Should I add an inhibitor?

maybemark

I mostly have iron pipe in my 90 - 100 year old system the rest is copper. I have plans on flushing my system with fresh water several times before I install my new boiler. Would you suggest installing an inhibitor to the system? If it is suggested, should it be done before i put the new boiler in place, or once the boiler is in place? And, if you suggest doing it, what brand do you feel is best to use?
- thanks
- Mark

hot_rod

The old steel and copper probably has a layer of film and corrosion protecting it by now. It's the new piping and boiler HX surfaces you want to protect.

Inhibitors mainly buffer Ph, scavenge O2, and have film providers. So basically they try to assure the water is not supporting corrosion, and the elements needed for corrosion.

I feel it is critical in mixed metal systems where copper, iron, steel, brass, stainless, possibly aluminum need to get along together.

Rhomar is one of my favorite, Fernox has a good line also.

maybemark

thanks hot rod
would you suggest pro-tek 922? I was not planning on using a cleaner on the old system, how do you feel about that? I am putting on a dirt mag on the new system.
chicago water is 7.8 ph

maybemark

it would be nice to hear other peoples thoughts

hot_rod

The cleaner mainly for getting oil, flux, pipe dope, etc out of the new assemblies. At the very least run it up to temperature and flush the boiler and new piping if possible.

If the piping is such just circulate around the boiler loop and flush and add the inhibitor. It's fairly cheap insurance a gallon of inhibitor.

Here is what the Rhomar looks like on a Knight HX I cut open for demo. It looks like someone took a MagicMarker and colored the stainless, just a very thin layer enough to protect the bare metal but enough thickness to hamper HX.

unclejohn

I've used Fernox with good results.

maybemark

hot rod
the pro-tes 922? is that the one to use?

maybemark

pro-tex 922

maybemark

is there an online store that sells fernox products?

kcopp

http://www.houseneeds.com/heating/hydronic-heating-boilers/boiler-water-treatment-glycol

maybemark

thanks, I saw the rhomar at that place