum-based cleaning or sealing compounds in boiler system. Gaskets and seals in the system may be damaged. This can result in substantial property damage." [page 5]

"These new materials also require cleaning solutions that differ from those used in conventional cast iron and steel boilers. One cleaning method that CANNOT be used with systems containing aluminum is a solution of trisodium phosphate, commonly referred to as 'TSP.' ..." [page 72]

"There are cleaning solutions that have been developed to clean and treat mixed metal systems. And these solutions have been successful for years. It is important that the cleaning, treatment and freeze protection products used on Ultra aluminum boilers are identified as being safe and suitable for use in hydronic heating systems. The following companies offer such products:

Hydronic Agencies, Ltd.
15363 117 Ave.
Edmonton, AB T5M 3X4, Canada

Rhomar Water Management, Inc
P.O.Box 229
Springfield, MO 65901" [page 72]

Now the pins are on the fire side of the heat exchanger, not the water side. But some of the warnings surely apply to either side. For the fire side, they say:

"Use a vacuum cleaner to remove any accumulation on the heating surfaces. Do not use any solvent.

"If the vacuum cleaner is unable to clean completely, wash the heating surfaces with clean, warm water. If further cleaning is necessary, use the Heat Exchanger Cleaning Tool. ..." [page 90]

I would think that, to the extent that it works, mineral oil would count as a solvent. If you are inclined to try it, how would you get it off before putting it all back together? I assume you would not try TSP, and I imagine water would not do it either. And I do not know if it would burn off cleanly if you leave it there. Would it damage the flue sensors?

Rhomar Mike

cleaning

HyrdoSolve 9100 safely cleans multi metal systems.

www.rhomarwater.com

Nathan_6

it should burn off

"I would think that, to the extent that it works, mineral oil would count as a solvent. If you are inclined to try it, how would you get it off before putting it all back together? I assume you would not try TSP, and I imagine water would not do it either. And I do not know if it would burn off cleanly if you leave it there. Would it damage the flue sensors?"

On the buderus GB aluminum heat exchanger you open up the boiler and spray the exchanger let it set a few minutes then fire the boiler up and let it burn off. After it has ran a bit you open the boiler back up an clean it with a nylon brush and water. the final step is to spray the exchanger down again with mineral oil and head for home. the mineral oil supposedly does two things in the first step it helps burn off and loosen contaminates on the exchanger and in the last step it helps protect the freshly cleaned exchanger from oxidation.

I'm just not sure how the Ultras burner would like the process compared to the ceramic plate burner of the buderus.

Nathan_6

Tim did you ever hear back for Weil-McClain? I'm at the remote location today and plan to start on cleaning the twelve boilers. My only real question about the mineral oil is how the ultra's burner would like the process the exchanger and gaskets I think would be just fine.

Wayco Wayne_2

I was talking to

Darin Cook a few months ago and referred to the aluminum mod con HX's as sacrificial Heat Exchangers. It made me smile cuz it's true.

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Nathan_6

Cleaned 12 ultra 310's yesterday

I cleaned the 12 310's yesterday (Two systems consisting of 8 boilers each)and it went really smooth compared to the first cleaning which came after 2 years of service. This cleaning came after only a year of service and the difference was measured in hours. The good news is we have talked the company into keeping to the annual cleaning schedule so I hope all the future cleanings continue to go this smooth.

I don't believe The aluminum sand material you are referring too is heatexchanger material but more of a by product on combustion because I find the same build up in the condensate trap of the viessmann and knight boilers I have serviced and they both have stainless exchangers.

I did notice that the last boiler we installed in the system just a year ago was the worst one to clean. it was full of the sandy build-up in the bottom of the exchanger and middle pins of the exchanger were caked up bad with deposits. I'm not sure if the boilers when new give off a lot of deposits or (and this I feel is the most likely cause) Since the other 5 boilers were a year old the new boiler got two years worth of running in the one year so that the tekmar control could have all the boilers running hours the same. Which they were this year all 6 boilers had total operating hours within a 50 hours of each other.

tim smith

Nathan, I did talk to one of the tech people and they checked

with their aluminum heat x mfr. The mfr said absolutely no on mineral oil. Interesting that Buderus approves and this heat x co does not. Weil will look into further with their heat xmfr. But no for now. Tim