Onix inhibitor?

overpop

So, as usual I go to the national supply store and it's always hit or miss how they treat a "non professional" when someone like myself comes to the counter with a question. Anyway, last year I by myself install a boiler and radiant system based on "Pumping Away" and it worked flawlessly last winter. Yearly maintenance time now and the salesperson at the counter started to warm up to me...only to sternly warn me that my Pure Pro Trio boiler was not under warranty because (in my words) a schlub like myself installed it. Whatever. All I know is that I cleaned it and hardly any soot after last winter and was at 86% efficient and I could list the mistakes the previous professional service company did. Including not pumping away. Here's my question: the counter guy said "oh you better put an inhibitor in that onix or it's gonna harden up on you." So, what is an inhibitor and is it needed with Onix?

kcopp

I was unaware there was an issue w/ Onix becoming brittle. I thought that was an Entran thing.
That being said I still thing there is an issue w/ oxygen ingress w/ Onix.
There are a couple major players in the boiler water treatment biz in the US.... Rohmar and Fernox. I use Fernox.
If you got your boiler at FW Webb they carry Rohmar.
Both work well.
Typically it is a 3 step process.
Flush/ Purge out your system. Get all the main sy\tuff out of your system. Then add in the appropriate amount of the cleaner.
Let this run in the system for at least a couple days. Then flush it all out. Then add the inhibitor.
You need to be able to test what is in your water. Fernox will do this I think Rhomar will too.

hot_rod

Remember also you need some sort of low temperature protection for the boiler, if you have low temperature distribution. The installation manual talks about that, keeping the return above 130°.

I have not seen any of the black Onix harden. I have heard of some slugging. Good quality, low TDS fill water and a corrosion inhibitor would be good insurance against those conditions.

Sludge forms when O2 gets into a system, or the junk from assembly was not cleaned out.

A hydronic detergent should always be run through any new piping to remove flux, oils, dirt, etc. Then add a conditioner with good water.

The kits form Rhomar, Fernox and others make it easy to clean and inhibit a system.

overpop

Thank you guys, will do all that is suggested, such good info here. Again this all started by a master plumber telling me to read Dan's book. Everything spiraled from there. My past involved being a 35 mm projector technician which involved oil, heat, water circulators, mechanical parts and light! Today it's d-i-g-i-t-a-l. Not my bag. I'm an Analog Kid.

Leon82

I got mine at houseneeds website
they have a nice kit with the 9100 and 922 along with test strips

overpop

Well my kit with the 9100 and 922 was a dismal failure as getting it into the system proved difficult not to mention flushing 'till all clear. The price I pay for not having a 100,000 dollar a year job and could hire someone. Anyway, IF I want to get the protectant solution in my boiler, is there a cheap way of pressure injecting the pint of it into the system?

hot_rod

If you want to inject into the system while it is pressurized, you need a small transfer pump of some sort.

I've only use that kit once, but the aerosol cans worked fine for me? What issue did you have?

overpop

I will look into aerosol. I can depressurize the system but have no real high spigot to get it into if I were to drain that zone a bit. Transfer pump I am told was about 200 bucks. I think I saw a guy on line use a modified pump sprayer.

hot_rod

got a drill motor
I'll bet your local hardware store has one.


?

kcopp

You don't need to be at the top of the system... Any boiler drain w/ a hose thread will do. You don't need to drop the pressure a whole lot. 10psi you should be great.

overpop

kcopp said:

You don't need to be at the top of the system... Any boiler drain w/ a hose thread will do. You don't need to drop the pressure a whole lot. 10psi you should be great.

This is if I have some sort of pressurized way to get it in there I assume? The top of the system basically meant if I had to pour it in.

overpop

hot rod said:

got a drill motor
I'll bet your local hardware store has one.


?

And the drill pump...well that's a good idea!

kcopp

Correct....the cans are pressurized. Both Fernox and Rhomar have the cans that are pre charged.

http://www.fernox.us/products/water+treatment+chemicals/inhibitors/protector+f1+express